Achievements

Achievements to Date

v  The Sugarcane Value Chain Desk office met with National Sugar Development Council NSDC to harmonize positions and programmes, whereby agreement was reached that Sugarcane value chain should  support sugarcane farmers around new and  existing sugar mills in areas of supplying improved planting materials, contract farmers groups formation and capacity building for the operators

v  Held Stakeholders’ workshop on 16^th July 2013, the theme: was Rebuilding of Nigerian Sugar  Industry through Sugarcane Value Chain and 91 participants attended

v  The Value Chain rendered technical guidance to Honey Gold  Global Resources Nig Ltd partnering with COSTA NEGOCOIOS in Sao Paulo, Brazil, both  have intention of acquiring 30,000 ha to establish sugarcane estate, mills and refinery  in (8) States of Nigeria. Currently,  have secured 120,000 ha in Adamawa State and seeking support of The Ministry through the Value Chain to initiate the process of securing farmland in Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Kwara, Ekiti and Osun  and map out strategies to secure the buying-in of  hosting communities and the authorities in the States.

v  The value Chain gave technical guidance to International Industrial Group (IDG) South Africa and their Nigerian Partners, on issue of farmland acquisition and buy in of the hosting communities in Ogun, Kwara, Niger and Ekiti, and Osun. However, the company has signed MoU with Osun State Government and have acquired up to 20,000 ha, and they are now awaiting issuance of the Certificate of Occupancy of the land from the State Government.

v  Participated in joint team visits of Honourable Minister of Trade and Investment to Dangote, BUA and Golden sugar refineries in Apapa Lagos on 2^nd August, 2013, during the visits these Companies  discussed their plans on backward integration programmes to ensure sugar self-sufficiency in the Country..

v  Presented a position paper to the Sugar Road Map Implementation Committee (SURMIC) meeting held on 12^th Sept. 2013 to solicit funding of sugarcane farmers through GES. The Committee agreed with this position and has graciously agreed to fund sugarcane GES from Sugar levy. This involves supply of seed cane, Agro-chemicals, field establishment, maintenance and harvesting operations, provision of dams and irrigation equipment to the farmers groups on single digit interest rate loan. To facilitate the process there must be an agreement between farmers groups, off takers (sugarcane mills) and Bank of Agriculture which will be documented in form of MoU which Sugarcane Value Chain Team is expected to facilitate.

v  Sugarcane Value Chain in collaboration with National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) supported Oyo state Sugarcane Farmers Association to establish 20 ha of foundation farm per zone to expand Sugarcane Estate in the 5 zones of the State,  where  100 TCD cottage mill will be installed in each zone, and the process of their  procurement is on-going. When the estates and mills are in full operation, they will employ up to 1,500 employees.

v  In addition, the Value Chain and NSDC jointly supported Osun State Sugarcane Farmers Association, by initiating site selection in 4 zones of the State, they intend to establish 50 ha of foundation farm to expand their Sugarcane Estates and install 10 TCD cottage mills each in the four zones, which will employ about 500 employees when operating in full capacity.

v  The Value Chain secured MTB approval for Multiplication and Distribution of 5,600 industrial seed cane to 3,398 Sugarcane Farmers in 14 States around existing sugarcane mills.