Food
WYSD 2021: Upskilling Bakers For Efficiency, Productivity And Profitability
The productivity level of the active segment of a population is critical to raising the gross domestic rating of any nation. But productivity is a function of a wider skill development effort and the optimal utilization of available human and mineral resources.
Globally, the pandemic has thrown a curveball in the way of previous skill development efforts. As economies slumped, and as household support frameworks shattered with businesses pivoting to survive, more members of the global workforce were rendered redundant or outrightly irrelevant by the digital intrusion, mechanized industrial processes and the recourse to tighter public-private spending. The World Youth Skills Day (WYSD) 2021, which is being commemorated this Thursday, July 15, strategically emphasizes the role of skill development in adapting to the completely transformed socio-economic environment as a result of the viral outbreak.
Themed “Reimagining Youth Skills Post-Pandemic”, the WYSD set the tone for a skill renewal focus to build a youth ecosystem that can adapt quickly to the divergent transformation that is taking place in the fast-paced post-pandemic environments. This adaptive focus is as relevant to workplace employees as it is to artisans and entrepreneurs of different levels.
Nigeria, a country with a sprawling population that comprises over 70 million youth and a mounting unemployment challenge, will need to implement a bold skill development programme to up-skill the active population segment. This is imperative if the country is to overturn emerging socioeconomic issues concerning the youth unemployment position.
Crown Flour Mill Limited (CFM), manufacturers of Mama Gold flour, in consultation with bakers has stepped forward with a bold skillset development programme. The company has been able to identify skill and knowledge gaps amongst artisanal bakers that would have to be closed to enhance the performance of players in the baking industry.
The baking industry comprises a strong network of economic enablers due to the position of bakers in making the all-important staple food, bread, available to the growing Nigerian population.
Working with this artisanal group has an overriding impact on the post-pandemic economic recovery bid of the country. This is because bakers produce 10 million loaves daily while engaging the services of thousands of bakery workers, logistic staff, and a thriving base of hawkers across the nation to deliver the flour-based food to the last mile.
Therefore, every effort made to empower participants in the bread production value chain would have a ripple effect on other segments of the economy.
Meanwhile, many local bakers operate the non-mechanized production line. This presents a productivity disadvantage. It also puts the small scale, local bakers, in a tight position as the large competitors which operate mechanized production lines easily push small-scale bakers to the fringe of the market. If the larger competitors continue to succeed in gobbling these small-scale competitors which make up a larger percentage of the job-creating hubs in the industry, the current national unemployment situation could be escalated further.
The harsh global economy and current realities is challenging enough; having more businesses close down would erupt into a needless downward spiral. This is not a good position for any country, let alone a thickly populated and diversified nation as Nigeria.
CFM Baking School which started operations in Abuja in 2018 is intensifying efforts to assist both large and small scale bakery businesses to adapt and mechanize operations where they lag behind counterparts in the more advanced countries of the world.
In August 2020, the flour milling firm opened a branch of the baking school in Apapa, Lagos state, to cater to the Lagos and South-West bakers. The company has since launched other CFM baking schools in Ilorin, Calabar, Port Harcourt, Warri and Kano to cater for bakers within these regions.
The baking school does not only offer bakers the opportunity of acquiring technical baking skillsets, it also teaches bakers how to run their bakery business profitably.
How does the baking school operate at a curricular level? The baking school curriculum is divided into classroom modules and practical modules. The classroom module covers topics such as Understanding Wheat, the Milling Process, and Quality Processes in Wheat Milling, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), Food Safety, Hygiene Practice, Baking Ingredients and their Functions, Bakery Equipment, the Science of Bread Baking, Sales Management, Accounting Practice, Calculating Small Bakery Earnings and Bakery Process Tracking.
The practical module covers topics that include the Baking Process, Recipe Formulation, Faults, Solutions and Trouble Shooting as well as Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Participants are trained to work with flour brands within the premium, economy and value segments. They are also taught the processes to follow to achieve the best production output.
CFM’s training school also caters to a strong young people segment. It is equipping a young and aspiring new generation of bakers with the right knowledge, skill sets and world view to help scale up the industry. From 2020 to date, 1,500 bakers have been trained pan Nigeria at an estimated cost of N120 million.
The huge sum invested annually into developing bakers’ skillsets is yielding positive results. The quality of bread in circulation is improving. More young people are moving into the baking business at both large scale and small-scale operation levels. The constant supply of bread to the local stalls by bakers and the various cost-mitigating efforts of Nigerian bakers have also seen bread retain its position as the most affordable food staple consumed across local households. This is a cheering development in the country considering the current level of inflation and rising food prices in the country.
Speaking about the impact of the CFM baking school, Ashish Pande, the Managing Director of Crown Flour Mill Limited, said, “The robust investment into upskilling local bakers underscores our commitment to raising the performance level of the critical segments across our operating markets. This focus has a strong influence on household incomes and the productivity rating of the nation.”
“Our ultimate goal for making this huge investment is to bridge the observed skill gap in the industry and hence maximize bakers’ profitability. We believe this will make the industry grow and become more attractive to more youthful would-be-bakers. Therefore, CFM will continue to explore creative avenues to change the face of the baking industry, for an even brighter future”, he added.
Tasiu Jibril Hamzah from Kano State and a graduate of Computer Science, but with a strong passion for baking and food science in general, had this to say about the baking school. “I have learnt the impact that good baking/ bakery practices such as ingredients measurement, sanitation and staff management have on the profitability of a bakery.”
Kikelomo Keyede, another beneficiary of the CFM baking programme also emphasized the impact of the skills acquired at the baking school facility. She promised to put all that she learnt to work to stimulate a turnaround at her Excel Bakery.
Also sharing her experience, Ukwunna Blessed Williams, CEO of Blessed Kalu Star Company Limited and a beneficiary of the training said, “I have ventured into digital marketing, hydro geology, but baking has always been an art that fascinated me. The ability to make a recipe that will leave people wanting more and at the same time creating value in the marketplace is always something I look forward to.”
She added that the training has impacted her managerial skills, knowledge of recipes, customer service delivery and production output.
As CFM joins the world in celebrating WYSD 2021 it salutes the tenacity, resilience and creativity of the Nigerian youth especially throughout the pandemic. It also calls for the increased adoption of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) systems as part of Nigeria’s socio-economic recovery process post-COVID-19.
Rite Foods Limited, a leading Nigerian Fast Moving Consumer Goods company, is proud to join the global community in celebrating World Food Day 2023 with the theme “Water is Life, Water is Food,”. Rite Foods continues to highlight its unwavering dedication to sustainability with a special emphasis on Bigi Premium Drinking Water.
Celebrated annually on 16th October, World Food Day celebrates the date of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in 1945, and heightens public awareness of the problem of hunger, malnutrition, and availability of food.
Mr. Seleem Adegunwa, the Managing Director at Rite Foods Limited said “We are delighted to celebrate World Food Day by showcasing our commitment to quality and satisfaction through Bigi Premium Drinking Water. We understand the significance of clean water in nourishing people’s lives, and that’s why we take pride in delivering a product that meets the highest standards of quality.”
He further affirmed that the various certification they have received from health experts and regulators in the fast-moving consumer good (FMCG) sector, like the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and Halal Certification authority is a proof of their commitment to ensuring that their consumers get the best quality of water.
Corroborating Adegunwa’s assertion, the company’s Assistant Marketing Manager, Ms. Adebola Adeyinka stated that “Rite Foods Limited would continue to provide quality products like Bigi Premium Drinking Water while maintaining a focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility. We remain committed to contributing to a world where everyone has access to safe, nutritious food and clean drinking water.”
On Tuesday December 6, 2022, the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, Kaduna State – Malam Ibrahim Hassaini inaugurated Nestlé Nigeria Milk Collection Center at the Ladugga Grazing Reserve in Kachia LGA, Kaduna State. This milestone brings the milk collection and cooling capacity of Nestlé’s Dairy Development Program to 3000trs/day in Ladduga grazing reserve.
Nestlé, in partnership with CBI Innovations Limited, a social enterprise, is implementing a 5-year dairy development project that aggregates smallholder diary producers to improve the productivity of the local dairy industry in Nigeria, supported by International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC-2CALE).
In her address at the opening ceremony, Victoria Uwadoka, the Corporate
Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestlé Nigeria said, “We are proud of the progress we have made since the first engagement with the Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture which culminated in the start of operations here in Ladugga Grazing Reserve in 2021.”
“Nestlé Nigeria’s dairy project is built on 3 pillars: Better Feed and Fodder, Quality Milk Products and Resilient communities. We have made significant progress on these 3 pillars and the opening of this Milk Collection and Cooling Centre will help us consolidate on this progress which has yielded year on year increase in milk volumes month on month. We
can safely increase the 1,396L/day we are currently collecting in Ladduga, thanks to the increased collection and chilling capacity with the launch of this facility today.”
The achievement of milk volumes in Nestle’s dairy development project is made possible by the engagement and empowerment of 77 cooperatives and 31 aggregators in the Ladugga Grazing Reserve community. The project has also made significant investments in improving herd health, improving infrastructure including provision of water and the
establishment of cool chain infrastructure.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Kaduna State Commissioner for Agriculture, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary Alhaji Manisibi Mohammed Kabiru thanked Nestlé and CBI Innovations Limited “For initiating this laudable Milk Collection Centre in
Kaduna State to accelerate investment in the dairy sector of the state and to empower pastoralists and smallholder farmers in the dairy value chain. Also, the timely intervention of the project will go a long way to support the State’s potential to utilize livestock production merits, improve nomadic standard of living, foster the coexistence between the farmers and herders and help to mitigate recurrent crisis.”
Victoria reaffirmed Nestlé’s commitment to contribute to the development of the dairy
sector in Nigeria through investments in farmer capacity building, infrastructure
improvement and novel technology to create sustainable routes to market for the
pastoralists.
To reach more pastoralists, Nestlé has started the installation of solar powered “Milk Banks” within 300KM radius of the communities where the pastoralists move to in search of fodder and water. One is already installed at Crossing, near the Ladduga Grazing Reserve. The technology, equipped with a single-phase compressor to achieve low power consumption to store and chill the milk collected at source, is the first of its kind in Nigeria.
“We will continue to scale up our milk collection efforts significantly by increasing our footprint, leveraging our Milk Banks,” Victoria Said.
“We are pleased with the work that our implementation partner, CBI Innovations Limited is doing on the ground to deepen and accelerate an inclusive business model within the project. We will continue to work with the Kaduna State Government and all stakeholders towards achieving Nestlé’s purpose of unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for future generations.” she added.
Food
Nestlé partners with Africa Food Prize to strengthen food security and climate change resilience
Nestlé announced today that it is partnering with the Africa Food Prize to help accelerate the transformation of food systems in Africa, as a way of strengthening the continent’s food security and building greater climate change resilience.
The Africa Food Prize awards USD 100,000 to individuals and institutions that are pioneering agricultural and food systems transformation in Africa. The Prize puts a spotlight on uniquely impactful agri-food initiatives and technological innovations that can be replicated across the continent to increase food security, spur economic growth and development, and eliminate hunger and poverty in Africa. The Africa Food Prize is hosted by AGRA, an African-led and Africa-based institution that puts smallholder farmers at the center of the continent’s growing economy by transforming agriculture from a solitary struggle to survive into farming as a business that thrives. AGRA is headquartered in Kenya and works in 15 African countries.
This year, Dr. Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, a plant geneticist from Ghana, was awarded the prestigious prize during September’s AGRF Summit in Kigali, Rwanda. Dr. Danquah was celebrated for his outstanding expertise and leadership in establishing the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) and developing it into a world-class center for the education of plant breeders in Africa.
Nestlé will contribute CHF 100,000 to the Africa Food Prize, which will be awarded in 2023. Part of the contribution will go to the main award and part to a special category focusing on innovations that advance regenerative food systems.
Remy Ejel, Chief Executive Officer of Zone Asia, Oceania and Africa, Nestlé S.A. said, “Transforming agriculture to be more productive and sustainable is key to reducing hunger and improving livelihoods for the long term. We aim to support and amplify efforts that spearhead regenerative agriculture and food systems to enable better productivity, better nutrition and better incomes for people in Africa.”
Commenting on the partnership, Dr Agnes Kalibata, President of AGRA said, “We are happy to be partnering with Nestlé to recognize Africa’s best in food systems. The Africa Food Prize is a great opportunity to shine a bright spotlight on Africa’s outstanding minds, giving the rest of us a chance to learn and replicate their good work that is moving us closer to sustainable, inclusive and resilient food systems and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2 on Zero Hunger.”
Nestlé’s partnership with the Africa Food Prize builds on its years-long work in Africa to improve the continent’s nutrition and agriculture. The company has taken great strides to expand access to affordable nutrition in many communities, for example, by fortifying Maggi bouillon cubes with iron in Central and West Africa. It is also pioneering regenerative dairy farming with the establishment of the first net zero dairy farm in Skimmelkran, South Africa.
In early 2022, Nestlé launched an innovative income accelerator program, aimed at addressing child labor risks and closing the living income gap for cocoa-farming communities in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Recently, Nestlé announced an investment of CHF 1 billion by 2030 under the Nescafé Plan to transition to sustainable coffee farming, including in Côte d’Ivoire.
Entries in the Africa Food Prize are evaluated by a judging committee comprising some of Africa’s greatest food system leaders. Winners are selected based on proven results and scalable efforts.
Submissions for next year’s Africa Food Prize will be open from January 2023 and winners will be announced at the AGRF, Africa Food Systems Forum, in September.
Click here for more information on the Africa Food Prize.
For Media Enquiries, contact:
Nestlé: Maxine Lim, Communications Manager, Zone Asia, Oceania and Africa
Maxine.Lim@nestle.com
Africa Food Prize: Boaz Keizire, Head of the Africa Food Prize Secretariat
BKeizire@agra.org
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