Stakeholders in the agricultural sector have commended Self Help Africa (SHA) Nigeria, an Irish charity organisation, for supporting 25,000 women and youths in agricultural value-chain practices across Sokoto and Zamfara states.
The initiative, titled “Strengthening Food Systems to Promote Increased Value Chain and Employment Opportunities for Women and Youth”, is supported by the World Food Programme and the Mastercard Foundation.
The project aims to boost food production, improve marketing practices, and promote better family nutrition.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on Friday, Dr Faruku Kurawa from Kano State described the programme as a welcome development and urged government agencies to ensure optimal use of dams and other agricultural infrastructure.
He expressed concern over abandoned projects and the underutilisation of youth in spite of available schemes, especially around Goronyo Dam.
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The District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar-Jabbi, called for a shift in youth mindset, encouraging them to see agriculture as a viable route to self-reliance and national growth.
He noted that Nigeria’s vast natural and human resources could be better harnessed through supportive agricultural policies that create jobs, reduce insecurity, and fight food scarcity.
A director in the Sokoto State Ministry of Agriculture, Alhaji Abubakar Danmaliki, warned against involving “political farmers” and called for the prioritisation of genuine, practicing farmers to ensure meaningful impact.
The Special Adviser to the Sokoto State Governor on NGOs, Alhaji Shehu Goronyo, described the project as a landmark initiative that would facilitate the active participation of women and youth in agriculture.
According to him, agriculture offers opportunities for local innovation, self-sufficiency, and market-driven economic activities that sustain livelihoods.
The Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Alhaji Sanusi Muhammad, called the project a rejuvenating platform for economic growth, noting that agriculture remained a key employer across the nation.
Participants at the meeting urged local, state governments, and civil society organisations to scale up the programme to address the widespread poverty and unemployment in the region.
Hajia Hajara Muhammad, the SHA State Team Lead, said the project began in January and targeted 70 per cent female participation, focusing on women aged 18 to 25.
She noted the project supported farming and agribusiness development across both states.
Muhammad added that the initiative aimed to empower participants through capacity building in agribusiness, agri-financing, post-harvest handling, women’s empowerment, access to markets, public-private partnerships, and strategic networking.
She said targeted production areas included horticulture, millet, sorghum, soybeans, and groundnuts in Bodinga, Kware, Sokoto North, Wurno, and Tambuwal Local Government Areas.
During the project inauguration, Mrs Joy Aderele, Country Director of SHA, stressed the importance of dismantling barriers to women’s participation in leadership and decision-making roles.
She pointed out gaps in gender mainstreaming within policies, poor enforcement mechanisms, and limited access to funding as obstacles to women’s empowerment.
“This initiative aims to address these barriers while promoting inclusive practices that uplift the livelihoods of Nigerian women and youths,” Aderele said.