Jigawa, Sasakawa Launch ₦150m Partnership to Train 9,000 Farmers

By: Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

The Jigawa State Government has committed over ₦150 million as counterpart funding to the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) in a renewed push to modernize agricultural practices and strengthen extension services across the state.
The initiative, which targets 9,000 smallholder farmers across 34 communities, aims to scale up agricultural innovations and boost productivity through improved agronomic training, input access, and value chain development.
Deputy Country Director of SAA, Dr. Abdulhamid Gambo, disclosed this during a two-day media field visit to farming communities in Taura, Dutse, and Birnin Kudu Local Government Areas.
According to him, the partnership builds on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and the association to promote modern farming techniques and improve livelihoods.
“Recently, the state paid $100,000 as counterpart funding to expand our programmes. This year alone, Sasakawa is targeting 9,000 direct beneficiaries across 34 communities in Jigawa,” Dr. Gambo said.
He explained that the programme’s focus extends beyond crop cultivation to include nutrition, processing, value addition, and market linkage—designed to strengthen the entire agricultural value chain.
Dr. Gambo commended Governor Umar Namadi for prioritizing agriculture and empowering smallholder farmers, describing Jigawa as “a model for result-driven agricultural collaboration.”
“We are proud to partner with Jigawa and its hardworking farmers. Many have diversified their income through agribusiness ventures, thanks to improved yields and training support,” he said.
He noted that SAA’s interventions have significantly raised farmers’ productivity through access to quality seeds, fertilizers, and hands-on capacity-building initiatives that enhance food security and income generation.
During the field visit, several beneficiaries shared success stories of how SAA’s support has transformed their farming experience.
Buhari Rabiu, a rice farmer from Chadan community in Birnin Kudu, said:
“Sasakawa taught us modern rice planting techniques that are more productive and less labor-intensive. Before, I harvested six bags of rice, but now I get eleven. I’ll never go back to the old method.”
Similarly, Safiyanu Ahmadu from Baranda in Dutse Local Government noted that the project has strengthened cooperative farming and group savings among local farmers. He, however, appealed for additional support in the provision of rice and groundnut processing machines to enhance value addition.
With the partnership gaining traction, Jigawa State’s agricultural sector appears poised for a new phase of transformation—anchored on innovation, collaboration, and farmer empowerment.