As part of efforts to achieve food security, the government of Niger state has moved to address post-harvest losses and food wastage in the state.
The Secretary to the Niger State Government, Abubakar Usman, stated this while speaking in Minna, the state’s capital.
Usman revealed that the state has entered into a collaboration with various Special Agro-industrial Processing Zone facilities across Sichuan Province of China.
The partnership, he said, aims to acquire knowledge and improve the quality of agricultural products, in order to enhance food security, reduce poverty, and improve the livelihoods of citizens.
Usman, who led the state’s delegation to the agro-industrial processing zone facilities, emphasized that the visit facilitates knowledge sharing, technology transfer, and investment opportunities.
“By learning from China’s successful experiences in agro-industrial processing, as a state, we can enhance our own capabilities, create jobs, stimulate economic growth and increase the state’s competitiveness in the global market,” he added.
In his remarks, the state commissioner for Industry, Trade, and Investment, Aminu Suleiman Takuma, noted that developing an agro-industrial sector is crucial for promoting economic diversification.
According to him, this will reduce the state’s dependence on oil revenues, promote economic diversification, and increase its resilience to external shocks.