Olam Agri in Nigeria, a leading agribusiness in food, feed and fibre, has been recognised for its impactful sustainability investment. The agribusiness’ Seeds for the Future (SFTF) initiative emerged as a Sustainability Initiative of the Year at the African Food Awards 2023, held on June 16 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The Africa Food Awards recognises and celebrates the best companies and individuals in Africa’s rising food manufacturing, retail, academia, and food service sector. The awards celebrate excellence and encourage adopting world-class practices and technologies in Africa’s food manufacturing, retail, and service sectors.
As one of the winners of the Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award, the Olam Agri Seeds for the Future Initiative was launched as Olam Agri in Nigeria’s wheat value-chain social sustainability investment vehicle in 2021 and is driven by five key levers, which are supporting farmers and farming communities, enabling broader education & skill development for young people, empowering women (farmers & bakers), promoting health & nutrition, and reducing carbon emissions in business operations.
In 2022, the initiative announced an impressive first-year result of its multi-year research, seed trial and multiplication effort. It generated optimism that Nigeria is making strides toward increasing local wheat production levels. Now a full-fledged foundation, the initiative is extending its impact to other segments.
Francis Juma, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of FW Africa, the organiser of the awards, said “After evaluation by our judging committee, Olam Agri’s sustainability investment through the Seeds for the Future Foundation met all criteria of reach, depth, and impact, and towers above the competition in the sustainability investment category and deserves to receive one of the Sustainability Initiative Award for the year 2023.”
He congratulated the business for its exceptional leadership and focused investment, which aim to drive impactful economic growth across operating markets.
Speaking on the award recognition, Ashish Pande, the Country Head of Olam Agri in Nigeria, explained, “We will keep scaling up investment in projects that positively impact farming communities, consumer health, the environment, and government’s economic growth agenda. The Seed for the Future Foundation is a major vehicle for driving our wider investment actions. The Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award recognition underscores our impact level.”
He thanked the award organiser for the recognition reiterating that the business would not rest on its oars. He maintained that it would keep investing in strengthening the Nigerian food production and processing segments.
Winners in the same category at the awards include Bio Food Products, Ngorongo Tea, Farmers Choice, EARBL, the Marindi Healthy Woman, and Broadway Bakery.
The Africa Food Awards took place during the Africa Food Industry Week, which consists of high-level events such as the Africa Sustainability Symposium, AFMASS Food Expo and the Africa Food Safety Summit, all held in Nairobi, Kenya.