The VICAMPRO group one of Nigeria’s key stakeholders in the agricultural sector is charting a new course towards diversifying Nigeria’s economy, economic growth and capacity building through its forthcoming conference and workshop.

INTRODUCTION
The agricultural sector is one that has many opportunities and threats. The recent economic downturn has raised the focus of the government, entrepreneurs and intending entrepreneurs to look for opportunities within the sector. A lot of the intending entrepreneurs sit at the gate due to their inability to understand where or how to start. Like the journey of a thousand miles that begins with a step so is also the journey of agricultural entrepreneurship. But which step comes first and then next is a big question that needs to be answered. Though it looks simple from the outside it is a very complex, high-tech, capital intensive yet rewarding industry.

The “Business of Agriculture” workshop aims to demystify agriculture in the eyes of the intending entrepreneur. The workshop would bring together current players in the industry to share their experience and provide insight into the opportunities and pitfall of agricultural entrepreneurship. Speakers at the conference would aim to cover the major aspects for the industry including but not limited to government policy and plans for agriculture, agricultural project financing, land matter, business model and market opportunities, people, technology mechanization and irrigation.

We believe that by the end of the Conference you would have been equipped with the necessary information needed to take on “THE BUSINESS OF AGRICULTURE” in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES
The “The business of agriculture” workshop aims to solve the above identified gaps and opportunities. It is a workshop that would bring industry players under a conducive atmosphere to share experience and mentor intending entrepreneurs on how to build a successful agricultural business. Other objectives include;
• Knowledge
• Networking
• Mentorship

WORKSHOP INFORMATION
Theme: ‘The Business of Agriculture’
Date: Saturday, 20th August 2016.
Venue: Jupiter Hall, Four Points by Sheraton Victoria Island Lagos.
Time: 9am prompt.
Conference Fee: Fifty Thousand Naira only (payable to Zenith Bank Account 1014252922)
Registration and Enquiries: www.businessofagriculture.com.ng
Youtube link to conference video: https://youtu.be/7YqlAhX4Eb0
www.vicampro.com

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

Michael AGBOGO, Co-Founder & CEO
Michael is the Founder and Managing director of Vicampro. He has managed Vicampro from concept through the project phase to becoming an operation. Michael has a B.Sc., M. Eng. and M.Sc. from both local and foreign institutions. His competencies lie in the area of Entrepreneurship and business start-up, project management, risk management, business finance, manufacturing, operations management, strategic planning etc. Michael has over 20 years’ experience in starting companies and also and running complex operational facilities. He is a certified risk manager and also has certificates and diploma degrees in business marketing and operations management from within and outside Nigeria.

Ade ADEFEKO
Ade Adefeko is Vice President and Head Corporate & Government Relations OLAM NIGERIA and in charge of External Communication and Stakeholder Management. His 25 year professional career spans diverse sectors including Broadcast/Pay-Tv, FMCG and the Banking industry where he held senior management roles in Treasury, Credit and Branch operations. Prior to joining OLAM, Ade played a pivotal role in broadcast policy advocacy as Head Corporate Communications and Public Affairs with Multi-Choice (Dstv) Nigeria. Subsequently, he became Area Head of Communication and Regulatory Affairs, British American Tobacco for Benin, Niger and Togo based in Nigeria where he managed core regulatory issues in the highly sensitive Tobacco industry. Ade is Multi-lingual an avid writer and TV pundit.

Ade is Non Executive board member African Wealth Report the premier wealth intelligence compendium in Africa. He also sits in an advisory capacity on the board of Synergos limited; a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation think thank that seeks to improve Systems and Processes and improve yields in the Agricultural value Chain.

Aminu SULEMAN TAKUMA
Direct or (NIPC), and Coordinator, Invest-in-LAKAJI Corridor States (A USAID/NEXTT-Project), Aminu Suleman Takuma has over sixteen years’ experience in investment promotion, facilitation and aftercare services in Infrastructure Development, Agricultural Value Chain and Solid mineral Development. Mr. Takuma’s expertise lies in strategic alliances with investors to effectively align with and support key agribusiness investment initiative and infrastructure improvement. He has built and retained high performance teams that provide strategic, operational and administrative services to existing and potential investors by developing and motivating skilled professionals. He has facilitated entrepreneurial ventures, business investment workshops and economic trips to abroad; and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Operations Research and a Masters in International Affairs & Diplomacy.

Adeola ADEDIRAN Company Secretary & Legal Adviser
Adeola is a legal practitioner with over 20years experience. A wellness/business development, project management consultant and mentor especially in Leadership training with a Law degree, PGD (Theology),DLA (Basic & Advanced),NIPR Certificate with close to two decades experience in the corporate and property arena handling various Business development and Project Management with a divine mandate to kick-start destinies. Her vision of connecting professionals with best practices from all works of life to deliver effective legal business services to all clients at affordable rates in a world class environment is also been fulfilled here in Vicampro.

Dr. Akintayo ADISA is Business Development Manager for BASF in West Africa.
He is responsible for developing business across the various BASF focus industries and ensuring that the needs of BASF’s customers across these industries are well understood and met.

He has a PhD in Material chemistry from the University of Manchester and an MBA from Manchester Business School.
Akintayo has a passion for understanding industry value chains and developing the right routes to market.

Innocent MOKIDI is an Agric-Entrepreneur and a motivational speaker. He holds a BSc in Accounting and a graduate diploma in Agricultural Management from the Agricultural Management Institute Beijing China.

Innocent Mokidi is the founder CEO of BROTE URBAN VEGETABLE FARM AND PROCESSING LIMITED. The aim of BROTE is to revolutionize agriculture and change the mind-set of the younger generation. BROTE is bringing in new ways and technology into agriculture in order to achieve higher returns.

Irabor PACQUEENS, State Coordinator, Bank of Industry (Oyo)
Irabor Pacqueens is currently the State Coordinator for
Bank of Industry (BOI) in Oyo state. His experience in they key sectors of the Nigerian economy is an added advantage for any budding entrepreneur to learn from. A well sought after conference speaker who has used his experience to push the brand Bank of Industry to greater heights offering pragmatic solutions in developing Nigeria’s economy.

Ludo is an expert in farm management with over 45 years of experience within the potato processing industry. He started his career as a farmer, specialised in growing seed-potatoes and has ever since being dedicated to providing innovative solutions to both start-up and established companies. In his life time, he has worked as a technical director (amongst others) with a success range of providing technical expertise that facilitated the growth of over 600.000 ton / annum. He is presently an active consultant for various potato companies in several countries and currently the Chief Operating Officer of VICAMPRO.

Dr. Manzo D. MAIGARI, Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Dr. Manzo D. Maigari is currently the Hon. Commissioner for
Agriculture and Forestry in Kaduna state. He is Veterinary Doctor by
profession and is active in many NGOs.

Mrs. Helen K. TEMTSEN (FCA) is a holder of B. Sc. Accountancy and MBA Degrees from the Universities of Maiduguri and Ahmadu Bello Univeristy Zaria in 1985 and 2004 respectively. She also has a Master of Science in International Economics, Banking and Finance (I.E.B.F) from Cardiff University Wales, United Kingdom. Mrs Temtsen is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (MNIM).

Temtsen has 30 years’ working experience in various sectors of the economy. She started her career with BARC Farms Ltd, a subsidiary of the Jos International Breweries Limited between 1986 and 1992, thereafter; she worked with NICON Insurance Corporation between 1992 and 2003. Mrs Temtsen joined the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2003 and is currently a Principal Manager in the Development Office of CBN Jos Branch. Key among her responsibilities is the sensitization of members of the public on the schemes and programmes of the CBN as they relate to the real sector of the economy especially agriculture.

Paul ANDREW is an Investment and Wealth Advisor with over two and half decades of consulting practice. With vast knowledge in the investment and enterprise management space, he has managed world-class projects and advised on over $2billion transactions in Merchant Banking covering various sectors- Oil & Gas, Agriculture, Telecommunications, Infrastructure, Real Estate related deals. Paul currently runs a Private Office (a family office) and advising wealthy individuals as well as institutional clients within the wealth management space.

He chairs African Wealth Report, a global wealth and luxury report based in Geneva. Paul is the Executive Chairman, AMET and BlackPace Group.

Ukinebo DARE, CEO, Poise Graduate Finishing Academy Ukinebo Dare has her Msc. in Management from the University of Bradford and is a Computer Science graduate of Benson Idahosa University. Her passion for self-development has led her to design and facilitate several courses on self-development and skill-improvement. She has experience in Business Strategy Development, Facilitation, Counseling and Systems administration.

Mrs. Dare is a well-rounded professional with years of experience in managing teams and is a seasoned facilitator of Creative thinking, Problem Solving, Interview Skills and other courses. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of Young Executive Diary and the initiator, PSENSE Certification Programme.