The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has reaffirmed its dedication to fortifying the human capital within the agricultural value chain, asserting that active participation in agriculture holds the key to combatting hunger and fostering socio-economic stability.
SMEDAN, through its representative, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, underscores that this commitment aligns seamlessly with its mission to empower and uplift the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) subsector.
Mr. Mohammed emphasizes that comprehensive plans have been set in motion to facilitate seamless engagement with vital stakeholders including regulators, enhancers, Business Development Support Providers (BDSPs), aggregators, and off-takers of agricultural products. This strategic collaboration aims to amplify the impact and productivity of the agricultural value chain.
The focal objective of this collective endeavor is to illuminate the agency’s Product and Marketing Enhancement Scheme (PAMES) and garner enthusiastic participation from relevant stakeholders, thereby propelling the scheme towards greater efficacy and output.
“SMEDAN has, over the years, collaborated with various essential stakeholders to champion the cause of providing subsidized entrepreneurship capacity-building for MSMEs. This serves as an initial investment towards augmenting the proficiency of operators within this crucial sub-sector, a facet that has long been identified as a significant growth impetus,” affirms Mohammed.
In concordance with this vision, the agency is poised to engage in robust dialogue with regulators, enhancers, BDSPs, aggregators, and off-takers of agricultural products under the aegis of the PAMES initiative. This program is strategically designed to offer Micro Small Enterprises in the agro-allied sector access to indispensable business and technical support services, bespoke product development, and pivotal market access. These collective efforts are poised to nurture competitiveness and spur sustainable business expansion.
Under the astute guidance of Mr. Olawale Fasanya, SMEDAN remains resolute in its commitment to advancing the enhancement of human capital within the agricultural value chain. The agency’s unwavering dedication to supporting Nigerian MSMEs underscores its pivotal role in propelling the nation’s economic landscape toward greater prosperity.
