Olam Agri steps up CSR In Kano, Jigawa

Olam Agri has expanded its initiatives to support the country’s rural Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) policy with the commissioning of safe water project in Kano and Jigawa states.

The project, according to the company,is in advancement of its broader Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) strategy, with a budget of N6.5b.

Speaking on the new project, the Managing Director of Olam Agri in Nigeria, Anil Nair, highlighted the company’s long-standing commitment to socio-economic development in Nigeria, where it has operated for over 34 years.

To ensure the project’s sustainability, he said the local community members have been trained as Local Area Mechanics (LAMs) to maintain the water facilities.

The project involves constructing three new hand pump boreholes, rehabilitating seven existing ones, and 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 TulsiChanrai Foundation, a partner to UNICEF, under Olam Agri’s “Seeds for the Future” programme.

It is billed to 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.

Olam Agri’s Global CR&S had last year, 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 per cent 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.

Key local officials, who attended the handover events in Kano and Jigawa expressed their gratitude for company’s intervention and acknowledged the project would mitigate the adverse effects of water scarcity on livelihoods, food production, and health in their communities.