The European Union Delegation to Nigeria in collaboration with ECOWAS and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have organized a stakeholders’ workshop to present the report of a value chain analysis on maize in Nigeria, undertaken on the platform of the EU-funded “Value chain analysis for development” (VCA4D) project.
The workshop held in Kano and Abuja between July 12 and 14, 2022 was conducted by a team of national and international experts from Agrinatura – the Alliance of European Universities and Research Centres specializing in agricultural research for development.
Between January 2020 and October 2021, the EU mandated Agrinatura to undertake a detailed overview of the maize value chain from the economic, social and environmental point of view.
The study generated evidence-based knowledge, largely quantitative, to help policy makers underpin and fine-tune policy actions and interventions in the value chain, in order to enhance its sustainable and inclusive development.
The two workshops publicized the findings and recommendations of the VCA4D study to promote their use in relevant policy discussions and investment decisions; and contributed to build a platform for continued networking and advocacy on actions to strengthen the maize value chain.
A number of stakeholders, from institutions, farmers’ organizations and the private sector actively participated in the workshops. These workshops, coming immediately after the 8th EU-Nigeria Business Forum, represented an important complementary initiative to reflect on policy and investments implications for the inclusive and sustainable development of the maize value chain.
The VCA4D analysis provides a baseline, useful to appreciate the evolution of the sector over time, also in contexts of investment.
Nigeria is one of the world’s leading maize producers, especially of non-genetically modified white maize. With a demand on the rise both as food as from the processing industry, the country is nonetheless still exposed to risks of supply shortfall.
