Seyi Adeleke-Ige, GM for Nutreco's business in Nigeria, discusses the impact of B&MG grant funding in Africa

Article
Innovation
Diversity and Inclusion
7 July 2022

Last week, at Nutreco we announced that we have received a US$4.8 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to unlock profitability and quality feed sources for small-scale livestock producers in sub-Saharan Africa. This is one of the first investments from the B&MG foundation in the animal feed space and something we are very proud of, especially due to its significance in supporting us in our purpose of Feeding the Future.

The grant will directly fund 21 Hendrix4U complete feed production projects initially in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Uganda - providing a ‘factory-in-a-box’ for rural areas to ensure access to quality compound feed production in a financially sustainable way.  

The work of Seyi Adeleke-Ige, General Manager Skretting Nigeria, has been fundamental to the success of the Hendrix4U projects to date, and this grant being awarded. We spoke to Seyi about her thoughts on the grant and what it will mean for the future of the projects, as well as finding out a bit more about her work with Nutreco to date.

Tell us a bit about your role in Nutreco's business in Nigeria, and what your job entails on a day-to-day basis

I have been the General Manager of Skretting Nigeria since the joint venture commenced in 2014, remaining in the role even after the full ownership of the company by Nutreco happened in 2018. I also coordinated the introduction of Nutreco’s agri-feed business in Nigeria under the name Trouw Nutrition. As General Manager I oversee and manage the business, which requires me to follow up on all operations across various states, and sometimes involves visiting farms and distributors. It's also my responsibility to oversee the daily operations and production of feeds in the plant and ensure that my team is safe and cared for.

What will the funding grant for the B&MGF mean for operations and your job going forwards?

The demand for quality poultry feed is high in Nigeria, which is Africa's most populous country and its largest economy. Due to this, I have always had to balance the high demand from the market with the limited quantity of feed we are able to produce, which has put a lot of pressure on me and my team.

The increased production and distribution of Hendrix4U machines as a result of this grant, will mean quality feed will be much more readily available across Nigeria - and accessible for even small-scale farmers.

 Having secured strategic partners at different locations across Nigeria, my team and I are set to travel around the country to install the machines and train the handlers. This development will also translate to an increased sales volume leading to an attainment of the largest producer of poultry feed and concentrates in Nigeria, which has been a major part of my goal as the project’s general manager.

What will the grant enable you to work on that you are most excited about?

Recently, we commenced a Sustainability Project with poultry farmers in Nigeria. The goal is to train farmers on sustainable farming, best practices, improving their yield - and also female empowerment. I am excited that this grant now provides a bigger opportunity to reach more farmers that can benefit from this project. The beneficiaries will not just gain from the project, but also have access to feeds they can trust. We started the Catfish Sustainability Project in 2016 and it has been a huge success, so I am glad we are getting the chance to be able to implement a similar programme with the poultry business.

 

 

The grant means a lot to me as it will play a key role in improving business and living standards for farmers in the region. The farmers will get quality feed at an affordable price on their doorstep, which will reduce the costs of production and logistics. This reduced cost of feed will enable farmers to increase their profit margins and income and therefore support them in growing their businesses and improving their quality of life.

My work on this project which has resulted in us being awarded the grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the proudest moment of my career at Skretting Nigeria to date. Receiving the grant funding will enable us to breathe life into so many years of hard work.

In your opinion, what is the most important element to help us achieve our goal of feeding the future in Africa?

Africa is a continent of many untapped opportunities, so I believe collaboration is the most important element. Nutreco's wealth of knowledge in collaboration with the locals' passion and understanding of their environment is a great combination, and I am really excited to see what results the grant unlocks for us.