By Francis Akinnodi

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The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has said that the One Local Government One Product training (OLOP) was to provide functional knowledge and skill upgrade to agricultural value-chain cooperative societies in Nigeria.

“To unleash and reinforce agricultural transformation for food security and improve agricultural exports earnings.”

Ondo State Manager, SMEDAN, Tomi Ikuomola made this known in an exclusive chat with The Hope.

He said the training would help the participants to understand how to align agricultural training with sustainable management of enterprises in order to bring about creative and vibrant Nigeria agripreneurship development.

Ikuomola said OLOP emphasizes bottom-top development approach and the expected value-addition is achieved through processing using modern production technologies, quality control through relevant certifications and product branding for domestic and foreign market.

He said, “under the scheme, a participating community or cooperative may focus on one products for which it enjoys comparative advantage.

“OLOP is about using local resources to create high value-added products. Such local resources are the driving force in OLOP.”

The SMEDAN manager noted that the communities are challenged to create products that may be developed into globally marketable products. It is about the participation of local communities in the economic fortunes of globalisation.

“It would facilitate regional development based on local creativity and decision making. It would also cultivate resourcefulness among local people.”

He explained that the OLOP would enhance technical, technological and business management skills of Moses as basis for expanding business opportunities of local communities.

He said it would facilitate emergence of value-added products with emphasis on quality control, packagiyand branding and promote revitalisation of the rural economy in Nigeria.

He said the agency is committed and focus to uplift the face of SMEs positively and improve the economy of the state.

Ikuomola emphasised the need to embrace digital technologies and solutions that can improve businesses.

“The agency is also committed to continue to support the MSMEs to overcome the challenges they face.

“We are aware that MSME are confronted with the issues of lack of finance, poor infrastructure, inappropriate legislation, competitiveness, lack of managerial skills among others.

“SMEDAN is committed to help MSMEs tackle the challenges, reduce poverty and create jobs.”