Nigeria: Olam Agri inaugurates water project to drive food security

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Olam Agri, one of Nigeria’s leading agribusiness focused on food, feed, and fibre, has expanded its initiatives to improve food security and support the country’s rural Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) policy.

Recently, the company commissioned and handed over its Safe Water Project in Kano and Jigawa State.

The project involves constructing three new hand pump boreholes, rehabilitating seven existing ones, and adding one solar-powered borehole. This initiative aims to provide clean, drinkable water to farming communities, thereby enhancing food security, boosting agricultural productivity, and reducing health issues like waterborne diseases. The project is delivered in partnership with the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation, a partner to UNICEF, under Olam Agri’s “Seeds for the Future” program. It will provide safe water to 15 communities, benefiting approximately 34,150 residents and 1,684 farmers across Jigawa, Kano, Nasarawa, Benue, and Plateau states, which are key regions for wheat, sesame, and rice production.

Key local officials who attended the handover events in Kano and Jigawa, included, Mustapha Hamidan Toranke, Secretary Ajingi LGA, representing Ajingi LG Chairman; Muhammad Shuaibu Gaya, Head of Department, WASH Ajingi LGA, Hamza Lamido, representing the Managing Director Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Abdullahi Maiangwa Iyamiyu, Head of Chiefs, Biyamisu Ajingi LGA. Attendees at the Jigawa event comprise Ali Hamina, representative of the Chairman, Mallam Madori LGA, Abdullahi Saleh, representative of the Chairman Sule Tankarka LGA, Engr Usman Usman, representative of the General Manager of RUWASA, and Danlandi Gumel Wakili Sani, the District Head, Danladi Gumel. They expressed gratitude for Olam Agri’s intervention and acknowledged the project will mitigate the effects of water scarcity on livelihoods, food production, and health in their communities.

Anil Nair, Managing Director of Olam Agri in Nigeria, emphasized that the Safe Water Project is part of their broader Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) strategy, with a budget of approximately ₦6.5 billion. He highlighted Olam Agri’s long-standing commitment to socio-economic development in Nigeria, where the company has operated for over 34 years. To ensure the project’s sustainability, local community members have been trained as Local Area Mechanics (LAMs) to maintain the water facilities, providing them with a source of income and promoting economic growth.

In 2023, Olam Agri’s Global CR&S conducted a food security baseline survey in Nigeria’s sourcing regions, which revealed a severe lack of access to clean drinking water, particularly in the north. Only 30 percent of the population in this region has access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. This shortage contributes to high rates of waterborne diseases, threatens the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, and hinders school enrollment, especially among girls. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by inadequate WASH services. The Safe Water Project aims to address these challenges and improve the well-being of farmers and their communities.