USAID West Africa hosts summit on food security collaboration

The USAID-funded West Africa Trade & Investment Hub convened a landmark Partnership Summit on June 24, 2024, at the Abuja Continental Hotel in Abuja, Nigeria. The event, themed “Collaborating for Enhanced Food Security in Nigeria-Fostering Competitiveness, Sustainability, and Resilience,” brought together Trade Hub grantees, private-sector experts, government representatives, industry leaders, and agro-focused associations to share experiences and lessons learned from Trade Hub co-investment projects. This was particularly significant considering challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, insecurity, and inflation.

The Summit marked the culmination of five years of impactful work by the Trade Hub. It provided participants with an opportunity for reflective learning through dynamic panel discussions, insightful presentations, product showcases, and networking sessions.

Speaking at the event, Michelle Corzine, Office Director of Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Power at USAID/Nigeria applauded the role of the Trade Hub and its partners in strengthening food systems. “I am pleased to share that the Trade Hub’s success is contributing to the promising success stories of Nigeria,” Corzine stated.

Engr. Ibrahim Alkali represented the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security at the summit. He recognized the collaborative model as crucial to economic development: “The partnership is key to sustainability, resilience, and overcoming challenges in agriculture.”

One key feature of the event was structured business-to-business pitching and networking sessions that emphasized post-project sustainability through strategic partnerships. Mr. Ben Ekanikpong of El-Kanis Agro noted that these sessions enabled his company to develop necessary relationships with entities like the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation.

The partnership summit not only celebrated past successes but also fostered new business connections and future partnerships aimed at enhancing food security and promoting inclusive economic growth in Nigeria.