By Chris Onuoha 

A global food processing company, Nestlé, in collaboration with AGRA and TechnoServe has taken a bold step towards building a climate-resilient agricultural sector.

This initiative called, ‘Strengthening Farmers’ and SMEs’ Resilience through Climate Smart Grain Production and Accessing the Structured Markets (StreFaS) held in Zaria, Kaduna State recently is a sustainable farming and market access at the heart of new partnership to transform the agricultural sector in Nigeria. 

The launch event brought together high-level representatives from the government, development partners, private-sector stakeholders, and members of the media. The event featured keynote speeches from implementing partners, a case study from a climate-smart farmer, and a powerful project overview underscoring the initiative’s role in transforming Nigeria’s grain value chains.

Adesuwa Akinboro, Country Director of TechnoServe Nigeria, in her welcome address described the STREFAS initiative as a transformative step for Nigeria’s agricultural sector. 

She said: “This project represents a bold commitment to supporting smallholder farmers and agribusinesses with the tools, knowledge, and market access they need to thrive in the face of climate change. 

“STREFAS is not just about boosting yields—it’s about regenerating our soils, restoring dignity to farming, and creating a more inclusive and sustainable future for communities across Kaduna and Nasarawa States,” she said.

Speaking on Nestlé’s commitment, Mr. Wassim Elhusseini, Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Nigeria, commented: “At Nestlé, we believe that good food starts with high-quality ingredients and the well-being of the people who produce them. Our partnership in this initiative underscores our commitment to sustainable sourcing and decarbonizing our value chain. Globally, we aim to source at least 50% of our key ingredients from farmers practicing regenerative agriculture by 2030. With an investment of over $1,000,000 in this project over the next three years, we aim to contribute towards establishing regenerative agriculture as the standard in the food industry, addressing both environmental and social priorities holistically.”

In the same vein, Dr. Rufus Idris, AGRA’s Country Director for Nigeria said: “We are proud to co-lead this initiative that puts farmers first — not just by introducing new practices, but by rebuilding the very ecosystems that sustain farming — core to AGRA’s approach to sustainable and resilient food systems transformation.”

Also speaking, the Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture, Kaduna State, Honourable Murtala Muhammad Dabo stated; “This launch marks a significant milestone in our journey towards a more sustainable agricultural future. I commend TechnoServe and its partners for their dedication to promoting climate-smart agriculture practices in Kaduna State. Let us continue to work together to empower farmers, improve food security, and build a climate-resilient agricultural sector. I wish you all the best in this endeavor.”

On the sidelines of the launch, Nestlé’s MAGGI celebrated the Soya Bean farmers who were part of the regenerative agriculture pilot project. Engineer Lawan Abdul, one of the farmers shared a compelling testimonial, stating that after he adopted the strategies taught in the project, his yields have increased by 100%. According to him, it is very encouraging for me.

StreFaS is a three-year initiative, funded by AGRA and Nestlé, that will run from June 2024 to October 2027. The program aims to support 25,000 smallholder farmers and eight aggregators across Kaduna and Nasarawa States, promoting sustainable production of maize, soybean, rice, and sorghum. It focuses on integrating regenerative agriculture into every step of the value chain, with particular emphasis on empowering youth and women.

StreFaS will help improve soil health, lower greenhouse gas emissions, increase biodiversity, and strengthen economic resilience. Furthermore, the program connects smallholder farmers to formal markets, including Nestlé’s supply chain, enabling them to receive premium prices for climate-smart produce.

The StreFaS initiative is aligned with AGRA’s 3.0 Country Strategy, Nestlé’s 2030 Climate resilience sourcing goals, and TechnoServe’s proven expertise in building market-driven solutions for rural prosperity.

By connecting smallholder farmers to better tools, markets, and capital, StreFaS  will scale regeneration in ways that are profitable and empowering. As implementation continues, the program will deepen collaboration with government, private sector, and civil society partners to sustain scalable change across Nigeria’s grain value chain.

However, it is worth to note that since inception of the programme, StreFaS has engaged 12,373 farmers, with 40 percent youth participation, established 270 demonstration farms showcasing regenerative practices, aggregated 74,223.53 metric tons of produce from SHFs and supported smallholders in dedicating 1,853 hectares to regenerative agriculture practices.

With structured training, SME engagement, and market linkage strategies in place, the project is poised to scale to 25,000 farmers, while contributing meaningfully to Nigeria’s climate resilience agenda and food systems transformation.