Sterling Bank Puts the Last Touches, Organize Agriculture Summit

By Abdul Rahman Suagibu –

Africa Agriculture Summit
Photo Credit: Agrixhub

NEW AFRICA DAILY NEWS, Freetown, Sierra Leone- Sterling Bank Plc has put into final form to organize an Agriculture Summit in Abuja between 5^th and 6^th of September 2019.

The theme is being focused on “Agriculture – Your Piece of The Trillion-Dollar Economy,” according to the bank, it seeks to actualize the $1 trillion African agribusiness economy plan by 2030.

In a press conference in Lagos, on the notion behind the summit which will bring together policy makers, development agencies, international financial institutions and value chain players on the continent, the Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking with Sterling Bank, noted.

Mr. Yemi Odubiyi, proclaimed that, the summit would address the issues preventing the agricultural sector from attaining its potential because food security on the continent has become a critical issue.

Odubiyi said, the agrarian land; which is the preserve of the continent, is now under threat because of issues of terrorism and other security concerns that have made some of those lands to be depopulated while there is a remarkable increase in population rate across the continent.

According to him, this development has made it imperative to address the issue of food security which would in the long run also help to address unemployment which is another major continental challenge.

Mr. Yemi Odubiyi said, the sinning of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCTA), had also opened a new frontier for investors to tap into the agricultural potential of the continent as countries within the continent would be able to export food products among themselves.

Reminiscing those days when agriculture was the pride of the Nigerian economy with the establishment of research centers like the Cocoa Research Institute, among others, Executive Director said, Sterling Bank would transcend in establishing business farm, to retain food security in the country.

In her statement – Mrs. Bukola Amosanya – Group Head. Agriculture and Export – sterling bank noted that, the maiden agriculture Summit organized by the bank in 2018, help to galvanize smallholder farmers, input suppliers, agro-processing entrepreneurs, development finance agencies, policy makers and captains of industry in Abuja. She furthered that, last year’s Summit focused on co-creating a sustainable Nigeria economy through rural agricultural enterprise.

For New Africa Daily News Abdul Rahman Suagibu Reports,  Africa Correspondent

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