EDSG Partners IDH Netherlands On NI-SCOPS II

THE Edo State Government in partnership with IDH Nether­lands, has commenced phase II of the National Initiative for Sus­tainable and Climate Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NI-SCOPS II).

This initiative aims to empower and develop oil palm small holder farmers in the state, building upon the successes achieved in phase I, which focused on the Okomu land­scape.

The Managing Director of Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO)-Ease of Doing Business Secretariat, Mr. Kelvin Uwaibi empha­sized the state government’s unwav­ering commitment to supporting the program, recognizing its potential to drive economic growth and develop­ment. He stated that the government is dedicated to creating a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.

“The state government is fully committed to supporting this initia­tive,” Uwaibi noted, “recognizing its potential to drive economic growth and development.

This collaboration with IDH is essential for advancing the state’s Green Development Plan, as captured in the recently launched 30-year master plan.”

The workshop, held in Benin City, brought together key stakeholders from the private sector and govern­ment agencies to discuss the pri­orities for the upcoming phase II of NI-SCOPS.

In his remarks, Comrade Kadiri­ Bashiru, Retired Permanent Sec­retary from the Edo State Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted the sig­nificant achievements of NI-SCOPS I, including increased productiv­ity, improved relationships between large-scale players and smallholder farmers, and the successful imple­mentation of sustainable oil palm farming practices.

Mr. Abraham Ugwu, Senior Pro­gram Manager at IDH, representing the Country Director, noted that phase II of the initiative will ben­efit 111,000 smallholder farmers globally, with 10,500 beneficiaries Nigeria. He reaffirmed IDH’s con­tinued commitment to supporting the initiative.

Professor Ngozi Unuigbe, Facilita­tor of the Edo NI-SCOPS Partners Forum, emphasized the need to address key challenges identified in phase I, such as stakeholder coordi­nation, strengthening the monitor­ing and evaluation framework, and ensuring greater involvement of smallholder farmers in decision-making processes.

The NI-SCOPS II is expected to focus on the Sakpomba Oil Palm landscape, building upon the suc­cesses achieved in the Okomu land­scape during phase I. By addressing the challenges and capitalizing on the opportunities presented by the initiative, Edo State aims to position itself as a leader in sustainable and climate-smart oil palm production.