Crown Flour Mill, a subsidiary of Olam, a leading food and agribusiness conglomerate, in a statement has reiterated that it is resolute to explore avenues for strategic collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders in both the public and private sectors in its pursuit to support Nigeria’s wheat development programme and country’s aspiration of self-sufficiency in wheat production.
The company made this assertion on March 9, 2021 when its senior management paid a courtesy visit on the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, at the Government House in Kano to explore areas of opportunity, partnership and collaboration between the company and the state government.
The Managing Director, Crown Flour Mill, Ashish Pande, said the company is prepared to support the state in its goal of increasing its food production capabilities and capacity by leveraging on its experience in global agriculture and food systems, geared toward promoting thriving farming communities, and ensuring food security and safety.
Pande stated further that the organisation was hoping to establish its pilot wheat research trial programme in Kano, where it intends to make investments in seed trials, provision of inputs, training and research infrastructure to boost yields thereby empowering prosperous farming systems.
“Our commitment to research and development is the key to why we’ve been successful as an organization over the years and have been able to consistently create better quality, safe, great tasting and more reliable food produce/products which meets our customer needs and improve the livelihoods of our farmers,” Pande said.
Pande appealed to the state governor to support the company in all its initiatives in the wheat value chain.
The Deputy Governor, Alhaji Nasiru Gawuna, who represented the governor, said supporting Crown Flour Mill’s initiatives would be in alignment with the administration’s agenda for the agricultural sector and would enable the desired boost in the wheat value chain.
Gawuna, also the Commissioner for Agriculture, said the state was looking forward to partnering with organisations across the wheat value chain to improve production.
He reiterated the commitment of the state in boosting food production and assured the company of the state’s support.