Ayosifam: A Woman-Led Agribusiness Changing Lives in Kwara State
Ayosifam Integrated Service Ltd is a company that is working to make food processing better in Nigeria. This company is led by a woman. It is working to change the way cassava, grains and sweet potatoes are processed.
They want to help farmers have lives and make sure people have access to healthy food that is free from gluten.
The company is based in Kwara State. It was started in 2020 by Funmilayo Esther Famuyiwa.
Famuyiwa told Legit.ng that the company's goal is to help reduce the amount of food that is wasted after it is harvested by working to help farmers and make sure people have access to food that is full of nutrients.
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Famuyiwa revealed that her inspiration came from her daily experiences while commuting through farming communities.
She said:
“I witnessed hardworking farmers being exploited by middlemen who bought their crops at unfairly low prices."
She added that these early observations shaped her long-term thinking about fairness and access within agricultural value chains.
“That experience stayed with me. It made me start asking how farmers could have better access, better pricing, and more control over what they produce.”
The journey
Ayosifam began operations in 2020 with limited capacity, working with just five farmers and modest daily production levels. Over time, the business has expanded its network to about 50 smallholder farmers, creating more structured market access and fairer trading relationships.
Famuyiwa noted that the company’s growth has been closely tied to its mission-driven approach.
She stated:
“When you build with farmers, you are not just running a business you are supporting livelihoods. We’ve seen families improve their living conditions because they now have more reliable income.”
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The company’s product portfolio includes staple foods such as garri, cassava flour, and fufu flour, alongside a growing range of gluten-free alternatives made from locally sourced crops, including rice, plantain, sorghum, and sweet potato. These products are designed to serve both everyday consumers and individuals with specific dietary needs.
A turning point in the company’s journey came from a deeply personal experience involving her father’s health.
Famuyiwa said:
“During that period, I had to learn how to process sweet potato and other local grains into gluten-free foods. It was not planned as a business decision it started as a necessity.”
She explained that the experience ultimately influenced the expansion of Ayosifam’s gluten-free product line.
She said"
“After his passing, I made a decision to develop more gluten-free products so that other families would not face the same challenges we faced."
Ayosifam also integrates sustainability into its operations through a circular approach that converts processing by-products into livestock feed, reducing waste while creating additional value within the system.
Famuyiwa noted that building the business required patience, resilience, and consistent relationship-building with farmers.
She said:
“At the beginning, many farmers were sceptical because of past experiences with middlemen.We had to earn their trust by being consistent, paying fairly, and keeping our promises.”
Today, the company continues to scale its operations while maintaining its focus on quality, affordability, and impact. Its growth reflects a broader effort to demonstrate how agribusiness can be both commercially viable and socially impactful in Nigeria’s evolving agricultural landscape.
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Ayosifam aims to expand its farmer network, increase production capacity, and deepen its presence in both local and export markets, while continuing to support farmers and deliver healthier food options to consumers.
Famuyiwa said:
“We are building something that goes beyond just processing food. It’s about creating value across the entire chain from the farmer to the end consumer.”
FarmerMoni scheme
Legit.ng earlier reports that the federal government has officially opened applications for the FarmerMoni Scheme, providing small-scale and vulnerable farmers across Nigeria with interest-free loans of up to N300,000.
The programme, under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP), is aimed at strengthening smallholder farmers, improving productivity, and promoting grassroots agricultural growth.
Source: Legit.ng
