August 13, 2021

The Dutch Embassy Visits 2SCALE Partnerships in Nigeria

As part of its supervisory roles on programs and projects funded by DGIS, two staff from the Embassy and Consulate of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Nigeria (Christopher Brian and Mariska Lammers) visited two 2SCALE Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Kano State, Nigeria. The visit was made on Monday 5^th July 2021 with the aim of assessing the status, progress, achievements, and challenges 2SCALE partnerships focused on horticulture and sorghum PPPs. The venue of the visit was at Dan-Hassan Vegetable Agribusiness Cluster, Kura Kano state. The two EKN staff had a comprehensive interactive session with the value chain actors in the two partnerships.

The first set of people they engaged in discussion were representatives from the two business champions representatives: namely Royal Blue Contractor Limited (Horticulture PPP) and Adefunke Desh Company (Sorghum PPP). The two business champions expressed their gratitude to EKN for funding 2SCALE which has greatly impacted their business positively. For Adefunke Desh, their partnership with 2SCALE in the sorghum value chain has tremendously increased their aggregation capacity. Within the space of two years (2019-2021) they have doubled their warehousing capacity to accommodate the increased volume of grains they off-take from the smallholder farmers which were organized by 2SCALE. This support has made it possible for them to meet up with the demand of their clients (Nestle and Guinness PLC). For Royal Blue Contractors, though the partnership with 2SCALE in the Horticulture PPP is relatively new, they can already see the potential of reaching 2,000 smallholder vegetable farmers with quality inputs like vegetable seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides.

The interaction of the EKN staff continued with the smallholder farmers from both Dan-Hassan Vegetable agribusiness cluster and Kuki Sorghum agribusiness cluster. The Kuki sorghum farmers were so excited and spoke through two of their representatives (a male lead farmer and a female young farmer). They expressed their appreciation to 2SCALE for connecting them with the business champion (Adefunke Desh). Since their connection with Adefunke Desh and Nalmaco, they now have timely access to inputs credit which is often deliver to them at their doorstep. This year alone, they have been able to accessed 3 trailers load (90 tons) of NPK fertilizers for the 2021 wet season planting year. The business champion also off-takes all their produce which gives them access to stable markets. In the case of the vegetable farmers from the Dan-Hassan agribusiness cluster, they also spoke through their representatives and highlighted the benefits they have derived with their relationship with 2SCALE even in a very short span of time. Through the wet season vegetable learning plots established in their cluster, they have learnt the new method of raising tomatoes, onions, and cucumber seedlings using seedling trays and planting media. They were optimistic that with their continues engagement with 2SCALE, they will be able to produce vegetable all year round.

In their response to the partnership actor testimonies, the representatives of the EKN expressed their satisfaction that the program was able to benefits and make a positive impact on their livelihood. They advised them to make good use of the opportunity they have in this program through their active participation in all the activities and ensure they pay back any loan extended to them. They emphasized the embassy’s commitment to support programs and projects that promote inclusive growth among smallholder farmers which contribute to the achievement of the global sustainable development goals in Nigeria. The visit continues the next day (Tuesday 6^th July, 2021) to other relevant government agencies and academic institutions in Kano state.

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