Budget Ministry, TechnoServe partners to drive food, nutrition security

The Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning has partnered with TechnoServe Nigeria to boost food and nutrition security in the country.

TechnoServe Nigeria’s team recently visited the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to introduce its programs, activities, and impact across its practice areas, especially in Nigeria.

The goal was to explore potential areas of alignment with the ministry’s agenda, initiatives, and policy thrust related to food and nutrition security in the country, through private sector enablement, a key area for TechnoServe’s development work.

Adesuwa Akinboro, TechnoServe Nigeria’s country director, led the delegation and was received by Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and key officials from the ministry.

During the meeting, the country director shared an overview of TechnoServe’s mission, impact, and presence in Nigeria.

She introduced their goal of improving the incomes and livelihoods of hardworking men and women in underserved areas across various value chains, helping them build strong farms and businesses and providing business solutions to poverty.

Riz Yusufali, global program director, TechnoServe, highlighted the food fortification efforts through the Inspiring Good Nutrition Initiative Through Enterprise (IGNITE) program, under the aegis of the Millers for Nutrition coalition, currently active in eight countries (including Nigeria) with a focus on reaching more people with fortified foods by putting millers of staple foods, such as rice, wheat flour, and edible oil at the center of economic development.

Bagudu thanked the TechnoServe team for the visit. He expressed hope that the visit would mark the beginning of a valuable partnership, providing an opportunity for TechnoServe to learn from the Ministry’s experiences, particularly within the food systems transformation pathway, which is being coordinated by the ministry.

Leveraging TechnoServe’s expertise in entrepreneurship development, food processing, and high-margin agriculture, would be key; enabling both parties to collaborate in areas of identified gaps and lifting people out of poverty.

Akinboro also invited the minister to attend the 3rd MFI annual awards and the Millers for Nutrition country launch in March 2024.

The annual awards ceremony, co-convened by TechnoServe (through the Millers for Nutrition Initiative–M4N), recognizes companies committed to ensuring access to high-quality fortified foods, such as wheat flour, edible oil, rice, and sugar.

Business Day / Foluke Ibitomi