By Ali Rabiu Ali, Dutse
In the heart of Jigawa State, one of the hubs of farming in northern Nigeria, a quiet revolution is underway. Smallholder farmers, once struggling to make ends meet, are now harvesting abundance and transforming their lives. Farmers are smiling at the bank and making a credible sale of their hard work in the farming system, one of their greatest sources of pride.
The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), an organisation that has been working tirelessly to empower farmers with modern farming techniques and support, is behind these tremendous interventions and initiatives that have transformed not only farming but also the living standards of smallholder farmers across various communities in the state.
Read Also: Jigawa Female Farmers Record Bumper Harvests, Seek Milling Machines From SAA
Agro Climate News reports that Jigawa State is blessed with a large expanse of agricultural land, rivers and flood plains, suitable for crops, livestock and fish production. Based on this over 80% of the State’s total land mass is considered arable, which makes it one of the most agriculturally endowed States in Nigeria.
The major cultivations in Jigawa State are the rainy and dry season crops. Rain-fed crops include millet, sorghum, cowpea, groundnuts, sesame, rice, maize, etc. The dry season farming production includes tomatoes, pepper, onions, Rice, wheat, sugarcane, carrots, cabbage, lettuce, maize and a host of other leafy vegetables.
About 90% of the 6.3 million people of Jigawa State are predominantly engaged in Agriculture, making the sector the major source of livelihoods, food security and poverty reduction.
In an interview with our reporter, Buhari Rabiu, a farmer from Chadan community in Birnin Kudu, expressed satisfaction with the intervention by the Sasakawa Africa Association, acknowledging that they have transformed his life to grace.
Just a few years ago, Buhari was struggling to eke out a living from his farm. But everything changed when SAA introduced him to modern rice planting methods. “I used to harvest six bags of rice, but now I harvest eleven,” he says with a broad smile. “I don’t think I will ever go back to the old farming.
For female farmers in Chuwasu and Baranda communities, SAA’s intervention has been a game-changer. “We were only assisting our husbands to process farm produce, but SAA organised us into groups and guided us to venture into farming in groups,” says Mrs Amina Abdulrahman, a beneficiary. “The formations to us are safer because we have passed individual losses and record huge profits when we farm in groups.”
Mrs Uwani Adamu, the coordinator of the Chuwasu Women Rice Farmers Association, adds, “We appeal to SAA to come to provide the rice milling machine to our community, to curtail losses we encounter while taking the paddy for processing in distant communities.”
Dr Abdulhamid Gambo, the Deputy Country Director of Sasakawa Africa Association, says, “We are proud to associate with the state and its farmers. We have seen cases where farmers have used their proceeds to invest in other business ventures, creating additional sources of income beyond agriculture.”
The Jigawa State Government has also demonstrated its commitment to supporting smallholder farmers.
Dr Saifullahi Umar, the State Technical Adviser to the Governor, commends SAA for its commitment to training farmers and extension workers on modern farming techniques. “The state government is committed to supporting SAA in achieving its agricultural development objectives in Jigawa State,” he says.
As SAA continues to work with farmers in Jigawa, the future looks bright. With its focus on regenerative agriculture, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and market-oriented agriculture, the organisation is well-positioned to support the state’s agricultural development goals. For Buhari and thousands of other farmers in Jigawa, the seeds of hope have been sown, and the harvests of abundance are just beginning.
