[{"bbox": [73, 107, 578, 139], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 3. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION"}, {"bbox": [110, 170, 517, 201], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 3.1. Objectives and Expected Outputs"}, {"bbox": [83, 213, 1145, 268], "category": "Text", "text": "**The Overall Objective (Impact)** of this action is to contribute to sustainable and climate-resilient socio-economic development in Nigeria."}, {"bbox": [83, 279, 1145, 333], "category": "Text", "text": "**The Specific Objective (Outcome)** of this action is to develop climate-smart, innovative agriculture with an improved agribusiness climate and equitable participation of women and youth."}, {"bbox": [83, 345, 432, 372], "category": "Text", "text": "**The expected Results (Outputs) are:**"}, {"bbox": [122, 384, 1145, 435], "category": "List-item", "text": "1) Access to finance for agri-businesses (aggregators, processors, manufacturers, wholesalers, transporters and retailers) is facilitated"}, {"bbox": [122, 437, 1127, 463], "category": "List-item", "text": "2) Skills of targeted beneficiaries such as women and youth are enhanced to promote their employability"}, {"bbox": [122, 464, 1068, 490], "category": "List-item", "text": "3) The capacity of farmers and agribusinesses to apply innovative farming techniques is improved"}, {"bbox": [122, 490, 1145, 543], "category": "List-item", "text": "4) Policies and international standards in sustainable and innovative agriculture, improved agribusiness environment and disaster risk management are developed and implemented."}, {"bbox": [83, 555, 1145, 661], "category": "Text", "text": "The selection of targeted commodities will be made on the basis of their potential to deliver on private sector investments, decent job creation, increased production, food autonomy and security; and capacity to mobilise support from other European partners in a and Team Europe approach. Rice, maize, fresh fruits and vegetables, fish products, livestock and dairy have been indicatively identified."}, {"bbox": [83, 673, 1145, 834], "category": "Text", "text": "The action supports the Nigerian government's efforts to diversify the economy by combining support to access to renewable energy for productive uses and boosting development of the agricultural sector, while integrating circular economy principles in the development models. It makes a significant part of the Green Economy Team Europe Initiative (TEI), of nearly EUR 1.3 billion, also supported by the EIB, other EU DFIs, Denmark, France and the Netherlands. It is also essential for the EU Global Gateway implementation in Nigeria and will help put the country on a sustainable development path."}, {"bbox": [110, 864, 376, 891], "category": "Section-header", "text": "### 3.2. Indicative Activities"}, {"bbox": [83, 908, 1145, 960], "category": "Text", "text": "**The action will be organised into four components/projects** (linking to the 1st component, EU-VACE covered under AAP 2022):"}, {"bbox": [83, 972, 1145, 1027], "category": "Text", "text": "**Component 1: Access to finance for agri- and energy- investments for productive uses (AgriFI-ElectriFI country window)**"}, {"bbox": [122, 1041, 1145, 1121], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Setting-up of an AgriFI ElectriFI (Nexus) Country Window for investments in early-stage companies; interim financing solutions to help projects overcome obstacles or otherwise reach a sufficiently mature stage where the private sector can take over."}, {"bbox": [83, 1133, 1145, 1213], "category": "Text", "text": "The project intends to support emergence of new and growth of existing (women and youth-led) agri-businesses and improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers, while enhancing access to renewable, sustainable and reliable energy sources, principally in rural and underserved areas for economic activities."}, {"bbox": [83, 1225, 1145, 1280], "category": "Text", "text": "**Component 2: Agri-TVET support (blending loans for infrastructure with grants for skills and curriculum development)**"}, {"bbox": [122, 1293, 1145, 1399], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Provision of agricultural technical and vocational education and training (ATVET) through programmes offered in selected pre-tertiary formal agricultural related training institutions and informal agricultural apprenticeship. The major thrust of the project is to ensure smooth and efficient transition of the graduates to wage and/or self-employment in rural areas."}, {"bbox": [83, 1411, 1145, 1543], "category": "Text", "text": "The project will contribute to Nigeria Government's social agenda of job creation, poverty reduction and agricultural productivity with focus on Benue, Plateau and Oyo States. It fosters a demand driven approach for technical and vocational skills development in the agricultural sector, with active women's participation and promotion of best environmental standards to ensure sustainability and resilience towards climate change. This pilot phase for the three states can be replicated to other interested states based on the results achieved."}, {"bbox": [83, 1555, 1035, 1583], "category": "Text", "text": "**Component 3: Innovative agriculture (using Copernicus/remote sensing for applied agri-climate uses)**"}, {"bbox": [122, 1597, 1145, 1651], "category": "List-item", "text": "* Creation of a detailed land cover map (updated annually) with crop and forest identification at species level by means of remote sensing and ancillary data available within the Nigerian Space Agency."}, {"bbox": [1051, 1663, 1157, 1687], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 8 of 28"}]