An additional 15,000 Nigerian women are to be engaged by Nestle, through its Maggi brand, for its home garden initiative in 2015.
The scheme, which seeks to encourage vegetable consumption, is part of the yearly Maggi Women’s Forum held in different parts of Nigeria in partnership with women’s groups.
Participants are taught the importance of nutrition, health and wellness, shown how to raise a home garden, and given a vegetable garden starter pack containing iron-rich fluted pumpkin vegetable grown in the South, and a leaflet.
Women in 18 states have received vegetable seeds over the past five years.
Nestle Category Business Manager Culinary, Nordine Meguini, said “Maggi helps families to prepare balanced menus, based on nutritious ingredients.
“The home garden initiative is a simple and sustainable way to promote home cooking with vegetables. The seeds offered are easily grown and do not require specific skills.”
Imabong Martins, Regional Consumer Services Manager, confirmed that response to the home garden initiative has been “very positive and encouraging” and women have called in to report on the progress of their home gardens.
“Some women have even taken this a step further and are now selling the vegetables they grow on a commercial basis,” he added.
Women are being encouraged to cultivate this year and send pictures of full grown-harvest ready plants.
The first five to send in their pictures from each association will be visited and presented with a Maggi gift.
The scheme is part of Nestle’s global commitment to encourage consumption of vegetables as evidence suggests that many people do not reach the recommended level of consumption.
