The management of TechnoServe Nigeria is exploring a potential collaboration with the federal government to enhance food and nutrition security in the country. This was made known during a visit to the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja. Technoserve undertakes a business approach involved in fighting poverty and empowering farmers and small business owners, The company also used the opportunity of the visit to showcase their programs and impact, particularly within Nigeria’s context.
TechnoServe Nigeria’s team visited Mr. Wale Edun, Minister of Finance in his office in Abuja and was led by Ayodele Tella, senior program manager for Food Fortification. Tella said the visit was on finding common ground with the Ministry’s priorities, initiatives, and overall policy direction regarding food and nutrition security, with private sector involvement being a key area of interest for TechnoServe.
Tella, during the visit, emphasised their dedication to improving the lives and incomes of hardworking individuals in underserved areas across diverse value chains. Their approach centres on assisting communities in building strong farms and businesses, ultimately offering business-oriented solutions to tackle poverty.
Tobi Durotoye, deputy program director of the company spoke on his organisation’s food fortification efforts through the Inspiring Good Nutrition Initiative Through Enterprise (IGNITE) program.
The program, according to him, falls under the umbrella of the Millers for Nutrition coalition, currently operational in eight countries, including Nigeria.
“Their objective is to expand access to fortified foods by empowering millers of staple goods such as rice, wheat flour, and edible oil to become central figures in economic development,” he said.
Expressing his appreciation for the visit, Mr. Edun envisioned a productive partnership emerging from their interaction.
He viewed it as an opportunity for TechnoServe to gain valuable insights from the Ministry’s experience.
The minister of finance in his remarks, said that leveraging TechnoServe’s expertise in areas like business development, food processing, and high-value agriculture would be crucial.
“This collaboration would allow them to address identified gaps and work together to lift people out of poverty,” Mr. Edun
concluded.
