Traceability: Solidaridad Trains Akwa Ibom, Cross River Stakeholders on Framework Development
To support the development of an oil palm traceability system as well as enhance smallholders’ access to green financing and market, Solidaridad West Africa last weekend held a two day training workshop in Uyo the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The training, organised under the National Initiative for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NISCOPS) in Nigeria was designed to strengthen multi-stakeholder and inter-ministerial collaboration in establishing a national traceability system to help smallholder farmers overcome market entry barriers.
Stakeholders from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states were drawn from agencies including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria (OPGAN), and food protection agencies from the respective states.
Setting the tone, Programme Manager for Solidaridad, Mr. Kene Onukwube said the workshop was designed to assist stakeholders come up with a traceability framework that will align with national sustainability standards, promote deforestation-free supply chains, and strengthen smallholder integration within the palm oil sector.
Onukwube listed the workshop’s objectives to include; promoting deforestation-free supply chains, enhance smallholder integration in the palm oil sector, and strengthen multi-stakeholder and inter-ministerial collaboration in support of a national traceability system.
“This system will unlock access to green financing and high-value international markets, including the EU. The workshop will feature highly interactive sessions, requiring active participation from all attendees. It will also contribute significantly to the realization of a deforestation-free palm oil landscape in Nigeria, reinforcing transparency, sustainability”. He assured
He explained that the establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform and oil palm desk offices, in partnership with the four. state governments (Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, and Kogi), to coordinate aid investors and smallholder farmers have also been key in strengthening green growth and sustainable development.
“In Nigeria, 14,000 farmers have been trained on sustainable farm practices and diversification methods, bringing 18,581 hectares of farmland under sustainable practices. 6,351 hectares of degraded land has been restored, technological upgrade of 8 artisanal mills facilitated an increase in oil extraction rate.
“Also, the project has distributed 175,344 seedlings for replanting 1,227 hectares of land. The project’s focus on sustainability and climate resilience aligns with national and international development goals.
“By promoting sustainable land use and reducing deforestation, the project contributes to a more sustainable future. The development of the oil palm traceability system will enable smallholder farmers to access green financing and markets.
“This will improve their incomes and livelihoods, contributing to sustainable development. The project’s success serves as a model for sustainable development in the palm oil sector”. He said
Our correspondent reports that NISCOPS in Nigeria is supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). The project contributes to improved land use, sustainable and climate-resilient oil palm landscapes, enhanced incomes for smallholder farmers, and the creation of inclusive markets for sustainably produced palm oil.