The Small and Medium Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), has adopted a “One Local Government, One Product” (OLOP) programme on agro-value chain with a view to develop the country’s economy.
The Director-General of the Agency, Dr Dikko Radda, disclosed this at the official signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with microfinance banks and candidate-beneficiaries under the Programme in Katsina State on Monday.
Radda said SMEDAN adopted OLOP to promote the development of at least one identified agro value product per local government area in Nigeria.
It also aims to add value to identified raw materials for branding and certification for import and export.
OLOP is also meant to upgrade human capacity through technological and financial support for efficient and viable cooperative enterprises.
OLOP will improve productivity and quality of our products to achieve competitiveness to meet national and international standards.
Radda said: “This will improve productivity and quality of our products to achieve competitiveness to meet national and international standards.
“I am glad to inform you that the Agency will be supporting 199 cooperative/enterprises in 199 local government areas under the OLOP 2021/2022 intervention.
“Some 364 of the 774 LGAs in the country have benefitted from the scheme from the 2016 to 2020 intervention.
“About 212 LGAs were covered in 2021 under our estimation, leaving a balance of 198 to be covered in 2022.”
He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to fighting unemployment through the development of agriculture and its value chain products.
He commended the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, for his unflinching support towards the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the state. (NAN)
