The Bauchi state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with OCP Africa – top producers and exportation of phosphate-based fertilisers to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
The agreement will complement both partners’ efforts in four specific areas where productivity will be revamped to ensure enhanced productivity and food security for the citizenry.
Caleb Usoh, country manager, OCP Africa during the signing said the four complementary areas of collaboration are in the; development of last-mile inputs distribution through the OCP One Stop Shop, implementation of soil testing solutions, implementation of the Agribooster project in the state, and collaboration with the state higher Institutions of learning.
Usoh said that as a plan to address the age-long challenge of poor access to adequate and appropriate farming inputs, training, and technology by farmers in rural underserved communities, the MoU seeks to ensure a joint development of last-mile inputs distribution through OCP One-Stop shop.
He added that both parties have agreed to collaborate in setting up and equipping five centers for the last-mile agro-inputs distribution and retail in very rural under-served farming communities with high agriculture potentials within Bauchi State.
He notes that the One-Stop Shop is an all-inclusive total distribution solution that seeks to make available under one roof all that is needed by a farmer to enable him to succeed in his farming endeavor.
He further asserted that the outlets are designed to create a platform for many different companies and service providers across the entire value chain to interact with farmers in the provision of various goods and services.
According to him, the centers will provide services such as inputs and aftersales services, access to mechanization and irrigation services, training on good agricultural practices, and center for financial solutions’ like input credit profiling and mobile money solutions to farmers and rural dwellers.
He added that the centers which are to be located in very rural areas will also be built to provide by way of CSR access to clean water for the communities.
Usoh said Bauchi state have collaborated with it in the implementation of the OCP School Lab project from 2018 to 2019 in the form of a Mobile Soil testing caravan, which provided; Soil testing services to smallholder farmers; On the spot fertilizer recommendations; Training on Good Agricultural Practices, and simple soil sampling techniques.
Under the present MoU, OCP said the collaboration with Bauchi State in the implementation of the OCP School Lab project continues so long as the Bauchi State Government is willing to invest in acquiring the mobile caravan and laboratory while OCP Africa provides technical support that will ensure the smooth operation of such initiative within Bauchi State.
On collaboration with higher Institutions of learning in the state, both parties intend to establish linkage between the Bauchi State University and OCP sponsored Mohammed 6 University in Benguerir Morocco to explore areas of academic and research collaborations, training, and exchange program.
The aim is to energize and modernize the knowledge ecosystem in Bauchi State by providing access to innovative methodologies, technologies, and research, especially within the Agriculture space.
Also, Samaila Adamu, commissioner for Agriculture, Bauchi State expressed the state government’s readiness to ensure the sustainability of the partnership.
“The essence of the MoU is for Bauchi State Government and OCP to collaborate to take the state to the highest level as far as agriculture is concerned,” he said.
“There are four major areas we want to start with. One is soil testing to know what is required of our various soils across the state. This is to improve soil quality,” he added.
