GAIN to empower 50,000 smallholder farmers in Kano, Kaduna

No fewer than 50,000 smallholder farmers from Kano and Kaduna states are to benefit from a productivity enhancement initiative being powered by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) to boost food production and reduce economic losses in the country.

The farmers, carefully selected under the DEcent LIVelihoods initiative of the DELIVER Nigeria project, will be exposed to technical assistance and reduced post-harvest losses.

Addressing farmers at the unveiling of the project in Kano on Thursday, GAIN Country Director, Dr. Michel Ojo, explained that the initiative was aimed at enhancing the capacity of small-scale farmers through Economic Resilient food systems.

Dr. Ojo stressed that the DEcent LIVelihoods project, being implemented by GAIN in collaboration with the East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation (EWS-KT) and Wageningen University and Research (WUR), will address farmers’ predicaments, including low yields, limited market access, high post-harvest losses, and inadequate access to finance.

The GAIN boss said that the initiative, which is under the DELIVER Nigeria three-year campaign, is being funded by the Dutch government through the Accelerating Resilient Food Systems in Africa (ARFSA) and focuses on vegetables and the nutritional values of the population.

“We understand that Nigerian food systems are complex and dynamic, influenced by a myriad of actors and factors, including climate change, economic pressures, pandemics, and population growth, to mention just a few.

“The constraints posed by low productivity, limited infrastructure, and insufficient access to financial resources are exacerbated by the fact that post-harvest losses in the vegetable sector can approach 40%, severely reducing farmers’ earning potential.

“Through the DELIVER Nigeria Project, we aim to not only reduce these losses but also strengthen farmers’ capacity to cope with climate risks, improve their financial management skills, and link them to profitable markets.

“We recognize that the success of this project will hinge on meaningful partnerships with public and private sector stakeholders, and we are committed to working hand-in-hand with all of you to create a sustainable impact that will outlast this project’s lifespan,” Dr. Ojo pledged.

Director of Development Support, Ministry of Planning and Budgeting, Kano State, Alh. Sadeeq S. Sadeeq, who noted the government’s commitment to policies on food security and poverty reduction, believed the DEcent LIVelihoods initiative would further complement efforts to address food insecurity in the state.

Sadeeq said the government is willing to sustain partnerships with the private sector to build the production and productivity of farmers in Kano.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Danjuma Mahmoud, represented by Director of Agricultural Business, Alh. Ibrahim Magashi, expressed the government’s readiness to support the project to boost food production in the state.