The Michigan State University has launched Research Supporting African MSMEs, designed to improve food value chains in Nigeria and Tanzania, especially on fish and tomato, with focus at Providing Safe and Nutritious Food.
The lead Principal Investigator for the project financed by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr Saweda Onipede, an associate professor of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics at the Michigan State University, during the launching of the project at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan, noted that over 70% of Nigerians consumes fish and tomato in a typical week.
The five year (2021-2026) Bill Melinda Gates Foundation funded project will sponsor collaborative research on micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigerian and Tanzania.
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Onipede disclosed that the project is targeting value chains in Nigeria that are extremely important for Nigerians in terms of the source of food and the one with a lot of MSMEs that are operating, particularly women, as well as the one with a lot of challenges, like issues of loss relating to fish and vegetables.
“And so when we’re looking at Nigeria consumption pattern, we found that from the national representative data collected by MDs and the World Bank, over 70% of Nigerians consume fish or fish products in a typical week”
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“For tomatoes, it is a similar thing; over 80% of Nigerian households consume it in a typical week, either fresh or in a processed form. And it’s one that is a lot of loss”. Onipede added.
Also speaking at the event was the Director-General of the Oyo State Agribusiness development agency (OYSADA), Dr Debo Akande, who disclosed that Oyo state is ready to become partner in the project to help in harnessing the potentials of the MSME in agribusiness which the future of the country’s economy depends on.
