Crown Flour Mill, a subsidiary of Olam Group and a major player in the wheat milling industry in Nigeria, has reiterated its commitment to Nigeria’s food sufficiency quest.
This plan was revealed when Damilola Adeniyi, corporate affairs manager, and Moshood Quadri, head-human resources along with other senior management staff of the company paid a courtesy visit to Sabo Nanono, Minister of Agriculture in his office recently in Abuja.
Adeniyi stated that the company’s management decided to visit the minister 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, state governments, and other major stakeholders in the wheat sub-sector to achieve this objective,” she said.
She stated that 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.
CFM through its contribution to the wheat millers’ association under the auspices of the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN) where it’s 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 and seed production among others targeted at smallholder farmers and other players across the value chain and downstream sector.
The aim is targeted at boosting the quantity and quality of local wheat production.
Also speaking, Rauda Musa Umar, wheat development programme officer, Crown Flour stated that the company will soon be embarking on research and seed trials, training in modern agricultural practices in a block farming pilot project. According to her, plans are at an advanced stage to commit Kano State to make land available for the project.
Ashish Pande, managing director, 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 appreciated the team for coming and promised that government will extend to the company all the support it needs to succeed in the developmental programmes they have elected to undertake
