Two organisations, Solidaridad and the Sustainable Trade Organisation (IDH), say they are committed to identifying actionable solutions to the traceability gaps in Nigeria’s palm oil supply chain.
Mr Gabriel Fapojuwo, Country Representative, Solidaridad in Nigeria, spoke on Saturday, November 30, 2024, in Abuja at a policy dialogue on the National Initiatives for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NISCOPS).
The dialogue was titled “Nigeria Palm Oil Import – Export Corridor and the Traceability Gaps.’’
Fapojuwo said the dialogue was aimed at fostering collaboration among stakeholders in the oil palm sector, strengthening regulatory frameworks and upgrading infrastructure and technology in the oil palm sector.
“The dialogue also focuses on the alignment of practices in the oil palm sector in Nigeria with global market standards and ensure that smallholder farmers and local millers benefit equitably from the growth of the oil palm sector.”
Fapojuwo said the NISCOPS programme was building the capacity of smallholder oil palm farmers to bridge the demand and supply gaps.
“The first phase of the programme started in 2019 ended in 2023; we have started the second phase, and the target is to improve the yield and income of smallholder farmers through climate-smart agriculture and sustainable land use.
“We are not stopping at improving the yield; we have to prepare the Nigeria smallholder farmers for the requirements of international markets; hence, we are focusing on issues around traceability of the product,” Fapojuwo said.
Kenechukwu Onukwube, Programme Manager, Oil Palm, Solidaridad in Nigeria, said that the country’s palm oil sector, a vital contributor to its agricultural economy, faced significant challenges in meeting traceability and sustainability standards.
Onukwube said that the sector faced challenges in the context of global regulations like the European Union (EU) deforestation-free supply chain policy.
He said that, in spite of the country’s potential as a major palm oil producer, infrastructural deficiencies, limited digital adoption, weak policy enforcement and fragmented supply chains hindered effective traceability.
According to him, the challenges disproportionately affect smallholder farmers and local millers, limiting their access to lucrative export markets while risking non-compliance with global standards.
“Public-private collaboration and capacity-building initiatives are needed to address these systemic issues and create an inclusive, sustainable palm oil sector,’’ he said.
Mr Abraham Ogwu, Senior Programme Manager, IDH, said integrated approach was required to address the nation’s palm oil traceability gaps.
Ogwu identified such approach as the combination of regulatory reforms, technological advancement and collaborative efforts.
“Public and private sector stakeholders must work together to ensure that smallholder farmers and local millers benefit from the opportunities within the global palm oil market.
“This policy dialogue underscores the urgency of creating a resilient, inclusive and sustainable palm oil sector in Nigeria,” Abraham said.
Participants at the forum included the ministries of agriculture and environment at the federal and state levels and the Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR).
Other participants are Plantation Owners Forum of Nigeria (POFON), Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria (OPGAN), academics and private investors.
Solidaridad is an international CSO with the mandate of developing solutions to make communities more resilient and fostering more sustainable supply chains.
IDH is an international organisation that brings together public and private stakeholders to make global agricultural markets more sustainable and more inclusive,
IDH collaborates with organisations to develop solutions to critical challenges in global value chains, such as climate change, unfair working conditions and wages, unequal value distribution and gender inequality.
By Felicia Imohimi
