GAIN and NCIC Award $16,000 to Nigerian Innovators to Enhance Food Safety and Nutrition
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC) have partnered to award $16,000 to four innovative minds in Nigeria, with the goal of promoting the consumption of safe and nutritious foods nationwide.
Michael Ojo, the country director at GAIN, heralded this collaboration as a significant milestone in transforming Nigeria’s food systems. The culmination of this endeavor was a Demo Day, where finalists vied for the prestigious title and a total prize pool of N12 million ($16,000). The four winners, carefully chosen for their groundbreaking solutions, will receive ongoing support from GAIN to implement their ideas in Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, and Oyo states, ultimately benefiting local communities.
Among the esteemed winners is Chukwudalu Ufondu of Kovworks, whose innovative creation, an automatic and mobile “Cassava Peeling and Washing Machine,” promises to revolutionize cassava processing, making it more efficient and sustainable.
This initiative, conducted under the Business Support workstream of the Strengthening Nutrition in Priority Staples (SNIPS) project, aimed to bolster the production, commercialization, and consumption of safe and nutritious foods in Nigeria.
Ojo emphasized the holistic approach taken to address challenges across the food supply chain, ensuring the safe and healthy journey of these foods from farm to fork. This initiative not only fosters innovation but also lays the foundation for a more sustainable and resilient food system, aligning with broader objectives of promoting food safety and nutrition.