Agriculture
KSADP/SAA trains,empowers 100 Agro-Input dealers in Kano
KSADP/SAA trains,empowers 100 Agro-Input dealers in Kano
The Kano State Agro-pastoral Development Project (KSADP) in collaboration with Sasakawa Africa Association, has empowered 100 women, youths and people with special needs trained as agro-input dealers in the state.
Each was provided with branded metal kiosks and packs as part of measures to check the distribution of fake and adulterated farm inputs to farmers.
The project coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, said on Tuesday in Kano that the gesture was designed to empower women, youths and people with special needs.
Muhammad said that Sasakawa and KSADP had partnered to implement crop enhancement component of the project funded by Islamic Development Bank and Lives and livelihoods Funds.
He further said that the project was committed to poverty reduction and strengthening food and nutrition security in the state.
The project coordinator said there was need to educate and empower those involved in agro business to tackle the issue of unsafe usage of agro chemicals that usually result in health issues to Nigerians.
Mr Abdulrasheed Kofar-Mata, Project Coordinator of KSADP at Sasakawa Africa Association, said that the initiative was to ensure that farmers do not face the challenges of procuring fake, unwholesome agricultural inputs that negatively affect harvests.
Kofar-Mata said KSADP was helping farmers and small scale agro-input dealers to build a more prosperous future.
He urged the beneficiaries to make best use of the inputs given to them and share the knowledge acquired during the training with others.
Kofar-Mata said that the beneficiaries were provided with branded kiosks, pesticides, and airtight storage bags.
Also speaking, Managing Director, Kano State Agriculture and Rural Development Authority, Dr Farouq Kurawa, advised the beneficiaries to judiciously manage and maintain the facilities provided to them.
Kurawa said training and retraining of agro-dealers should be intensified to stop the spread of adulterated agricultural inputs to farmers.
Aisha Muhammad, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, said that the training had helped them in changing the ways and manner they deal with agrochemicals, and in handling the business.
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Farmers participating in the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) groundnut initiative in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State have recorded up to 100 per cent increase in yield, following the adoption of improved seeds and modern farming techniques introduced through the programme.
Our correspondent who attended a field day organised by SAPZ in Bebeji on Thursday reports that the initiative has significantly boosted farmers’ productivity and income levels.
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with NAN expressed satisfaction with the support received under the SAPZ programme, describing it as “transformative” and a “turning point” for groundnut cultivation in the area.
One of the farmers, Malam Umaru Garba, said he harvested twice the amount of groundnuts compared to the previous farming season.
“Before SAPZ came, I used to get only about 10 bags from my one hectare farm. This year, I got 20 bags. The improved seeds and training on modern planting methods made a big difference,” Garba said.
Another farmer, Hajiya Maryam Dankaka, said the programme had not only improved her yield but also enhanced her financial stability.
“For the first time, I was able to sell enough groundnuts to pay school fees for my children and still have money to reinvest. The programme taught us better planting spacing, pest control, and post-harvest handling,” she said.
Similarly, a young farmer, Aliyu Musa, commended the facilitators and agricultural experts working with SAPZ for their continuous field visits and technical guidance.
“They visit us regularly to monitor progress and advise us. This has really helped us to avoid mistakes and improve our output,” Musa said.
Also speaking, Malam Sani Usman, another beneficiary, appealed to the SAPZ management to provide farmers with groundnut harvesting machines and ensure timely distribution of improved seeds ahead of the next farming season.
“If we can get access to modern harvesters, our work will be faster and cleaner, and we can produce more. We are very grateful for what SAPZ has done so far,” he said.
The SAPZ programme, supported by development partners and the Kano State Government, aims to promote agro-industrial growth by enhancing value chains, improving farmers’ productivity, and supporting the establishment of processing hubs across the state.
Experts at the field day noted that the groundnut initiative in Bebeji has demonstrated the potential of integrated agricultural interventions to transform rural livelihoods and contribute to food security in Nigeria.
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Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), under the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP), has inaugurated the Kadawa Agricultural Mechanisation Centre in Garun Mallam Local Government Area of Kano State.
The centre is one of three mechanisation hubs established to transform smallholder farming in the state.
This paper reports that the intervention is funded by the Kano State Government, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the Lives and Livelihoods Fund (LLF). Similar hubs are expected to be established in Danbatta and Gaya LGAs.
The initiative is part of a six-month extension of the five-year KSADP, which began in 2021 and now runs until December 2025. While the state government provided land for the hubs, SAA is responsible for construction and equipment installation under the project’s crop component.
Speaking at the inauguration, SAA Country Director, Dr Godwin Atser, represented by Project Coordinator, Abdulrasheed Hamisu Kofarmata, said the intervention would lift thousands of smallholder farmers out of low-productivity cycles.
Kofarmata said improved access to mechanisation would enable farmers to compete in larger markets, create jobs and strengthen food security.
He added that the hubs would also provide opportunities for youths and women in machine operation, maintenance and agro-processing.
According to him, the project is anchored on a Private Service Provider (PSP) model that integrates cooperatives and private operators to ensure sustainability.
Also speaking, Vice President (Operations) of IsDB, Dr Rami Ahmad, described the hub as a milestone that would significantly boost farmers’ productivity.
“This project is aimed at touching the lives of three million people. It is something for all of us to be proud of, as it benefits Kano State and farmers across the surrounding areas,” Ahmad said.
In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Danjuma Mahmoud, said the full impact of the project would be felt in the years to come.
“From crop production, irrigation, value addition, processing, and livestock productivity enhancement to climate-resilient initiatives, the benefits of this project will crystallise over time,” he said.
A beneficiary, Mr Sagir Abubakar from Ciromawa community, said farmers under the project had collectively generated and saved N21 million.
“Out of this, N20 million has been deposited in the bank, while N1.3 million was shared among members to enable them to buy seedlings,” he said.
NAN reports that each of the hubs will provide clusters of farmers with access to modern machinery and technical services for land preparation, planting, harvesting, processing and storage.
The facilities are equipped with tractors, power tillers, planters, harvesters and threshers, operated by trained technicians.
Highlights of the event included the formal commissioning of the Kadawa hub by Ahmad, a tour of the facility and a tree-planting exercise.
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