The federal government has announced plans to collaborate with Indonesia to explore export-driven strategies aimed at enhancing economic growth and development in the oil palm sector.
Aliyu Abdullahi, Minister of State for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, made this commitment during a meeting with Pahala Mansury, Vice-President of Foreign Affairs for Indonesia, on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr. Abdullahi highlighted the significant export potential of palm oil.
“The growth strategy of Nigeria recognises that as much as we will be talking about import substitution, the best solution is for us to have export driven strategies. We can accommodate investors so that we can take the oil palm to the next level of economic growth and development.
“l believe giving what you have done by lifting 16million farmers out of poverty and with the existing oil palm in Nigeria we can achieve that and we can do it. Considering Nigeria ecosystem, we have more numbers to take out of poverty; we are developing a nucleus to make it possible; hence we are going to work to see how to turn it around, “he said.
Mr Mansury said the visit was for both countries to see how they could be able to develop a much better economic cooperation particularly in area of agriculture.
Mr Mansury identified Nigeria as Indonesia’s most significant economic partner in sub-Sahara Africa in terms of trade, investment and economic cooperation.
He said that through palm oil production, Indonesia was able to lift over 16million of smallholder farmers out of poverty.
“Right now, Indonesia is the largest producer of palm oil producing approximately 50 million metric tons. Domestically we are using about 10 million metric tons to 12 million metric tons while we are exporting the remaining 38 million metric tons,” Mr Mansury explained.
He said that Indonesia was actually one of the largest exporter of edible palm to Nigeria, pharmaceutical among others while Nigeria was the biggest exporter of fertiliser and others to Indonesia.
“We hope to discuss further on how we are going to develop a better cooperation in agriculture for food security for both Indonesia and Nigeria, provision of grant and capacity building,” added Mr Mansury.
He identified other areas both countries could further enhance their cooperation as energy security.
According to him, both countries have started economic cooperation already within the health sector particularly in the area of livestock vaccines.
Mr Mansury said the meeting was also to seek the participation of Nigerians farmers in the second Indonesia and Africa forum scheduled for September and membership of Nigeria in Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC).
“Through the forum will develop a much stronger economic cooperation between Indonesia and Africa, facilitate meetings of both countries, private sector and encourage private sector investment in Nigeria in research cooperation among others,” he said.
Ahmadu Aliyu, Andoma of Doma, Nasarawa, said the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN) had been distributing palm produce seedlings to households in some states of the federation.
According to him, the initiative has helped in improving their income and livelihood.
Mr Aliyu, who is also a NPPAN member, said the initiative would help to boost the economy of every family as Nigeria would join Indonesia and Malaysia being the leading palm oil producing countries in the world.
