The Agricultural Entrepreneurship Development Centre was established in 2019 to build the capacity of entrepreneurs and new entrants into the agricultural value chain. The centre trains farmers on entrepreneurial and business skills for employment, improved productivity and food security. Proven research technologies are also disseminated to farmers and other stakeholders through this medium.
The centre conducts formal and informal training activities. A large number of farmers including youth and women, start-ups, retirees, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders have benefited from the centre’s training programmes. The Centre is endowed with seasoned facilitators and trainers (resource persons) who have vast experience in the fields of agriculture, entrepreneurship, business development and value addition.
Conduct demand- driven agricultural entrepreneurship and business development training as vital tools for employment and sustainable economic development.
Develop business plans and bankable business proposals to promote entrepreneurship and business development related to the institute’s research breakthroughs.
Collaborate with all research programmes/units in the institute and other public and private stakeholders for technology uptake, utilisation and commercialisation.
Bring together public and private institutions, businesses and industry partners, academic and research communities for entrepreneurship development.
- Training of start-ups and farmers to develop bankable business proposals.
Capacity building of farmers, youth and women including startups in agricultural entrepreneurship across commodity value chain for improved food security, employment and income generation.
Empowerment of startups and farmers with starter packs and take-off grants as the need arises.
Provision of technical backstopping and other support services as may be required for the successful implementation of the agricultural value chain activities.
- NIRSAL Microfinance Bank (NMFB)
- Nigeria Incentive -Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc)
- National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs)in Southwest Nigeria
- Signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with NIRSAL Microfinance Bank as one of the Entrepreneurship Development Institutions (EDIs) under the Agribusiness Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS).
- Supported trained farmers with technical backstopping for accessing AGSMEIS loan in partnership with NIRSAL Microfinance Bank.
- Facilitated the formation of farmers’ cooperative group (IAR&T Agribusiness Cooperative Society).
- Trained 4,448 farmers/startups on market-oriented crop andlivestock production, processing and value addition
- Commencement of product specific value addition training for agricultural entrepreneurs.
- The centre aims to initiate partnership with the following organisations; Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Bank of Industries (B.O.I), Incubation Centre, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC)
- Training of farmers and startups on agricultural business planning and entrepreneurship.
- Support trained farmers with technical backstopping for accessing AGSMEIS loan in partnership with NIRSAL Microfinance Bank.
- Monitoring of trainees’ farm business. – Provision of technical backstopping and other support services as may be required for the successful implementation of agricultural value chain activities