Nuru Nigeria Partners with Whole Foods Market Foundation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 30, 2025

Contact: Simon | info@nurunigeria.org

ABUJA, Nigeria – Nuru Nigeria is delighted to announce its partnership with Whole Foods Market Foundation, to advance sustainable rural development and conservation efforts in the Toungo Local Government Area (LGA) of southern Adamawa State, Nigeria. 

This collaboration aims to equip local communities facing the overlapping challenges of poverty, conflict, and climate change, by strengthening economic opportunities and promoting environmental stewardship. The initiative will support 2,000 smallholder farmers over the next three years in Toungo, a region bordering Nigeria’s largest national park, Gashaka-Gumti National Park, which has experienced deforestation and poaching. 

Nuru Nigeria, known for its women-first approach, focuses on equipping marginalized communities to adapt to climate change and improve incomes, while simultaneously protecting natural resources and promoting the inclusion of women and youth. This new project in Toungo builds on Nuru Nigeria’s successful model, which has demonstrated effectiveness in northern Adamawa State since 2019 by impacting over 37,476 people through 20 thriving agribusinesses with a 70% women’s membership rate.

Through this partnership with Whole Foods Market Foundation, Nuru Nigeria will facilitate access to high-quality agriculture inputs, specifically soybean and groundnut, for local farmers. Nuru-supported cooperative agribusinesses will manage these inputs, equipping farmers to productively utilize their land for both food and increased income. Beyond inputs, the program will deliver agricultural and business training, financial literacy programs, and support for regenerative agriculture practices. These resources are designed to help rural entrepreneurs increase their income and contribute to long-term community resilience. 

Amy Gaman, Managing Director of Nuru Nigeria, emphasized the importance of this partnership: “Our collaboration with Whole Foods Market Foundation enables us to significantly expand our reach in Toungo, cultivating hope through sustainable rural livelihoods in communities that desperately need it. We believe in a future where people and the planet can thrive together, and this partnership is a testament to that vision.”

Whole Foods Market Foundation is well-aligned with Nuru Nigeria, as it “is on a mission to nourish people and the planet by providing access to essential resources to improve nutrition and create opportunities for financial stability.” Established in 2005, Whole Foods Market Foundation has invested over $195M in communities around the world, as it focuses on expanding healthy food access, improving children’s nutrition, and alleviating global poverty.

“I first visited Nuru Nigeria’s programs in Yola, Adamawa in August 2024. During my time in Nigeria, many people were surprised by the fact that I had been to such a remote community like Yola. But this is exactly what the foundation exists to do—support programs that are serving communities at the last mile. What makes Nuru unique is its ability to build strong, farmer-led institutions like cooperatives that provide technical assistance and farming tools and inputs to generate income and economic opportunity for smallholder farmers, all while taking a market-oriented approach. This model, which has already seen success in Adamawa and Borno, is what drew Whole Foods Market Foundation to partner with Nuru Nigeria, and we look forward to seeing it scale to new communities.” -Yvan, Whole Foods Market Foundation Portfolio Director

The project also holds a strong conservation focus, recognizing that the Toungo area, near Gashaka-Gumti National Park, has experienced environmental pressures. By offering sustainable economic development opportunities, the initiative aims to reduce dependence on activities that harm natural resources, thereby contributing to the protection of this vital ecosystem. 

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About Nuru Nigeria: 

Nuru Nigeria is a local nonprofit organization that works to build a resilience corridor across northeastern Nigeria through a holistic nutrition-sensitive agribusiness approach, to end extreme poverty. Nuru Nigeria focuses on establishing self-sustainable farmer organizations, increasing access to financial services and literacy, and strengthening community-led development initiatives. Visit www.nurunigeria.org to learn more. 

About Whole Foods Market Foundation:

Whole Foods Market Foundation works to nourish people and the planet by providing access to essential resources to improve nutrition and create opportunities for financial stability. The registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, based in Austin, Texas, encompasses the pillars of Whole Cities, Whole Kids and Whole Planet. For more information on the Foundation’s work, visit wholefoodsmarketfoundation.org. For ongoing news and updates, follow Whole Foods Market Foundation on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.