Crown Flour to Help Nigeria Achieve Food Sufficiency

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Crown Flour Mill, a subsidiary of Olam Group, and a major player in the Wheat Milling industry in Nigeria, has reiterated its commitment to assist the federal government to achieve sustainable food sufficiency in the country.

This plan was revealed when the Wheat Development Team of Crown flour Mill led by Damilola Adeniyi, the Corporate Affairs Manager and Moshood Quadri, Head Human resources along with other senior management staff of the company were on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Sabo Nanono, last Tuesday in Abuja.

Ms Adeniyi stated that the company’s management decided to visit the minister today to intimate the ministry of the company’s commitment to building Nigerian wheat-growing capability by bringing in new seed varieties and innovative ways of agriculture.

Crown Flour Mills is looking to partner with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, state governments and other major stakeholders in the agricultural sub-sector in order to achieve this objective.

She said the company plans to introduce the findings of research trials and cultivation of a heat-tolerant durum wheat variety carried out by the company in Senegal into Nigeria.

CFM through its contribution to the wheat millers’ association under the auspices of the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN) where CFM is a key member, has also made some valiant strides through FMAN’s wheat development program and various initiatives in areas such as research and seed trials, capacity building in modern agricultural practices, distribution of input, seed production, etc. targeted at smallholder wheat farmers and other players in the wheat production value chain and downstream sector and aimed at boosting the quantity and quality of local wheat production.

Contributing at the meeting, Rauda Musa Umar, the company’s Wheat Development Programme Officer, stated that the company will soon be embarking on research and seed trials, trainings in modern agricultural practices in a block farming pilot project. According to her, plans are at an advance stage to commit Kano State to make land available for the project.

Mr Ashish Pande, the Managing Director of Crown Flour Mill, believes strongly in Nigeria’s potential to grow good quality wheat and will support by training local farmers, gathering resources for new seed development and bringing in new technology all aiming to boost up the capability of Nigeria.

Responding, the minister thanked the team for coming and promised that the government will extend to the company all the support it needs to succeed in the developmental programmes they have elected to undertake.