Firm reaches over 52,000 farmers, 29 million households through agric, nutrition programmes

Wandeville, a social marketing and development communications company, has marked its 10th anniversary, stating that its interventions have reached more than 29.4 million households, supported 52,176 small businesses and 45,238 farmers, and helped create 187,090 jobs for women and young people across 22 states.

Chief Executive Officer of Wandeville, Yewande Kazeem, disclosed this at the anniversary celebration, which had the theme: Connecting Agriculture, Nutrition and Communities.

Kazeem said the organisation, which began as a communications company focused on telling agricultural stories, had evolved into a development partner working across agriculture, nutrition, market development and community engagement.

She explained that its journey was inspired by the impact of agriculture on women, households and communities in Kano and Calabar, where she witnessed how agricultural activities created jobs, supported children’s education and influenced policies.

However, Kazeem noted that the contributions of farmers and other actors in the food system were not receiving sufficient attention.

“Nobody was talking about the farmer as the hero of our food story, or connecting what grows in our soil to what ends up on our plates,” she said.

According to her, the organisation initially focused on documenting the experiences of farmers, food processors, traders and households but later realised that storytelling alone was insufficient to deliver lasting change.

She said this understanding prompted Wandeville to expand its operations from traditional communications to social marketing, demand generation, behaviour change, market development and project implementation.

Kazeem explained that the organisation’s approach recognises the interconnectedness of agriculture, nutrition, markets, businesses, consumers and communities.

She said Wandeville had consequently designed interventions to encourage the consumption of nutritious foods, strengthen small businesses, improve access to markets and promote the adoption of improved agricultural technologies.

The CEO listed some of the organisation’s initiatives to include Abinci Fes-Fes, which promotes food safety in traditional markets; Eggs Make Kids, which connects nutrition messaging with vendors, mothers and children; and Eat Korrect, which encourages households to make healthier food choices.

She also highlighted NutriKids Lab, an initiative that promotes nutrition education in schools by encouraging children to appreciate African fruits and vegetables.

According to her, the programme received international recognition this year through the HundrED Spotlight on Planetary Health Education.

Kazeem said the recognition demonstrated the potential of locally developed interventions to contribute to global efforts to improve nutrition and environmental health.

She added that Wandeville had supported entrepreneurs, particularly women and young people, through the promotion of biofortified foods such as Vitamin A maize and Vitamin A cassava.

In the seed industry, she said the organisation had advocated for the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) law, raised awareness of emerging seed technologies, including SeedTracker and SeedCodex, and partnered with seed companies to stimulate demand for quality seeds.

She noted that the organisation had also extended its work beyond crop production into livestock development.

Reflecting on the company’s achievements, Kazeem attributed its progress to partnerships with governments, development organisations, farmers, processors, market vendors and communities.

She expressed appreciation to stakeholders who supported the organisation throughout its first decade, adding that the achievements represented the collective efforts of the people and institutions involved in its programmes.

Looking ahead, she said Wandeville would deepen its efforts to improve access to nutritious foods, expand its work in seed marketing and demand creation, strengthen livestock interventions and explore the connections between nutrition and health.

The organisation also plans to expand its operations beyond Nigeria and create more livelihood opportunities for women and young people.

“We will go wider, carrying what we have learned in Nigeria across the continent. We will build livelihoods, especially for women and young people, because a food system that feeds us must also employ us,” she said.

Kazeem added that Wandeville would continue documenting the experiences of farmers, processors, markets and children to highlight the transformation taking place across Africa’s food systems.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), Hon. Fatuhu Mohammed, emphasised the need to strengthen Nigeria’s seed value chain to improve farmers’ access to quality seeds at affordable prices.

Mohammed said the council was working with research institutions, seed companies, farmers, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen the seed system, from breeder and early-generation seed production to certification, quality assurance and distribution.

He stressed that improving access to quality seeds must be accompanied by deliberate efforts to stimulate demand for improved varieties.

According to him, demonstrations, seed fairs and farmer engagement are essential to helping farmers understand and appreciate the benefits of improved seeds.

He also called for stronger linkages between seed companies, farmers, processors and markets, supported by technology and improved agricultural extension services.

“The development of the Nigerian seed sector is a shared responsibility,” he said, noting that government, private sector operators, research institutions, development partners and farmers all had important roles to play.

The NASC Director-General said the council was strengthening the regulatory framework through reforms, including the Third Party Seed Certification Regulation of 2025, the National Crop Varieties Registration and Release Regulations of 2025, and the National Early Generation Seed Production and Regularisation Regulation, NASC 2025.

He explained that the reforms were designed to expand seed certification capacity, strengthen variety registration and release processes, and encourage greater private sector participation in the seed industry.

Mohammed also cited the Seed for Relief — Hope Seed intervention in Jigawa, Katsina, Zamfara and Borno states as an example of the strategic importance of quality seeds in supporting vulnerable farming communities.

Speaking on the broader challenge of malnutrition in Nigeria, the Content Director of Nutrition International, Dr. Osita Okonkwo, called for coordinated interventions addressing both the immediate nutritional needs of vulnerable populations and the underlying causes of food insecurity.

Okonkwo said approximately five million children in Nigeria were affected by malnutrition, describing the situation as a national emergency requiring sustained government action.

He attributed the challenge partly to insecurity, which has prevented farmers from accessing their farms and disrupted agricultural production and household food supplies.

He said efforts to address malnutrition should include restoring access to farmland, helping displaced families return to their communities where feasible, providing adequate food assistance and ensuring that children suffering from severe acute malnutrition receive appropriate treatment.

He also highlighted the importance of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for treating severe acute malnutrition, alongside adequate nutrition to support children’s recovery.

Okonkwo warned against relief interventions that provide food without considering the nutritional needs of beneficiaries.

He explained that meals supplied to vulnerable families should contain essential micronutrients needed for healthy growth and development, rather than relying on staples such as rice without adequate dietary diversity.

He also called for improved access to micronutrient supplements for young children and pregnant women, as well as sustained public education on healthy diets.

On the government’s response, Okonkwo acknowledged that efforts had increased through policy development and funding initiatives but urged authorities to sustain and strengthen the momentum.

He cited the development of a national nutrition bill, a reported $26 million investment in the Child Nutrition Fund and the government’s N774 initiative as examples of ongoing interventions.

He, however, stressed that these efforts must translate into measurable improvements in nutrition outcomes, particularly among children and families affected by insecurity, displacement and economic hardship.