Stakeholders’ have called for sustainable investment opportunities in human development and social intervention as part of alternative solutions to rural and community deterioration in Kano State.

Raging from ravaging poverty, hunger, insecurity, environmental distress amidst growing population in Kano, experts offered pathways to accelerate development across the 44 local government areas of the state.

Speaking at Kano State Rural and Sustainable Community Development Summit #RUSCODS-2026 tagged: Sustainable Development Without Borders: Partnership for Attaining Global Goals 2030, Kano Perspective, experts dissected challenges and possible way out.

Senior Strategic Adviser for UN System Engagement in Northwest Nigeria, Barr. Mariam Uwais advocated gender equality, budget mainstream and capacity building to address challenges of poverty and hunger in Kano rural communities.

Uwais was particularly worried over what she described as widening disconnect between government and rural communities, which she said were part of the root cause of society challenges.

She particularly urged special attention against Gender Based Violence and canvassed more attention on Girl Child Educate to cut the trend of poverty.

On out of School children, Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission, Aisha Garba advocated regional approach and mainstream of Western system with the Alumajir system of education. She urged more intervention on qualified teacher’s recruitment in public schools.

While moderating the sections, a social development expert, Dr. Soji Adeniyi emphasized the need for people to demystify the cultural beliefs on poverty and adopt the reality of life to break the bandage of poverty.

While declaring the summit open, the Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Umar Ibrahim Faruq highlighted government social interventions in several sectors include water supply, health care services, education, agriculture, and other areas of economic development.

Noting resource limitations of government, the SSG called for collaboration with development partners to build strong economic systems and growth in the rural communities of the state.

“Government have achievements significant strides and that meaningful development is possible when government policies are guided by the needs and aspirations of the people and when communities are empowered to become active partners in the development process.

“I want to emphasize that while significant progress has been made, the administration is fully aware that much more needs to be done,” the SSG said.

Earlier, the convener of the Summit and Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, AbdulKadir Abdulsalam said considering the multi-dimensional level of poverty, infrastructure decay and weak service delivery despite huge public resources in rural communities called for urgent attention.

Abdulsalam said the summit was organized to high challenges, proffer solution and sought areas of collaboration with development partners with a bid to chat new ways to economic prosperity in the rural communities of the state.