With the launch of the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme, Nigeria can, in less than a decade, banish food insecurity, while radically improving export earnings from agriculture, creating millions of lucrative agro-industrial jobs and opportunities for its citizens.
This was stated by vice president Yemi Osinbajo, when he represented President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday at the Official Launch of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones in Nigeria, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.
According to a statement by his media aide, Laolu Akande, Prof. Osinbajo noted that the launch of the SAPZ programme heralded a “profoundly important moment in our agricultural odyssey.”
“If the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programme delivers on its objectives and we have no doubt that it will, then we would in less than a decade deal a fatal blow to food insecurity, create millions of good paying agro-industrial jobs and opportunities and radically improve export earnings from agriculture,” the vice president stated.
According to him, the Programme was “a clear plan for the industrialization of agriculture, the deliberate development of value chains in the crops farmers grow and a pathway to net exportation of their produce.”
Highlighting the significance of the SAPZ programme to Nigeria, the Vice President noted that “the programme is now a critical component of our agricultural strategy, which is to accelerate the industrialization of our agricultural sector with the objective of being ahead of our constraints in providing food, nutrition and wealth for the largest population in our continent.”
“The Nigeria Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programme (The SAPZ programme) is a government-enabled and private sector-led initiative that will to mobilize private sector investment to develop value chains for selected strategic crops and livestock in the Participating States.
Nigeria will implement the first phase of the SAPZ programme with co-financing from the African Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB),” he added.
