Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics Food Security Group

The RSM2SNF National Advisory Committee (NAC) will provide strategic guidance and advice on project activities towards achieving the project’s overall goal of supporting micro, small and medium scale enterprises to increase the availability of affordable, safe and nutritious foods in Nigeria. The NAC is intended to be large enough to be inclusive and representative of the interests of key stakeholders and project partners, but small enough to allow for efficiency and flexibility in terms of engagement and impact. Members of the NAC will meet with and advise the RSM2SNF management team on the research agenda for each year of the project and participate in various events when possible, including workshops, policy roundtables, and seminars organized by the project.

NAC Members

Dr. Lydia Umar

Executive Director, Gender Awareness Trust (GAT)

Dr. Umar is a Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Ahmadu Bello University, and was at Kaduna Polytechnic until 2015. In 2000, Dr. Lydia Umar co–founded Gender Awareness Trust (GAT), an NGO that works towards protecting and promoting gender justice and peace. She was appointed its Executive Director in 2015. She is the Board Chair of Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) and was recognized within and outside Nigeria as a development worker, gender activist, women’s rights defender and peace building practitioner. She has a Ph.D. in Curriculum Development (Social Studies).

Ms. Yewande Kazeem

CEO, Wandieville Media

Ms. Kazeem is an awarding-winning media advocacy and communications expert; winner of the 2018 Nigerian Agriculture Journalist Award and a 2018 Cornell Global Leadership Fellow. She has worked on projects advocating for agrifood MSMEs, creating market demand for agriculture companies, supporting the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) law, promoting biofortified foods, and building strategies to promote nutritious foods. She is also the founder of Nutrition Conversations Africa (NCAfrica), a partnership with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) that is aimed at illuminating African nutritional challenges, opportunities, ideas and solutions. Ms. Kazeem is a TEDx speaker with a B.S. from the University of Oklahoma.

Professor Olugbenga Ben Ogunmoyela
CEO, Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative (CAFSANI)

Dr. Ogunmoyela is a professor of Food Science & Technology at Bells University of Technology, Ota since 2006 & Dean of the College of Food Sciences (2006–2014), and Dean of the Postgraduate School (2014–2016). He has over 40 years experience in agriculture, food technology and nutrition, and is the founder and President/CEO of Consumer Advocacy for Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative (CAFSANI), an NGO with a focus on protecting, informing, promoting and educating the public on the importance of safe and nutritious foods. Dr. Ogunmoyela was the 2019 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology, and received his Ph.D. from the University of Reading, United Kingdom.

Prince John Oluyemi Karunwi

Chairman, Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), Oyo State

Mr. Karunwi is an agribusiness Consultant and Professional Farmer; Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants–Nigeria; Fellow of the Association For Entrepreneurial and Vocational Studies Professionals; and current chairman of the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), Oyo State chapter. He has trained many people in agribusiness operations and management, including financial management, operations’ documentation, marketing techniques and farm transaction record keeping, particularly in the fish, vegetable and poultry value chains. He studied agricultural economics at Obafemi Awolowo University and computer science at Midlands Academy of Science and Technology, Leicester, U.K.

Dr. Oluyemisi Kuku Shittu

Researcher, Consultant and Associate lecturer department of nutrition and dietetics, University of Ibadan

Dr. Shittu is a researcher, teacher and businesswoman who tries to bridge the gap between research and practice by applying research findings to solve real life problems particularly in the areas of agriculture and nutrition among low income groups. She serves pro-bono as associate lecturer with the department of nutrition and dietetics, University of Ibadan. There she offers trainings on research, technical and life skills to students to make them better suited for the job market. Dr. Shittu also runs an agricultural logistics firm that aims to ensure that farmers and other actors along the agricultural value chain get quality inputs while also facilitating their regular and timely access to markets where they can sell their output.