As part of the interventions aimed at boosting food self-sufficiency in the country, Dantata Foods, and Allied Products Company Limited (DFAP), one of Nigeria’s leading food processing and Agribusiness firm based in the commercial city of Kano has signed a partnership agreement with the United Kingdom-based innovative and Agric-technology firm, RegenFarm Limited, that will involve training Nigerian farmers in regenerative agriculture.
The partnership which is to be implemented in collaboration with the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office of the British Government under its Agricultural sector intervention (LINKS Project), will involve over 200,000 farmers to be drawn from 10 states of the federation.
A statement signed by Sanusi Bature, General Manager, Corporate Services of DFAP, which was made available to BusinessDay on Monday, indicates that a technology a platform for the implementation of the project in the identified states has been developed and designed to assist in the management of various food value chains, and to offer complete traceability skills to farmers to participate in the project.
The tripartite partnership agreement was designed to boost the quality of food production, as well as enhance the export opportunities of Nigeria’s Agricultural commodities, and improve the soil fertility, nutrients content and organic matter, the statement said.
According to the statement, the new technology was conceived to assist farmers in the country to face the challenge of soil degradation triggered by flooding, erosion and continued cultivation which has resulted in lower productivity of farm produce, consistent application of inorganic fertilizer, pesticides and weed control chemicals that are affecting the sustainability of farmlands over the years.
“With a financing commitment from The Central Bank of Nigeria under the Prime Anchor Borrowers Programme, the consortium of the private sector and government bodies would rollout an innovative approach to support smallholder farmers on the new technics of Regenerative Agriculture practices in the country.
“Over two hundred thousand farmers (200,000) are expected to be engaged by the initiative on a long-term basis across a number of Nigerian states; which includes Kano, Cross River, Jigawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Katsina, Kebbi, Benue, Niger and Plateau”, the statement explained.
The statement noted that Jason Haywarda, managing director/CEO of RegenFarm Limited, the statement revealed that Regenerative Agriculture would be an all-embracing opportunity for the Agro-processing industry in the country, as the smallholder farmer out-growers productivity, profitability, and resilience climate change will be greatly enhanced.
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Also, Tajudeen Aminu Dantata, Chairman/CEO DFAP, was said to have confirmed that the partnership has already galvanized access to markets in the UK and other parts of Europe for the organic commodities produced under the Regenerative Agriculture practices, the statement stated.
Dantata Foods & Allied Products Limited is a Nigerian Company based in Kano and it is involved in Agricultural Production, Manufacturing, Processing, Export, and Distribution of Agro-allied products, as well as Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).
It is was incorporated in 2005 to deal in agricultural products for exports and local distribution, DFAP has over the years diversified its portfolio of business interests and activities. In addition to overseeing the import and export, cleaning, and transport of products across Nigeria. The company is involved in the production and packaging of food and beverages.
DFAP is one of the leading companies in the export of grains from Nigeria with a solid reputation among exporters, local buyers, market traders, and farmers, particularly for sesame seeds, groundnut, Soybeans, and sorghum. Commodity export is one of our core businesses with a long history in Nigeria and we foresee an even brighter future in the sector.
The company, the statement hinted intends to expand its processing operations with Soya beans, Rice and Animal Feed Mills and a number of farmers in various States in Nigeria are to be engaged for the cultivation of over One Hundred thousand Hectares (100,000 ha) of specific crops.
Dantata Foods have aggregated and monitored farmers in the aspect of livestock and animal husbandry. With all these achievements, the Company wants to build a strong relationship with the Central Bank of Nigeria to stand out as a reliable implementing partner for farmers’ aggregation and Agro-allied development projects, and the long-term investments and plans of the company indicate that positive and continuous growth in the sector is expected over the coming years.
While on the other hand, the statement shows that RegenFarm Limited, UK, offers an alternative design and decision-making tool for farmers, consultants, and food supply chain companies seeking ways to organically produce food using regenerative agriculture methods.
“The company based in the UK is an Innovation Integrator SaaS platform and marketplace, where you will find all the services and products you need in one place to make your regenerative agriculture farm design successful.
The use of Regenerative Agriculture inherently enhances on-farm biodiversity and water storage capacity and RegenFarm Platform offers a cross-over to other complimentary industries and sectors which are focused on, for example, conservation of wildlife and the retention of rainwater in the landscape to rehydrate arid landscapes”, the statement further explained.
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