The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation has invested an astounding N4 billion in community development projects, helping over 300,000 rural communities and small-holder farmers in some rural sections of Nigeria attain food security and spur economic growth.
For the last 20 years, the success of the BATN Foundation has been primarily attributed to the alliances and partnerships formed with more than 100 important parties, such as NGOs, governmental bodies, businesses, and other industry players.
Through these collaborations, the foundation has been able to increase its influence and reach by utilising networks, resources, and experience.
Through fostering economic growth and enhancing livelihoods, the foundation has positively impacted rural smallholder farmers’ lives as well as that of women and young people.
Among the most noteworthy accomplishments of the BATN Foundation is the empowering of nearly 300,000 smallholder farmers via input assistance and capacity-building initiatives, where farmers have acquired the skills and resources needed to expand their farms and enhance their standard of living.
To date, the Foundation has implemented over 300 community projects that cover a wide range of programme themes and value chains, showcasing its adaptability and dedication to meeting a variety of community needs.
The BATN Foundation has made great progress in providing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, which is a basic human need. Over 1.7 million people have been supported through various interventions and projects, demonstrating the impact of these initiatives in terms of the number of beneficiaries reached.
Innumerable communities have also benefited from the installation of 105 solar-powered borehole facilities, each with a 20,000-liter capacity. In addition to enhancing health and wellbeing, this project has lessened the prevalence of water-borne illnesses.
“As we celebrate two decades of transformative impact, our focus on agriculture, the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, has been explored by supporting smallholder farmers and equipping them with the tools and resources they need to succeed,” said Adebisi Lamikanra, chairman of the BATN Foundation, in response to questions about the development project’s effects.
Let’s keep tending to the seeds of change we’ve planted and let our unshakable dedication to strengthening rural Nigeria serve as a catalyst for future generations to look forward to.
Oludare Odusanya, general manager of BATN Foundation, also speaks and offers a brief reflection on the organization’s 20-year history and mission: “We have had the honour of working with rural communities in Nigeria over the past 20 years, where we have seen firsthand the transformative power of economic empowerment and knowledge acquisition. We’ve found this trip to be immensely rewarding, and we’re proud of the progress we’ve made.
We are unwavering in our resolve to realise our goal of becoming a major driving force behind sustainable agriculture in Nigeria as we move to the future. We are sure that via empowering smallholder farmers, ensuring food security, and fostering economic expansion, we will keep planting the seeds of change that will pay off in future generations.
To sum up, the twenty years of the BATN Foundation have been characterised by noteworthy accomplishments, noteworthy initiatives, and a dedication to enabling rural Nigeria. With an eye towards the future, the Foundation is committed to its goal and ready to keep improving the lives of millions of people.