A brand new federal authorities white paper launched in Abuja yesterday signifies that Nigeria might lose over $1 billion in direct agricultural export earnings and greater than $3 billion in whole financial worth annually if it doesn’t align with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Underneath the EUDR guidelines, commodities getting into the EU should be traceable to their precise farm boundaries, be legally produced, and be verifiably freed from deforestation.
Nonetheless, the Ministry of Agriculture and Meals Safety, yesterday launched a nationwide technique and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nationwide Area Analysis and Improvement Company (NASRDA) to information the nation’s compliance framework.
The minister of Agriculture and Meals Safety, Abubakar Kyari on the signing ceremony, stated the dimensions of potential loss required coordinated nationwide motion to safeguard farmers, exports and the broader economic system.
The minister stated the nation is getting into a interval wherein information, science and clear manufacturing techniques will decide entry to international markets.
Kyari famous that compliance shouldn’t be seen solely as a problem however as a possibility to modernise agricultural worth chains, unlock premium export markets and lift farmer incomes.
He careworn that each one instruments and platforms developed underneath the technique should stay accessible and reasonably priced to smallholders, who type the spine of Nigeria’s agricultural economic system.
He added that the nationwide technique was crafted via in depth collaboration involving authorities establishments, commodity associations, non-public stakeholders and improvement companions.
The framework, he stated, is designed to safe Nigeria’s place in international provide chains at a time when environmental requirements have gotten central to commerce competitiveness.
Underneath the brand new partnership, NASRDA will provide satellite tv for pc imagery, real-time monitoring and technical assist, whereas the ministry will coordinate farmer engagement and coverage integration.
A joint steering committee and a nationwide accountability matrix will information the rollout, guaranteeing that farmer registrations, polygon mapping, and transaction data feed right into a single nationwide database, which would be the solely construction the EU will recognise for assessing Nigeria’s danger standing.
“At present’s occasion is each strategic and symbolic. It’s strategic as a result of it equips Nigeria with the techniques required to stay aggressive in international markets and it’s symbolic as a result of it represents our collective resolve to guard our farmers, modernise our worth chains and construct an agricultural sector that stands robust on the worldwide stage.”
He stated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has made it clear that agriculture is central to the nation’s nationwide technique for financial renewal, stability and inclusive progress.
“Our commodities should now be traceable to the precise farm boundary, legally produced and verifiably deforestation-free”, the minister stated.
He added, “Based on the white paper we’re launching at present, Nigeria faces the danger of shedding over one billion {dollars} in direct export earnings and greater than three billion {dollars} in whole financial worth annually if we fail to adapt.
“We can’t enable this stage of publicity to position our farmers or our nationwide economic system at an obstacle, and we is not going to enable international rules to undermine Nigerian livelihoods or depart any farmer behind.”
