Olam Agri, SCAAD Launch Livelihood Program in Nigeria

Olam Agri and the Sustainable Collective Advocacy for Africa Development (SCAAD) have launched a livelihood initiative in Kwara State to support women and youth farmers during off-farm seasons. The program aims to help beneficiaries manage economic challenges and develop additional sources of income.

The Community Resilience Opportunities for Women and Youth Project (CROWY SOY) will provide participants with practical skills, entrepreneurship training and other forms of support. The initiative is designed to help women and young people strengthen their earning capacity and build more sustainable livelihoods.

CROWY SOY builds on the first phase of the program, which supported 100 vulnerable women and youth in Nasarawa and Benue states between December 2025 and March 2026. The earlier phase focused on providing participants with skills that could help them generate income beyond farming activities.

Key Highlights:

• Olam Agri and SCAAD launched CROWY SOY to support women and youth farmers in Kwara State
• The project provides practical skills, entrepreneurship training and financial education to help beneficiaries increase their incomes
• CROWY SOY builds on an earlier phase that supported 100 vulnerable women and youth in Nasarawa and Benue states

During the first phase, beneficiaries received training in six market-relevant trades, including soap making, hairdressing, shoemaking, carpentry, tailoring and welding. The new initiative in Kwara State will continue these efforts by helping women and youth develop skills and opportunities that can strengthen their economic resilience.

They also got trade specific starter kits and training in business management and financial education and were taught how to save money so they can make money from their trade.

“The success and impact of this project shows that through targeted support and partnership, women and youth are able to develop foundational skills that enable them to earn a living, gain economic independence and improve their livelihoods,” Nair said.

The achievement and impact of this project demonstrates that with targeted support and partnership, women and youth can acquire basic skills to access employment and livelihood opportunities have economic independence and enhance their livelihoods.

He added that the partners were rolling the program over to Kwara State to offer practical support to further women and youths who will benefit from the program to gain new skills, enhance income and boost livelihoods.

SCAAD Initiative Executive Director, Frances Okeke noted that numerous women and youth were creative and resilient but not supported to flourish.

“Nigeria’s overlapping crises have made survival even harder, especially in farming communities where off-season periods often deepen economic vulnerability,” Okeke said.

“When women and young people are given the tools to succeed, entire communities become more resilient and rise with them,” she said.

“Olam Agri is filling this void by providing grassroots women and youth with the skills, opportunities and hope they deserve with the CROWY SOY Project.”

When women and youth can access the tools to thrive, whole communities thrive also. The project will also build capacity in strategic leadership and entrepreneurship and active economic engagement.