…Unveils Plan for National Oil Palm Council and Development Fund to End Import Dependency
The National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN) says the country will be self sufficient and meet its global market share of oil palm by 2050.
This, it said in Abuja on Saturday, was possible through the effective efforts towards the implementation of National Oil Palm Development Strategy.
Mr. Alphonsus Inyang, National President of NPPAN, said this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of National Oil Palm Development Strategy validation meeting.
Inyang said that with the guideline, the country’s current production capacity of 1.4metric tonnes to 1.5metric tonnes annually, would increase to nine metric tonnes or 10 metric tonnes between now and 2050.
Inyang, also the Vice Chairman of the Technical Working Group for the development of the National Oil Palm Development Strategy, emphasised that the feat would be achieved by empowering smallholder farmers to enhance production.
Inyang further explained that the country intended to extend oil palm production to Taraba, Niger and Kogi States under the framework.
He said that leveraging some northern states among other intervention was part of the ways to achieved 2050 self sufficiency and global market targets.
“Taraba with with 69,000 square kilometers land is well placed to cultivate oil palm trees than the whole southern part of the country
“Taraba State has a longer sunshine than southern Nigeria; it also has water in some parts.
“So those are the things we are going to leverage. Niger State too has areas that can produce oil palm, Kogi also,” he said.
Inyang said the strategy was designed to reposition the country as a major player in the industry at the global level.
Inyang explained that the framework would encapsulate the establishment of a National Oil Palm Council (NOPC), an Oil Palm Development Fund and a National Smallholders Development Fund.
According to him, Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) will be transitioned into a Nigerian Oil Palm Board to oversee research, development and innovation in the sector.
Inyang frowned at the rating of the country as number five oil palm producing country globally.
“We are number one palm oil producing country in Africa, number one importer, exporter and number one consumer.
“We produce more, we import more, we consume more and we export more than any other country in Africa,” he said
He attributed poor investment and growth in the sector over the years to the absence of a clear governance architecture and structure
Inyang said that the gap led to a fragmented system without central regulatory authority to guide investors
“Governance architecture and governance structure are key to drive the sector.
“The strategy will have a structured governance architecture similar to what is obtainable in Malaysia and Indonesia, the leading oil palm-producing countries.
“There will be a structured governance architecture that will be formed by the strategy with the oil palm development fund to manage 25 per cent of tariffs that are being collected for palm oil among other funds. that will be generated.
“With the development of the framework government has created an enabling environment to support growth in the sector.
Dr. Fatai Afolabi, Managing Consultant, Foremost Development Services, said the mission was to build a sustainable palm oil production for the country and ensuring self sufficiency, competitiveness and inclusive production.
“Its mission is leveraging a hybrid development model-integrating large scale estates and smallholders through sustainable practices, research and efficient supply chains,” he said. (NAN)
