Kano Opens Agric Mechanisation Hub

Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project (KSADP) and the Sasakawa African Association (SAA) have launched one of the three agric mechanisation centres at Kadawa.

The centre is meant to boost productivity, reduce drudgery in farming, cut farming costs and reduce post-harvest losses.

The $95 million project, funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the state government, set up a hub in Kadawa, Garun Malam local government area, to serve clusters of smallholder farmers in the area with machinery and technical services covering land preparation, planting, harvesting, pro easing, and storage.

The hub is equipped with modern farm equipment, including 10 tractors, 10 power tillers, 10 planters, 10 harvesters, 10 solar-powered water pumping machines, and 25 threshers, supported by trained operators and technicians.

The intervention launched under the KSADP, with over 90 per cent funding from the IsDB, is also setting the same hubs in Dambatta and Gaya local government areas, costing $12.5 million.

The country director of SAA, Dr Godwin Aster, stressed the project’s importance to the development of agriculture in the area.

“The hub will lift thousands of small-holding farmers out of low-productivity cycles.

“By reducing manual labour and creating access to modern machinery, we are giving the farmers the tools to compete in larger markets. This intervention aims to make agricultural machines available and accessible to farmers, create numerous jobs, boost incomes and food security,” he stated.

This intervention is part of a recently approved six-month extension to the five-year project which began in 2021 and is now scheduled to conclude by December 31st, 2025.

Under the agreement, the Kano State government has provided land for the hubs through the agriculture ministry, while SAA, implementing the crop component of the KSADP, oversees construction and equipment installation.

The Kano State commissioner for agriculture, Dr. Danjuma Mahmoud, expressed confidence that the project will improve efficiency and productivity in the years to come.

When commissioning the center, the Vice President (Operations) of IsDB, Dr. Rami Ahmad, expressed satisfaction with the project and readiness for the second round in the next few months.