Firm plans Africa’s largest farmers’ market, approaches BoA

An integrated agro-business company, First Aquagrico Farms Nig. Ltd, has approached the Bank of Agriculture for its planned establishment of Africa’s largest farmers’ market.

First Aquagrico Farms Nig. Ltd had undertaken a study and survey of the agricultural sector in Nigeria and discovered that one of the major causes leading to the decrease in growth of the agricultural sector especially in the 2nd Quarter of 2022 with a growth of 1.20% as against 3.16% of the previous Quarter is owing to poor merchandise of the agricultural produce.

“It is reckoned that the situation will worsen with the hazardous climatic changes and flooding which have major impact on the distribution and marketability of agricultural produce,” the Nigerian agro-allied entity said in a letter to the Managing Director of BoA, Mr. Alwan Ali Hassan.

Flood had of late ravaged parts of the country such as Kogi, Niger, Anambra, Benue, Sokoto, Adamawa, Delta, amongst places known for large production of agriculture produce. Many hectares of farmlands were washed away while major bridges were cut off by flood, submerging trucks and trailers carrying food stuffs.

However, First Aquagrico Farms Nig. Ltd said it has the solution to the problem with modern preservation and transportation techniques to stop post-cultural losses.

“The primary objective of setting in motion Africa’s Largest Farmers’ Market in Nigeria is to create an all-in-one agricultural market-hub which encompasses gathering, re-distributing, storing, processing and exporting of agro-products.

“The concept is to enhance the promotion of large scale commercial agriculture in Africa through a process that maximizes profit while sustainably satisfying the needs of consumers. In addition, the concept will assuredly make a great impact in the country’s agricultural sector by boosting food supply, creating jobs, raising incomes, reducing malnutrition and contributing to the progress of the continent’s agro-economy,” the letter partly read.

The letter was issued by the Firm’s Managing Director, Mr. Kolapo Joshua Talabi, through its solicitors and acknowledged by the BoA in Abuja on October 12, 2022.

First Aquagrico Farms Nig. Ltd which focuses on galvanising agriculture for national economic development through the creation of markets for farmers both locally and internationally, believes in large scale agriculture produce merchandise.