The Problem
The Solution
Nigeria | Empowering Youth with
Shelf-Stable Tofu Enterprises in
Kwara State
In Ilorin West, Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria, the CALA delegate
team known as “Team Resilience” set out to address a pervasive yet overlooked
issue in local food systems-the perishability and poor market access of soybean
tofu.
Team Resilience, composed of leaders from research institutions, ministries of food
systems, and the private sector, developed an action learning project to produce
shelf-stable, packaged tofu with an extended shelf life of three to six months. Their
goal was to train and empower 30 youth-led soybean tofu enterprises, each
producing at least 50 kg of high-quality tofu monthly by November 2024. The
initiative aligned with Nigeria’s National Agricultural Technology and Innovation
Policy (NATIP), which prioritized value addition and nutrition in the soybean sector.
Tofu, a protein-rich staple produced primarily by women in rural Nigeria, often
spoiled within 24 hours due to unhygienic practices and lack of preservation
methods. This not only affected food safety but also limited income opportunities
for small-scale processors and contributed to post-harvest losses.