From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
AGRA, Nestlé Nigeria, and TechnoServe, have launched the Strengthening Farmers’ and SMEs’ Resilience through Climate Smart Grain Production and Accessing the Structured Markets (StreFaS) initiative in Nigeria, a step towards building a climate-resilient agricultural sector
The programme aims at supporting 25,000 smallholder farmers and eight aggregators across Kaduna and Nasarawa states, promoting sustainable production of maize, soybean, rice, and sorghum. In her welcome address at the launching of groundbreaking Climate-Smart Agriculture Initiative in Nigeria held in Zaria, Kaduna State, Mrs Adesuwa Akinboro, Country Director of TechnoServe Nigeria, described the STREFAS initiative as a transformative step for Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
“This project represents a bold commitment to supporting smallholder farmers and agribusinesses with the tools, knowledge, and market access they need to thrive in the face of climate change.
“STREFAS is not just about boosting yields, it’s about regenerating our soils, restoring dignity to farming, and creating a more inclusive and sustainable future for communities across Kaduna and Nasarawa states”. Akinboro said.
Also, in his remarks, Dr. Rufus Idris, AGRA’s Country Director for Nigeria said: “We are proud to co-lead this initiative that puts farmers first, not just by introducing new practices, but also by rebuilding the very ecosystems that sustain farming — core to AGRA’s approach to sustainable and resilient food systems transformation.
“It focuses on integrating regenerative agriculture into every step of the value chain, with particular emphasis on empowering youth and women”. Speaking on Nestlé’s commitment, Mr. Wassim Elhusseini, CEO of Nestlé Nigeria, noted that: “At Nestlé, we believe that good food starts with high-quality ingredients and the well-being of the people who produce them. “Our partnership in this initiative underscores our commitment to sustainable sourcing and decarbonising our value chain. Globally, we aim to source at least 50 per cent of our key ingredients from farmers practising regenerative agriculture by 2030.”