Olam Agri commissions water project to drive food security, enhance WASH policy

Olam Agri, a leading agribusiness in Nigeria 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.

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 their gratitude for Olam Agri’s intervention and acknowledged the project would mitigate the adverse effects of water scarcity on livelihoods, food production, and health in their communities.

Anil Nair, Managing Director of Olam Agri in Nigeria, emphasised 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% 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.

Olam Agri is a market leading, differentiated food, feed and fibre agri-business with a global origination footprint, processing capabilities and deep understanding of market needs built over 33 years.

With a strong presence in high-growth emerging markets and products across grains & oil seeds, integrated feed & protein, rice, edible oils, specialty grains & seeds, cotton, wood products, rubber and commodity financial services, Olam Agri is at the heart of global food and agri-trade flows with 38.3 million MT in volume traded in 2022.

Focused on transforming food, feed, and fibre for a more sustainable future, it aims at creating value for customers, enable farming communities to prosper sustainably and strive for a food-secure future.

Olam Agri is a fully owned subsidiary of Olam Group. For more information and to subscribe to our news alerts, please visit https://www.olamagri.com/.

Olam Group is a leading food and agri-business supplying food, ingredients, feed, and fibre to 20,200customers worldwide. Our value chain spans over 60 countries and includes farming, processing, anddistribution operations, as well as a global network of farmers.

Since June 2020, Olam Group has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series, a global sustainable investment index series developed by FTSE Russell, following a rigorous assessment of Olam’s supply chain activities, impact on the environment and governance transparency.