The Agri-Hub in Niger celebrated the first edition of a week (27-30 Nov) of expositions, presentations, speeches and networking around the themes of cooperation and farmer entrepreneurship. This Entrepreneurial Week took place in the Palais des Sports in Niamey and attracted an average of 250 visitors every day.

The theme of the week was ‘Another agriculture is possible’. In his opening speech, the Minister of Commerce and Promotion of the Private Sector, Mr. Saley Saidou, explained: “There is a need to transform the Nigerien subsistence agriculture into a modern profitable agriculture oriented towards a culture of entrepreneurship, while respecting and maintaining existing good practices, and taking into account the realities and opportunities of vulnerable people.” The Minister praises the Agri-Hub Niger’s approach with the APEA programme* that brought key stakeholders together.

* Support Programme for Promoting Rural Entrepreneurship; click the link above to read the new fact sheet.

Programme
Three categories of activities were in the programme: exposition and sale of agricultural products, thematic discussions and debates, and an open marketplace where people could meet with each other and talk about the constraints that agriculture in Niger faces.

The event was attended by many professionals from producer organisations, small-medium enterprises, government agencies and students from local knowledge institutes. Among the strong points of the Entrepreneurial Week were the growing interest of the political authorities in the Agri-Hub; the massive participation of producer organisations in conference debates and exhibitions at the open marketplace; and the way the thematic focus of the Week fits in with agricultural policies as well as producers’ interests.

End of APEA, a new begin for the Agri-Hub
The Entrepreneurial Week marked the official end of the APEA programme, which has been carried out over the past four years as almost the sole activity of the Agri-Hub. The APEA programme has been very successful in bringing together different agricultural actors and improving communication and collaboration among them. It has also helped to build capacity and to create a true entrepreneurial spirit.

Visitors of the Week praised the way in which agriculturalists and pastoralists were able to talk and do business with one another. Whereas before the APEA programme they used to have many conflicts, they now work together for a common goal. Reportedly, many business deals were made at or around the Fair.

Currently, the Agri-Hub coordination and partners (Oxfam Novib, SNV, Agriterra, WUR-CDI and IFDC) are working on an Annual Plan for 2013, using much of the input from the Entrepreneurial Week.

The Week was co-organised with the Consortium des Organisations Paysannes (COP). More information about the Agri-Hub in Niger can be found on http://apf-niger.ning.com.