In its drive to ensure food security through investment in agriculture, Nestle Nigeria has invested over $1m, for the next three years towards establishing regenerative agriculture as the standard in the food industry.
The Chief Executive Officer of the firm in Nigeria, Wassim Elhusseini, disclosed this in Zaria, Kaduna State, as AGRA, Nestlé, and TechnoServe launched a groundbreaking Climate-Smart Agriculture Initiative in Nigeria.
According to him, “at Nestlé, we believe that good food starts with high-quality ingredients and the well-being of the people who produce them,” pointing out that
“our partnership in this initiative underscores our commitment to sustainable sourcing and decarbonising our value chain.”
He added that “globally, we aim to source at least 50 per cent of our key ingredients from farmers practising regenerative agriculture by 2030.”
Elhusseini explained that “with an investment of $1,000,000 in the project over the next three years, we aim to contribute towards establishing regenerative agriculture as the standard in the food industry, addressing both environmental and social priorities holistically,” stressing that “sustainable farming and market access is at the heart of new partnerships to transform agriculture.”
Besides, participants said the launch will strengthen farmers’ and Small, Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) Resilience through Climate Smart Grain Production and Accessing the Structured Markets (StreFaS) initiative in Nigeria.
StreFaS is a three-year initiative, funded by AGRA and Nestlé, that started from June 2024 to October 2027, while the programme aims to support 25,000 smallholder farmers and eight aggregators across Kaduna and Nasarawa states, promoting sustainable production of maize, soybean, rice, and sorghum.
The Country Director of TechnoServe Nigeria, Mrs Adesuwa Akinboro, described the 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,” she added.
Also, in his speech, the AGRA Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Rufus Idris, remarked, “We are proud to co-lead this initiative that puts farmers first — not just by introducing new practices, but by rebuilding the very ecosystems that sustain farming — core to AGRA’s approach to sustainable and resilient food systems transformation.”
Speaking, the Commissioner, of Agriculture, Kaduna State, Murtala Muhammad Dabo said, “this launch marks a significant milestone in our journey towards a more sustainable agricultural future. I commend TechnoServe and its partners for their dedication to promoting climate-smart agriculture practices in Kaduna State.”
Meanwhile, one of the farmers, Lawan Abdul, who shared his testimony, explained that since he started adopting the strategies they were taught in the project, his yields have increased by 100 per cent.
