This Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) provides an overview of how Cross River State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (CR-SAPZ) is going to manages its communications with its stakeholders. It serves as a living document detailing stakeholder mapping, and past and future engagement. The SEP includes steps to guide to future engagement and will need to be periodically revised to ensure effective ongoing stakeholder engagement.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has initiated the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) program to accelerate agro-industrialization. The Cross-River State Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (CR-SAPZ) is one of the pioneer projects under this initiative. The proposed Agricultural Transformation Centre (ATC) located in Okuku, Yala Local Government Area and Agro-industrial Hub (AIH) located in Adiabo, Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River state is part of the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs).
This program aims to achieve greater economic diversification and promote long-term sustainable development. The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones program is a five-year program that is designed to develop multiple clusters of Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATCs) and Agro-Industrial Hubs (AIHs) within major clusters of high agricultural production, where functional infrastructures like roads, power, water, communication are provided to attract private investment into modern Agro-industrial processing and value addition to locally produced crops, livestock and related agribusiness activities.
The establishment of SAPZs in Nigeria will boost the structural transformation of the economy by providing opportunities for public and private sector investment in agriculture, and when fully operational, the SAPZs will enhance national food and nutritional security, optimize the export of value-added agricultural commodities and improve the quality of livelihoods through wealth creation for rural farming communities.
The first phase of the SAPZ Program will be implemented in seven (7) states – Cross River, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Ogun, and Oyo, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Program is valued at USD 538.05 million (net taxes).
The SAPZ will consist of two key components: Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATCs) and Agro-Industrial Hubs (AIHs) across the participating states and the FCT. Each AIH, depending on the land area, may require Environmental Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs), or Livelihood Restoration Plans and other relevant environmental and social safeguards instruments, depending on the requirements of the funding partner.
Kindly download the full report below for more details, please