Olam Agri Seeds for the Future (SFTF) Initiative – 2022

THE BRIEF

Position Olam Agri Nigeria as a top driver of the Federal Government’s agriculture development, and national food security agenda, and a major investor in the agricultural value chain, people and the environment through quality engagement, research funding, seed variety trial, empowerment programs and collaboration while bridging the gap between export and import, fostering shared prosperity and driving sustainability.

THE CHALLENGE 

The fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the incidental food shortages, worsening economic performance, FX shortage, and the declining human capital index was beginning to bite harder; FG was putting pressure on food commodity exporters/ manufacturers to engage in Backward Integration Programmes (BIP).

OUR SOLUTIONS

The ‘Seeds for the Future’ (SFTF) initiative, an offshoot of the Olam Green Land Webinar Series, was designed to address the challenge of local wheat production and strain on FX for wheat importation. The initiative involves a multi-year partnership with local research institutes, a top durum wheat expert, and a N300 million commitment targeted at developing a ‘best-bet seed variety’ suitable for local climatic conditions – to drive wheat production self-sufficiency.

THE RESULT

• The Agency garnered extensive media coverage for the initiative in local, Pan-African media and specialized Agric publications. 
• The initiative has metamorphosed into the business’s signature social sustainability investment vehicle built on key socioeconomic and human capital development, sustainability pillars, and a full-fledged Foundation.
• The strategic media leveraging of SFTF resulted in Olam Agri Nigeria’s recognition with the National Productivity Order of Merit Award in 2022 by the President.
• SFTF was showcased as one of the innovative solutions to food security and climate change challenges in the African continent by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), at the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Week held in Libreville, Gabon, in 2022.
• SFTF emerged as the Sustainability Initiative of the Year at the African Food Awards in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2023.