Nigeria Rice Outgrower Initiative receives United Nations recognition
The Nigeria Rice Outgrower Initiative has been recognised by the Financing for Sustainable Development Office of the United Nations as one of 3 high impact success stories identified for global recognition by the United Nations Economic & Social Council.
On the basis of this recognition, the Outgrower team was invited to participate at the last Sustainable Development Goals Investment (SDGI) Fair which held in New York on April 22nd, 2018, as panellists on one of the thematic panels and parallel working groups that made up the fair.
Sustainable Development Goals Investment aims at combining competitive financial returns with positive change for people and the planet, in response to three areas:
- Governments in developing countries developing new projects in line with the Sustainable Development Goals with innovative risks mitigating instruments
- Growing interest in creating market opportunities for investments with competitive returns that support environmental & social goals
- New technologies creating innovative ways to invest in productive capacity including in small and medium-sized enterprises
The SDGI Fair organised by the United Nations Department of Economic & Social Affairs brought together high-level Government officials from emerging markets with the investor community, to explore new opportunities for SDG Investment and discuss specific projects in the pipelines of National Governments.
Olam Rice was represented on the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), & Olam Farmers Partnership (Nigeria) Panel by Reji George, Vice President, Rice who shared the roundtable on that panel with Mr. Anbua Henkaa James – Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development Benue State Nigeria, Mr. Ameh Friday Omoja – National Programme Director, VCDP, and Mr. Odoemena Benjamin Chuks Okey, Country Programme Officer, IFAD. Together they shared key project actions, challenges and policy measures that helped to overcome the challenges to support long-term and large-scale investment in the partnership.
Recognised alongside Olam's Outgrower Initiative were the Ormat Olkaria III Geothermal Power Plant (Kenya) – the first privately funded and developed Geothermal plant in Africa and The Renewable Energy Market & Pacific Hydro Wind Farms in Brazil.
