The mentorship programme is open to individuals seeking mentorship as well as industry professionals interested in offering their mentorship services. (Image source: Alltech)

Alltech has continued its collaboration with Expana's Women in Food & Agriculture (WFA) Mentorship Programme, which has been successful in matching more than 1,500 professionals, creating meaningful rela tionships that foster career growth and leadership development in the food and agriculture sectors

The programme aims to provide mentorship opportunities that help in supporting women across the global food and agriculture sectors. The initiative not only empowers women at various career stages but also addresses the critical shortage of mentors, which is considered a sector-wide challenge across the industry. This growing initiative tackles this issue by encouraging individuals with a range of experience and backgrounds to apply to be a mentor. 

"Mentorship is not a one-way street- it’s a collaborative journey that benefits both mentor and mentee. Everyone who takes part finds it incredibly rewarding," said Patrick Charlton, vice president of Europe at Alltech and a former mentor in the programme. "There are talented women out there looking to grow their careers; they simply need guidance and support. You can be part of that change."  

The mentorship programme is open to individuals seeking mentorship as well as industry professionals interested in offering their mentorship services. Applications for the free-to-join programme are now open.  The programme welcomes applications from across the global food and agriculture sector, and applicants will be personally matched based on their preferences and professional objectives.

Nigeria’s Cross River State has commenced construction of a Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone, set to transform its agricultural industry. (Image source: African Development Bank)

Nigeria’s Cross River State has commenced the construction of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SPAZ), set to play a key role in transforming agricultural trade and logistics in the area

The SAPZ aims to tackle food insecurity, enhance local production, and position Nigeria as a food export leader by leveraging Cross River’s ports and research assets to boost global trade, reduce food imports and drive prosperity through the agro-industrialisation of crops like cocoa and cassava.

The project is one of a number of similar schemes being supported in Nigeria by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

The groundbreaking in Cross River follows that of Kaduna, which took place days earlier, while six other states — Kano, Kwara, Imo, Ogun, Oyo, and the Federal Capital Territory — are included in Phase 1 of the US$538mn SAPZ programme.

There are plans to expand to the remaining 28 states this year pending approval for Phase 2 funding.

Nigeria’s vice-president Kashim Shettima said the SAPZ programme has been recognised as a national priority for food security in the country.

“There is no better time than now for the federal and state governments, development partners, the private sector, and our communities to work hand in hand to ensure the success of the SAPZ project.”

AfDB president Dr Akinwumi Adesina called it a “big day” for Nigeria, bringing “good news to farmers, agribusinesses and all rural areas of Nigeria. Good news of jobs, wealth and prosperity with agriculture as a business.”

He also highlighted Cross River’s export potential, “Bakasi deep seaport will turn the state into a logistics hub in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea, enabling trade with Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau.”

The 130-hectare Agro-Industrial Hub in Adiabo will leverage the ports of Calabar and Bakassi, plus a 23 kVA power plant in Tinapa and a 630 kVA Calabar power plant.

Its Agricultural Transformation Centre, supported by the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria and the University of Calabar, sits 45 minutes from Ikom, Etung, and Boki, boosting cocoa production for global markets.

Adesina added that the SAPZs will help Nigeria reduce food imports, conserve foreign exchange, expand local production and processing of food and agricultural commodities, strengthen the Naira, and attract significant private investment into the development of agricultural value chains.

The AfDB has committed US$934mn to SAPZs across 11 African countries.

In Nigeria, the initiative has also received funding from the Islamic Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Green Climate Fund.

Cross Rivers state governor Bassey Otu said the establishment of clusters of smallholder farmers focused on staple and cash crops such as rice, cassava, millet, cocoa, and oil palm marked a vital step toward agro-industrialisation.

“These initiatives are aimed at strengthening food security, diversifying our state’s economy toward export-oriented agriculture, and boosting our GDP,” he said.

Husk will supply power to Olam Agri under a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA). (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Husk Power has announced a commercial and industrial (C&I) solar power project in Nigeria’s rice-producing region with foods group Olam Agri

Under the partnership, Husk will deploy a 1.3 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system, integrated with an 860 kWh battery energy storage system (BESS), at Olam Agri’s rice operations in Rukubi, Nasarawa State.

The shift to solar power represents a step in Olam Agri’s efforts to cut diesel consumption and will continue the transition of agriculture to more sustainable energy infrastructure.

“The partnership with Olam Agri aligns with Husk’s broader goal of installing hundreds of MWs of C&I solar capacity in Nigeria and other regions of sub-Saharan Africa over the next five years,” said Olu Aruike, Husk’s country director.

Besides being the market leader in Nigeria’s community solar mini-grid industry, Husk is committed to partnering with commercial & industrial (C&I) businesses to decarbonise key sectors of Nigeria’s economy, including agriculture.”

Husk will supply power to Olam Agri under a 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA).

The solar-battery hybrid system will enhance voltage stability, ensuring a reliable power supply while delivering fuel cost savings and substantially reducing carbon emissions.

This latest initiative builds on Olam Agri’s broader commitment to integrating sustainable energy across its operations in Nigeria and elsewhere.

In 2024, the Olam Agri rice farm introduced a solar farm to power its mill operations.

Beyond solar, the company is implementing additional energy-saving initiatives, including improving energy efficiency across its factories, adopting cleaner-burning fuels, and optimising production processes to minimise waste and emissions.

“Sustainability is at the heart of Olam Agri’s operations, and this partnership with Husk Power is a significant step towards reducing our carbon footprint while ensuring a stable and cost-effective energy supply,” said Anil Nair of Olam Agri in Nigeria.

“By transitioning to solar power, we are improving the efficiency of our rice production in Rukubi and contributing to Nigeria’s broader renewable energy goals. By implementing renewable energy solutions in Nigeria, Olam Agri is not just meeting its own needs but inspiring others to follow suit and help drive sustainability in the agricultural sector across Africa and beyond.”

The companies said in a statement that Nigeria’s government policies and regulations further support the partnership, encouraging private-sector investment in renewable energy and solar adoption in the industrial and agricultural sectors.

Nigeria’s C&I solar market is expanding, with over 550MW of new solar capacity set to be added between 2025 and 2029.

The programme has the potential to create more than 60,000 jobs in each of the pioneering states. (Image source: AfDB)

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the State government of Kaduna are kickstarting the construction of Phase 1 of the Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme

The groundbreaking ceremony began on 8 April in Kaduna, where the chief guest, AfDB Group president, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, will join Nigeria’s vice president, Kashim Shettima, and the State Governor of Kaduna, Uba Sani. From Kaduna, Dr Adesina will head to Cross River State, where, together with the Federal Government and the State Governor, Bassey Edet Otu, a second groundbreaking ceremony will take place.  

The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones programme will boost Nigeria’s food production and reduction importation, generate jobs for youth, safeguard the country’s foreign exchange, and transform rural areas from areas of misery into zones of prosperity. The initiative will increase agricultural productivity by over 60%, reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen value chains from farm to market. The cities of Kaduna and Cross River will host the Agro-Industrial Hubs, Agricultural Transformation Centers, and Aggregation Centers in the production zones, which are the foundational building blocks of the SAPZ programme. 

The programme has the potential to create more than 60,000 jobs in each of the pioneering states.  The sites were strategically selected for their agricultural potential, infrastructure readiness, and prime geographical location, ensuring they drive Nigeria’s agro-industrial growth.