Daily Trust’s Agric Conference and Exhibition will begin today in Nigeria’s commercial city, Lagos.
A statement signed by the company’s General Manager, Business and Strategy, Ahmed Shekarau, said the event is holding at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The statement announced the theme of the Agric Conference and Exhibition, which is the third edition, as ‘Repositioning Rice, Sugar and Dairy Production for Optimal Yield’.
Media Trust, publishers of Daily Trust newspaper titles, disclosed that First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Limited, Unity Bank Plc, Fidelity, Stanbic IBTC, Jaiz and other key financial institutions have indicated interest to participate in event.
The Minister of Agricultural and Natural Resources, Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono, is expected to declare the event open.
Key institutions attending the event include Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) Plc and the Bank of Agriculture (BOA).
The conference and exhibition are “aimed at tackling critical issues along the rice, sugar and dairy value chains, with the view of increasing output,” the statement said.
It said further that renowned businessman, Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere, who is a co-chairman of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG), is expected to chair the event at which critical stakeholders like the Executive Secretary/CEO of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Dr. Latif Busari and the Executive Director/CEO, National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Zaria, Prof. C.A.M Lokpini would examine issues that are vital to the growth of the value chains listed.
Other stakeholders in the agricultural sector that are expected at the event, the statement said, include agricultural development institutions, the National Quarantine Service (NAQS), agricultural research councils, and agricultural research institutes.
Also expected at the event, are agro-allied industries such as the projects section of Dangote Group, Honeywell Group, Wamco, Olam Group, L & Z Integrated Dairy Farms Ltd, Umza Rice Mill Ltd and Labana Rice Group Ltd.
The statement said Notore Chemical Industries Nigeria has also confirmed its participation, adding that “various farmers, rice millers and paddy rice dealers’ associations are participating in the two-day conference and exhibition.”