Multinational company Bühler has opened a world-class grain processing centre in the northwestern state of Kano.The investment is aimed at helping the Nigerian government combat food insecurity in the country.
The centre is the second in the country to be established in Lagos. It has recently been dedicated to processing locally produced ancient grains and re-engineering grain processing.
Bühler’s Managing Director, Thomas Ogundiran, disclosed this at a press conference marking the opening of the centre at the premises of the Northern Nigeria Flour Mills in Kano. Ogundiran said the company has so far invested about $1 million in the establishment of the centre, which is expected to impact food production and processing not just in Nigeria but across the African continent.
He said his company, which has operations in Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire, decided to expand its presence in Nigeria as part of efforts to combat growing food insecurity in Africa.
“Buehler is working with Flour Mills of Nigeria and Olam Agri to launch this project in Kano state, which is considered the most active grain producing region in Nigeria and has been consuming grains for centuries.
“The Grain Application Centre that we are commissioning today will process locally grown ancient grains that Nigerians are familiar with and is designed to be a sustainable and innovative solution to food insecurity.
“According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), around 2.3 billion people out of the world’s 8 billion people currently live in food insecure environments.Nigeria has a particular advantage in local cereals such as sorghum and millet, which could play a key role in improving food security, especially in Africa.
“To address this challenge, Buehler, together with our founding partner Flour Mills of Nigeria and collaborating partners such as Olam Agri, are opening a dedicated Application and Training Centre with research and development capabilities in Kano, Nigeria,” he explained.
Speaking at the launch of the centre, CEO of Buhler ‘A Grain and Food’, Mr Johannes Wick, explained that the aim of the project is to take the industrial processing of these cereals to the next level, thereby contributing to affordable nutrition.
He further noted that sustainable food value chains using local cereals are a top priority for African development. Speaking on the occasion, CEO of Flour Mills of Nigeria, John Coumantaros, noted that the centre will impact the food value chain as well as provide business opportunities in the emerging category of processed foods.
“FMN has consistently been at the forefront of promoting food self-sufficiency in Nigeria and across the continent. The application centre is well positioned to sustainably develop local cereals, generate business opportunities and provide a viable alternative to some of the imported raw materials used in production.
“This partnership is therefore a further testimony of our consistency in developing local products and our commitment to nourish and enrich people’s daily lives. Local grains and crops offer many benefits and are therefore an important tool to improve food security.
“It is nutrient dense with valuable vitamins, minerals, proteins and fats, is climate tolerant and can withstand high temperatures and drought. It requires less fertilizers and pesticides than other crops,” he explained.
Ali Hamaed, Director of Bühler’s new Grain Processing Innovation Centre in Kano, gave an insight into the project, revealing that the centre is in the process of integrating local grains and crops into industrial solutions to address the complex issues associated with low yields and short life spans, as well as the lack of process knowledge and equipment.
“Bühler is now working with partners to take a significant step towards breaking this flashy agenda and is open to further collaborations. GPIC consists of three buildings with an area of 480 square metres, housing a pilot production facility, a research and development laboratory and classrooms. The production facility includes all processing steps from washing and sorting to peeling, tempering and grinding.
“The heart of the system is Bühler’s ALPesa high compression grinding system. GIPC will enable customers, researchers and partners to jointly reduce the costs of efficient food processing solutions for local grains such as sorghum, millet, maize and soybean, as well as other crops such as cassava and various types of beans, nuts and seeds to investigate,” he explained.
