Esomchi Foundation and Esomchi Foods.
Below begins the most incredible adaptation story ever.
The CEO of Esomchi Foundation & Esomchi Foods Okoli MaryAnn Ogechukwu lost her father due to prostate cancer. Since his demise, instead of letting this destroy her, it became the seeds of something beautiful – Esomchi Foundation in 2017 and later Esomchi Foods in 2019 respectively.
Her and her Project Manager Ayoade Fadoju were on the lookout for food based remedies to prevent such disease and others. During one of their engagements with Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE/DFID), they learnt about biofortified crops; Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato, Provitamin A Cassava & Provitamin A Maize.
They learnt of their potentials in addressing malnutrition, hidden hunger and dietary diseases, which made them both think of how to harness this potential by innovatively exploring these crops.” By doing so, we knew we will be ensuring accessibility, availability, affordability and desirability to nutritious foods.”
Maryann with a background in Statistics doubling up as a Farmer and Ayoade with a background in Animal Science joined forces … To start the odyssey.
To create: The Esomchi Foundation & Esomchi Foods. They began with bootstrapping!
With a workforce of 9 women and 6 men. It’s a hats off moment to see the women being represented strongly. The 15 workers serve an existing daily customer size of 3,000 people and rising! Reaching, 20,000 households. Initially covering 6 states: Rivers, Abia, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom & Ebonyi. Also, advocating for Organic Farming Methods. Orange Fleshed Sweet Potatoes are ideal for densely populated and drought prone regions. Making it a Climate Smart Crop.
Through Esomchi Foods, they even value add to the Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) to produce OFSP (bread, juices, cake, shawarma, African Salad, meat pies, doughnuts, chinchin, burgers!… Yes burgers!, flour and more). As a result of their existing partnerships with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and International Potato Centre (CIP), they were connected to farmers in their project implementation states in Nigeria where they offtake OFSP. These states are underlisted below.
“These were quantities available per farmer as at the time of purchase as none could satisfy our capacity” Esomchi Foods is regarded as one of the most diversified organizations in the OFSP Value Addition in Nigeria. (According to the International Potato Centre (CIP) Nigeria).
Currently, Esomchi Foods is pioneering food to food Fortification by improving the nutrient density of diets whilst improving household nutrition on a large scale conveniently and affordably.
With these new food products
- Esomchi Casmaiz Fufu (Vitamin A Maize and Vitamin A Cassava)
- Esomchi Maizeplan Fufu (Plaintain and Vitamin Maize)
- Esomchi OFSP Pap (Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato, Vitamin A Maize and Nuts)
- Esomchi Plain Mix Grain Pap (Millet, Guinea Corn and Vitamin A Maize)
- Esomchi Manut Pap (Vitamin A Maize, Soybean and Nuts)
With most dreams, they have their challenges. Like;
- Lack of factory facilities.
- Financial Support to scale
- Partnership with donor agencies
The organization started something called: The Smart Mother Initiative in Anambra State – Whereby Mothers are able to learn about what biofortified crops really are. Through this, they become nutrition champions to reach millions. Thus, women are not relegated to the background but they are critical stakeholders.
UN SDG’s They Support
SDG 1 – No Poverty
SDG 2 – Zero Hunger
SDG 3 – Good Health and Well Being.
Their Goal?
To reach the consumers in Nigeria and Africa with healthy, hygienic and nutritious staple foods by making it available, affordable and accessible.
Here is a story of when disaster strikes, you can take it in stride and bravely tame the waves. Making the Storm conducive to your atmosphere. Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning, And Boy, did it come!
This is Adaptation.
This is Sustainability.
Forever Esomchi Foundation & Esomchi Foods.
Want to know more about Esomchi ? https://youtu.be/yKKAXI7M2BQ
www.twitter.com/EsomchiF
www.instagram.com/esomchi.foundation
www.facebook.com/esomchifoundation
+2348061521651 +2348064969530
Got an Adaptation Story you would like to share?
adaptationthinktank@iaasworld.org
Compiled by :
Affonfere Marius and Yarika Do Melo
IAAS Adaptation Think Tank.
Written by:
Brian K Kimani
IAAS Adaptation Think Tank.
