Agric waste turned to cash as SMEs eye export boom
An enterprise development organization teaches business owners methods for turning plant byproducts from farming operations into commercial merchandise ranging from consumable goods to cosmetics and containers. Desola Jimmy-Eboma leads the Small Scale Enterprises Lab, which targets waste reduction while expanding revenues from sources beyond petroleum exports.
Research indicates agricultural systems globally discard between 30 and 40 percent of harvested crops annually, producing economic losses approaching $940 billion. Leftover stalks and vegetation from fields total approximately 5.5 billion tons worldwide. Jimmy-Eboma told reporters during a graduation ceremony in Lagos that fruit and vegetable matter frequently goes unused despite its conversion potential through dehydration processes. She referenced international examples where banana foliage becomes biodegradable materials and suggested similar applications for plantain waste commonly discarded across Nigeria.
The program director said her group supports 65 active enterprises and aims to assist at least 200 ventures by the conclusion of 2027. She emphasized that training alone proves insufficient without instruction on transforming abilities into distinct market offerings. Esther Obiekwe from Nova Bank stated lenders gain assurance through formalized documentation, though traditional collateral requirements often block smaller operators from obtaining capital. Cash flow analysis emerged as an alternative evaluation method for short-term financing needs.
