Women-led farming clusters and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) in Garun Malam local government area Kano State are reaping the benefits of an agricultural empowerment programme by the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN).
The initiative which is part of the WOFAN-ICON2 project is funded by the Mastercard Foundation in partnership with WOFAN.
Through innovative irrigation farming, WOFAN provided over 1,800 young men and women in Kano and Jigawa states with employment opportunities, capacity-building training, and vital agricultural resources.
This includes the distribution of 24 solar-powered water pumps and 48 solar spraying machines to 60 groups of PWDs and youths for efficient and sustainable farming practices in response to climate change.
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Speaking at the grand harvesting ceremony in Kano, WOFAN-ICON2 country director, Dr Salamatu Garba, highlighted the programme’s impact on rural farmers, ensuring year-round farming and sustainable livelihoods.
Represented by WOFAN’s monitoring and evaluation officer, Sadik Hassan, she explained that many farmers in the region rely on subsistence farming, often struggling to feed their families beyond two to three months after the rainy season harvest.
She said, “WOFAN’s initiative has empowered farmers to cultivate an additional three crop cycles between two rainy seasons through irrigation farming.
This not only increases household income but also creates dignified job opportunities, strengthens family bonds, and ensures women and persons with disabilities are actively involved in sustainable farming”.
Hassan also revealed that 300 PWDs in Kano, organised into two clusters, are preparing to harvest their five-hectare wheat farm under the WOFAN-ICON2 Project.
During an inspection of several farms cultivating tomatoes, onions, and wheat, Hassan noted that women-led cooperative groups in Garun Malam are harvesting three to four times annually. By taking advantage of the transition period between rainy seasons, they have ensured year-round vegetable production instead of waiting for the dry season.
He said that the initiative has also created job opportunities for farm labourers, mostly women, who earn between N4,000 and N5,000 daily from harvesting activities.
Kaulat Ayuba Adam, a farm labourer on a tomato farm said, “I work on the farm in the early morning, earning between N2,000 and N6,000 per day, depending on the workload. By 10:00 AM, I return home and start preparing for my business”.
Another farmer, Saliha Ibrahim, who works on an onion farm said, “I am not just a farm laborer; I also run a food business, this job allows me to make extra money in the morning before I start my business in the afternoon. WOFAN and the Mastercard Foundation have provided incredible support, and we are benefiting immensely”.
To further ease farming operations, WOFAN has introduced logistics tricycles, significantly reducing transportation costs and ensuring the swift movement of crops from remote farms to markets and warehouses.
Speaking on behalf of her farming cluster, Aisha Aliyu, lauded WOFAN for providing essential support, including training, fertilizers and improved seeds.
Abdulrahman Hassan, a logistics loader in Garun Malam said WOFAN’s intervention changed his life, adding “Before, I struggled to provide for my family. Now, not only can I feed them, but I can also assist others. This opportunity has truly transformed my life”.
PWD farmers farming on land provided by WOFAN expressed their appreciation, noting that the initiative has given them financial independence and confidence.
Lawan Ali Kura, a wheat farmer in Garun Malam, speaking on behalf of his cluster said, “We are grateful to WOFAN and the Mastercard Foundation for empowering us through agriculture. We now have a source of income and are looking forward to a successful harvest”.
The WOFAN-ICON2 initiative aligns with the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works Strategy, which aims to create 30 million dignified jobs across Africa, including 10 million in Nigeria.
