The West African Soy Industries Limited (WASIL), a member of the TGI Group, in partnership with the USAID-funded Global Shea Alliance (GSA), donated 100-ton warehouses to women cooperatives in five local governments in Kwara state.
The Head of Corporate Communication at TGI Group, Rafiat Gawat, speaking about the project, emphasized TGI Group’s commitment to inclusive agricultural development while expressing gratitude to all stakeholders for their support in making the initiative a reality.
“Women and youths are a core focus of our sustainability initiatives; therefore, we are always keen to support them, especially in agribusiness. The donations attest to this. The work the women do is invaluable, as the shea from their villages goes into products that traverse the world.” Gawat said.
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Alongside the warehouse, the company also donated cooking pots for cooking and drying the nuts before storage. The donations will further ease the aggregation and storage of shea nuts, fostering inclusion and ultimately leading to economic gains in each community.
Through partnerships and training programs, TGI Group aims to empower smallholder farmers, resulting in a more stable supply and higher quality of shea nuts, expanding income opportunities for women shea collectors, and providing a secure environment for bulk storage of shea nuts to minimize losses due to spoilage and pests.
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The Commissioner for Business Innovation and Technology, Kwara State, Damilola Adelodun, on her own, highlighted the alignment of such initiatives with the state government’s agricultural master plan, hence their willingness to lend their support.
Also speaking was Aaron Adu, Managing Director of the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), who applauded the collaboration and noted that the initiative will not only safeguard the quality of shea nuts but also empower women with greater control over their livelihoods.
