TheCable

Nestlé Nigeria says it will engage 5,000 smallholder farmers for the supply of raw materials for its agro-business operations.

The initiative, ‘developing inclusive grain value chains project’, is in partnership with IDH— The Sustainable Trade Initiative and TechoServe.

Nestle Nigeria, in a statement on Tuesday, said the initiative is a seven-month project that will facilitate the supply of maize, soybeans, millet, and sorghum.

The company said the initiative will increase the income of farmers and create a steady supply of locally grown crops as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global importation of these materials.

Nestle said some of the objectives of the project include: working with six small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that aggregate crops and supply them to Nestlé factories; aggregators and sub-aggregators will receive training on proper grain handling, storage, and testing, as well as entrepreneurial and financial skills; while logistics partners will receive training on proper handling and storage of grain during transit.

The food and beverage company also said the project will engage stakeholders to pilot new, low-cost technological innovations like solar dryers.

Wassim Elhusseini, Nestlé Nigeria managing director and CEO, said: “We are delighted to work with IDH and TechnoServe to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and SMEs who work within our supply chain”.

“This project will help 5,000 families apply more sustainable farming practices to improve their household income while protecting the environment for the generations to come.”

Also speaking on the project, Cyril Ugwu, IDH Nigeria country director, said: “The partnership is crucial as it not only contributes to improved local sourcing of commodities by a reputable brand as Nestlé, it also contributes to food security and the economic wellbeing of a teeming number of farmers in the region.”

Ayokanmi Ayuba, TechnoServe’s deputy country director, described the programme as a win-win for farmers and the private sector.”