United States African Development Foundation (USADF), in partnership with Herbalife Nutrition, has named five African social entrepreneurs as the 2021 Nutrition for Zero Hunger (NFZH) and Food and Nutrition Stars (FANS) grantees.

The grantees include Adepeju Jaiyeoba of Colourful Giggles Nutrition from Nigeria; Eric Muthomi of Stawi Foods and Fruits from Kenya; and Nobukhosi Ndlovu of Nutrie Foods from Zimbabwe.

Also listed are Innocentia Maine of MIS Poultry Farm from South Africa; and Priscilla Akoto-Bamfo of Shepherd’s Mills from Ghana.

Jaiyeoba’s Colourful Giggles Nutrition offers families affordable, nutritious cereals made from local products to combat malnutrition and stunting, while Muthomi’s Stawi Foods and Fruits benefits smallholder farmers, especially women, enabling them to increase their incomes and improve production and quality control.

Ndlovu’s Nutrie Foods, on the other hand, supports rural women farmers through contract farming and efficient farming and agribusiness training; just as Maine’s MIS Poultry Farm focuses on broiler production and nurturing and caring for chicks until they are fully grown.

Meanwhile, Akoto-Bamfo’s Shepherd’s Mills engages rural women in parboiled rice production and packaging.

With most of Africa’s population relying on agriculture for its livelihood, an increase in extreme weather conditions such as droughts, floods, and high temperatures have exacerbated malnourishment and starvation.

Additionally, the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the ability of many Africans to access sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs, leading to food insecurity for millions of people.

The awardees, Development Diaries understands, are expected to address the challenges of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition for local populations.

The USADF African FANS supports local entrepreneurs that are addressing Africa’s most significant challenges around food insecurity, energy poverty, and unemployment, particularly among women and youths.

Similarly, Herbalife Nutrition, through its NFZH initiative, provides resources and expertise to communities to tackle the global challenges of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition.

The NFZH-FANS programme therefore aims to support entrepreneurs who are already working hard to eliminate hunger and improve lives and livelihoods in their communities.

Source: Herbal Nutrition

Photo source: USAID in Africa