GIZ Nigeria & ECOWAS

🌟🎤📹 Journalism – a new Approach to Peacebuilding in West-Africa 🌍      We are proud to announce the launch of ECOWAS FRSD's "Media 4 Peace" initiative across Guinea-Bissau, Togo, and Benin. With the expertise of our partner MICT - Media in Cooperation and Transition, this project empowers local media to:      ✨ Foster social cohesion and peace   ✨ Combat misinformation and violent extremism   ✨ Promote environmental sustainability      Through comprehensive workshops, we are equipping journalists, youth, and women with the tools to create impactful, peace-building content. By amplifying diverse voices and addressing critical issues, we're contributing to a more stable and sustainable future in the region.      🤝Together, we can harness the power of media to drive positive change and build resilient communities.     The FRSD is commissioned by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH.     #Media4Peace #MediaforPeace #ECOWAS #PeaceBuilding #Empowerment #SustainableDevelopment #Journalism #CommunityImpact  

Join the E-Commerce Webinar on Accessing Finance for MSMEs! 🚀 Today at:  13:00 in Ghana 🇬🇭  14:00 in Nigeria 🇳🇬  15:00 in Rwanda 🇷🇼  16:00 in Kenya 🇰🇪

 One of the biggest challenges for e-commerce entrepreneurs is accessing finance. 💸💰  Join our E-Commerce Webinar Series on September 5th to learn how to overcome this hurdle. Engage, grow, and succeed together! 🤝    Secure your spot: peci@giz.de    The Pan-African e-Commerce Initiative (PeCI) project is funded by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH. 

💪👨🌾 Empowering Nigerian Farmers Through Soil Health    We are thrilled about the Regional Hub for Fertilizer and Soil Health, launched and situated at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State. This significant milestone is a step forward to fostering a greener and more sustainable future across West Africa and the Sahel, addressing critical challenges in soil health and fertilizer management. 🌱   The hub is set up to:   💠 Improve Soil Health and drive Innovation- Facilitating cutting-edge research and technologies to improve soil quality and fertility and address the unique agricultural challenges of the West African and Sahel regions.  💠 Optimize Fertilizer Use- Promoting good fertilizer practices to boost crop yields while minimizing environmental impact.  💠 Support Farmers- Providing training and resources to empower local farmers with knowledge and tools.    Our partners from the Department of Land and Climate Change at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Nigeria measure of the Global Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Policies Programme were present to emphasize commitment, collaborative efforts and shared vision in improving soil health and ensuring the most effective use of fertilizers.    Together, we are paving the way for sustainable agricultural transformation in West Africa and the Sahel.    AgSys is a global programme funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH.    #SoilHealth #SustainableFarming #WestAfrica #Sahel #AgSys #FoodSecurity #InnovationInAgriculture #IITA #FertilizerManagement #ClimateChangeResilience 

🔧💼The Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development for Decent Employment in Nigeria (SEDIN) Programme recently organized a workshop and validation session focused on Access to Market Barriers for Women Micro, Small and Medium sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria.    💪 👩🏭 This event brought together women entrepreneurs, industry experts, and key stakeholders to tackle the challenges faced by women-owned MSMEs in accessing markets. Held across Ogun, Edo, Plateau, Lagos, Niger, and the Federal Capital Territory between July 1 and August 13, 2024, the workshop aimed to identify barriers to market access, propose practical solutions, and equip women with the tools needed to expand their market reach.    📌Key recommendations focused on providing targeted policy support, enhancing access to mentorship and finance, leveraging digital platforms, and implementing robust capacity-building initiatives.     📈SEDIN remains committed to fostering an inclusive business environment for MSMEs and women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.    The SEDIN programme is funded by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH.

👩🌾💪Empowering Nigerian Farmers Through Soil Health    🌱 Soil health is the foundation of agricultural productivity, yet many farmers are in the dark about their soil’s unique characteristics and potential. Without access to precise data on soil quality and composition, farmers are unable to optimize the use of the soil, leading to subpar yields and wasted resources.     To lead the process of addressing this gap, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Nigerian measure of the Global Sustainable Agricultural Systems and Policies (AgSys) Programme, and other partners organized the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Card Scheme (NFSHCS) Development and Implementation Workshop in Abuja.     🗨 The workshop focused on developing the Soil Health Card Scheme—an initiative that empowers farmers with critical knowledge about the soil (Soil Information System – SIS) and enables the farmer to make informed decisions to ensure the sustainability of the farmland.     Bringing together key stakeholders across the agricultural value chain, the Hon. Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of state for Agriculture and Food Security, highlighted the transformative potential of the soil health card scheme, emphasizing its role in reducing farming costs, increasing productivity, and boosting farmer incomes. 📈      The workshop featured intensive capacity-building and hands-on demonstration of soil test practices, discussions on technology integration, and laid the groundwork for developing a robust project implementation framework that will support the widespread adoption of the Soil Health Card Scheme across Nigeria.    This workshop is part of an exciting journey towards sustainable soil health in Nigeria. We are proud to be part of this transformative initiative, paving the way for a brighter, more sustainable future.    AgSys is a global programme funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH.   #SustainableAgriculture #SoilHealth #NigerianFarmers #AgSys #NFSHCS #Agriculture 

🌾🌾Over the past years, the project “Integrated Approach to Climate Change in the Rice Production System” (InACC) has supported farmers, to adopt environmental and sustainable farming techniques.    Over 20,000 rice farmers have been skilled in Sustainable Rice Practices (SRP), through the training of trainers (ToT) approach. Indeed, master trainers trained 150 Extension Agents who stepped down the training on composting organic fertilizer, using rice byproducts, animal dung, and organic waste, to farmers.    💪Furthermore, the project builds the capacity of Micro, Small and Medium sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the organic fertilizer business and advanced techniques of marketing of their products.  During a three-months' practical training course organized at an organic institute in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, more topics were covered such as organic fertilizers’ quality control, soil analysis, manure treatment processes, and regulations.    📈The MSMEs will improve their business ventures and increase income using improved skills while farmers replace the overpriced inorganic fertilizers with compost manure. The reliance on external inputs is then minimized and environmental pollution reduced, which will contribute to the long-term sustainability of agricultural systems.     💡 GIAE NG-InACC utilizes integrated approaches to improve the farmer's yield and income. It considers organic fertilizer, obtained from natural sources with advantages such as:   🔺the promotion of soil structure, fertility, and resilience leading to healthier and more robust plants.   🔺improvement of soil structure and texture resulting in improved water infiltration, reduced erosion, and improved overall soil health.    The GIAE NG- InACC project is co-financed by the European Union and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH. It is a component of the Green Innovation Center for Agricultural and Food Sector, Nigeria (GIAE NG)    #SustainableAgriculture #OrganicFertilizer #Agriculture #Soil #Productivity 

With food inflation at a staggering 40.8% on a year-on-year basis as of June 2024 in Nigeria, there's an immediate need for strategic investment in agriculture to prioritize food security, stabilize food prices and boost domestic agricultural production. (Data source: http://Elibrary)    At the recent National Stakeholder Consultative Meeting on the 2025 Agriculture Budget, Senator Saliu Mustapha, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, delivered a powerful virtual address. He called for a transformative approach to Agriculture, highlighting its critical role in ensuring Nigeria can adequately feed its growing population and emphasizing the need to leverage technological advancements and the resilience of Nigerians. He urged a reassessment of national agricultural policies, a review of the previous budget performances, and the development of solutions to tackle current challenges for a better future.   The meeting, organized by ActionAid Nigeria, the FEDERAL MINISTRY OF FINANCE, BUDGET & NATIONAL PLANNING NIGERIA and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Nigerian measure of the Global Programme AgSys, Oxfam, COANSA and the ECOWAS Commission. The importance of citizen participation in shaping pro-poor and gender sensitive priorities has been buttressed during the meeting, also the emphasis was put on aligning the 2025 Agriculture Budget with the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP) and the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) targets.     The goal is to transform the food systems and create sustainable wealth across the nation by scaling up public investment in agriculture, ensuring gender-sensitive budgeting, and stronger collaboration between government and non-state actors to achieve the Malabo Commitments. It is imperative that both federal and state governments commit at least 10% of their annual budgets to agriculture, in line with the Malabo Declaration.    On the next steps, the Communique, shadow Budget (proposed 2025 budget), and advisory notes have been transmitted to relevant Ministries Departments, Agencies, Institutions, and all participants. Championed by Permanent Secretaries, state ministries of agriculture will lead advocacy efforts to ensure inclusion of recommendations.    AgSys is a global programme funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH.    #Agriculture #FoodSecurity #SustainableDevelopment #NigeriaAgriculture #PostMalaboDeclaration

💰📈Edo Business Connect! – The First Business Information Portal in Nigeria    The Edo State Government, supported by The Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Development for Decent Employment in Nigeria (SEDIN) Programme is designing and implementing the first Business Information Portal in Nigeria!     This innovative digital platform will enable businesses to access support services, enhance visibility through a business directory, and communicate directly with government offices on critical issues.    🤝The collaboration led to stakeholder engagement sessions, which brought together key public and private sector representatives. Through these sessions, trained researchers within the state’s digital ecosystem worked closely with business owners and this led to the development of a prototype, designed with a focus on digital inclusivity to address key challenges.    💪The central goal is to develop an accessible platform that empowers Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with the information and resources they need to succeed.     This initiative is part of our ongoing efforts to improve the business environment through the SEDIN programme. By prioritizing user needs and experiences, we foresee a vibrant business ecosystem and enhanced business conditions.     The SEDIN programme is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH .    #GIZ #BusinessInnovation #EconomicDevelopment 

🌾 Attention: Training for Rice Processors in Nigeria! 🌾    GIZ-MOVE, Bühler Group and Partners in Food Solution (PFS) are excited to offer an exclusive 10-month Rice Miller Business Training (RMBT) Program and Business Development Support (BDS).     This program is designed to enhance your mill management skills through comprehensive training, coaching and practical support.  Take advantage of this unique opportunity to improve your operations and deliver even better services to farmers.     ⌛Applications are open until September 2, 2024.    📄 For more details, please visit: www.cari-project.org.   The MOVE Project is commissioned by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), co-funded by the European Union and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH.    #RiceProcessing #BusinessDevelopment #Training #Nigeria #GIZ #BuhlerGroup #PFS #Agriculture