Olam
International, the leading global agribusiness with cocoa, cashew, rice
and wheat operations across Ghana, today announced that it is launching
four global initiatives to commemorate its 25 th anniversary.
Mr.
Amit Agrawal, Olam Ghana Country head, said the initiatives are
designed to address some of the challenges facing the next generation,
such as food, water and energy security, the impact of climate change,
sustainable and inclusive growth, and good governance, particularly in
the emerging markets.
“As
we celebrate Olam's 25th year and its journey from a singleproduct,
single-country company to a global agri-business, we reflect on our
vision of transcending boundaries – the meaning of Olam – and consider
how we will continue to evolve over the next 25 years”, said Mr.
Agrawal.
The
four initiatives being introduced by Olam International to mark its
25th anniversary are - the Olam Prize for Innovation in Food Security,
the Olam Scholarship Programme, the Olam Foundation and Building
Sustainable Futures Forum.
Entries
closed on 4 December 2014 and the winner will be announced in March
2015 at the 3rd Global Science Conference on Climate Smart Agriculture.
The winner of this prize will receive US$50,000.
The
Olam Scholarship Programme is aimed at fostering leadership and
governance in the emerging markets by supporting aspiring and capable
students to pursue higher education in esteemed international
institutions.
Through
the scholarships and the mentoring of awardees, Olam hopes to play its
part in creating a generation of change catalysts who will contribute
towards economic transformation, provide good governance, and help
develop these emerging economies.
This
programme will award up to 10 scholarships each year to postgraduate
students wishing to complete further study in development economics,
business management, and public policy and administration, and who are
passionate about working in emerging markets.
The
fourth initiative is inspired by Olam's increasing familiarity with the
key drivers that can improve rural livelihood after operating at the
farm-gate around the world for over 25 years. The Olam Foundation
provides a vehicle for Olam to support these developmental issues beyond
the day-to-day commercial framework of the company's business.
With
an initial fund of US$3 million the company will focus on applications
for projects in select developmental sectors in targeted countries. Olam
also intends to make annual contributions to the fund to scale the
scope of the Foundation's activities. Olam's final global initiative,
Building Sustainable Futures Forum, will be a platform where the rising
resource constraints threatening continued global development can be
debated and solved in a holistic way. The Forum, to be held in the
second half of 2015, will bring together leaders from different
industries across the private sector, NGOs, Governments and academics to
focus on key developmental issues, including food security, water
security, energy security, climate change, sustainable growth and
inclusive growth.
Olam
International explains that the objective for the forum is to break
down silos and find sustainable solutions to these interlinked yet
complex and intractable issues. Through starting the debate, the company
hopes to develop a practical, action-oriented approach, with
inter-disciplinary collaboration and a focus on private sector-led
programmes, in order to find solutions to these key global developmental
challenges.
0 comments:
Post a Comment