ABUJA, NIGERIA — Olam Agri, part of Olam Group, announced on Oct. 24 that it has inaugurated The Seeds for the Future Foundation in Nigeria to strengthen opportunities for farmers and communities along its value chain.

The Seeds for the Future Foundation will focus on four key social action pillars: supporting farms and farmers to strengthen local wheat production; enabling wider education and skills development for young people; empowering women in farming communities; and promoting health and nutrition across the country.

The Foundation was launched at an event held at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. As part of the launch, Olam Agri unveiled an educational grant for first-year students in public tertiary institutions.

The Seeds for the Future is Olam Agri’s flagship wheat value chain development initiative in Nigeria, launched in 2021. Through the platform, the business undertakes interventions under four major pillars: research and development, innovation, education, and economic empowerment. The initiative aims to contribute to the attainment of government’s economic development agenda in key segments of the economy, such as agriculture/food security, economic diversification, women empowerment, nutrition and health, education, and skills development.

Speaking at the unveiling of The Seeds for the Future Foundation, Ashish Pande, head of Olam Agri in Nigeria said, “Olam Agri is committed to supporting activities that have a direct and positive impact on farmers and their communities in Nigeria. The launch of The Seeds for the Future Foundation strengthens our focus on improving the livelihoods of farmers, communities, women and young people, as well as the development of the agricultural sector.

“We’re supportive of the government’s economic development agenda and we recognize that the private sector has a key role to play to collaborate to drive sustainable growth in communities.”

On the education grant, Pande said, “Enabling wider education and skill development for young people is one key area of focus. The education grant will make a valuable contribution to supporting students to fulfil their potential and more broadly developing the country’s human capital.”

Olam Agri said the education grants will be awarded to the best qualified applicants using a merit-based selection process that strictly adheres to the rules of fairness, transparency, fair play, and independent audit, from the application, shortlisting, all through to the finalists’ selection stages. It will be open to all the courses of study offered in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.