[FCT, July 2024] – The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), through its Nutrition Impact at Scale project, is set to host the Enterprise Support Organisation (ESOs) for Nutrition in Africa Convening in Nigeria. This landmark event will bring together critical stakeholders from across the nutritious food supply chain in Sub-Saharan Africa. The One-day convening happening on the 29th of August 2024 aims to empower Enterprise Support Organisations (ESOs) to integrate effective nutrition strategies into their support for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in low- and middle-income countries MSMEs dominate agricultural value chains from farm to fork. MSMEs play a critical role in pricing (affordability), markets (accessibility), and quantity (availability) of foods on the market. However, despite the crucial role that MSMEs play in ensuring affordability, availability, and access to safe and nutritious foods, they face several challenges that limit their ability to grow and increase the production of nutritious foods. To enhance their effectiveness, these MSMEs need support from business support organisations such as the ESOs.
With a focus on “Catalysing Nutritional Innovation: Empowering ESOs to Transform Food Systems,” the One-day event will feature presentations, stakeholder engagements, and panel sessions. “This gathering will serve as a catalyst for advancing nutrition-focused entrepreneurship in Nigeria,” said Mercy Olorunfemi, Project Manager – Nutrition Impact at Scale at GAIN. “By fostering collaborations across sectors and engaging with relevant actors, we aim to create an enabling environment that supports the growth and impact of MSMEs focused on nutritious foods. We are excited to bring together diverse stakeholders to drive innovation and transform food systems in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Key objectives of the convening include equipping ESOs with advanced tools and skills for driving innovation in nutritious food product development and business practices, fostering partnerships across public, private, academic and finance sectors, and advocating for supportive regulatory frameworks that encourage investments in nutrition-focused enterprises. The event will also highlight the benefits and potential returns of investing in nutrition-focused MSMEs, promoting innovative financing solutions.
Participants can expect in-depth discussions, networking opportunities, and actionable insights aimed at transforming food systems to better meet nutritional needs in Nigeria. For more information and to register for the Enterprise Support Organisation (ESOs) for Nutrition Convening in Nigeria, please visit https://bit.ly/ESOConveneNG
For further information, please contact: Mercy Olorunfemi, at molorunfemi@gainhealth.org.
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Mercy Olorunfemi
Project Manager, Nutrition Impact at Scale
About Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the UN in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with partners around the world, GAIN aims to make healthier food choices more affordable, accessible, and desirable. For more information, visit www.gainhealth.org
About Nutrition Impact at Scale
The Nutrition Impact at Scale (NIS) project aims to increase the production of more nutritious and safe foods that are available and accessible, particularly for low-income consumers in Sub-Saharan Africa, by leveraging the capacities of Enterprise Support Organisations (ESOs) that work with micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). By collaborating with organisations that have the capacity to integrate a ‘nutrition lens’ into their work, NIS aims to achieve a large-scale and accelerated nutrition impact for the most vulnerable. The project is implemented in six African countries: Nigeria, Benin, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
