The team leader of the AGRA Kaduna state consortium project, Professor Chris Daudu, has revealed that the consortium was able to engage  300,000 farmers as part of measures to increase food production in the state.

Speaking in an interview immediately after presenting an overview of the programme at NAERLS Zaria, Professor Daudu maintained that currently, they are engaging farmers in 18 LGAs out of the 23 LGAs of the state.

The team leader noted that the whole idea of the project is to address issues of resilience most farmers face today.

He listed some of these challenges as low farming productivity, low income, climatic change,  security, issues regarding planting, managing crops, as well as marketing.

Thus, he said the consortium is poised to support the farmers in the above-mentioned areas to assist them in cultivating more crops.

“We were as able to establish demons farms in Kudan, Kauru, and other places. We gave the farmers a quarter hectare of land to cultivate maize, cowpea, rice, and tomatoes.

According to him, “It was a success story as we were able to reach out to 300,000 farmers in 18 LGs of the 23 LGs in the state.

“We step down our operations in 5 LGs due to insecurity. Yes,  we have security challenges in areas like Birnin Gwari Zango Kataf, among others.

“But we are working in Sabon Gari, Kudan, Zaria, Markafi, kauru, and other LGs across the state.

He said at the end of the project, the farmers are not only expected to have knowledge on improved agricultural practices, as well as the economic aspect of it, but the state will be able to feed itself.

“Farmers will have access to improved seeds, access to fertilizers, and they’ll be able to get good knowledge on agro-economy, he stressed.