Minna: No fewer than 40,000 maize and soybean farmers in Niger are set to benefit from advanced farming techniques under a climate-smart agriculture project. Mr. Isaac Eni, Project Coordinator of the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), disclosed this initiative during a Training of Trainers session for Extension Agents and selected Community-Based Advisors in Minna.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the project will be funded by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). The training is part of a broader project titled ‘Enhancing the Productivity and Competitiveness of Smallholder Farmers in the Maize-Soybean Farming System in Niger and Kaduna states’. The project aims to equip 44 field agents from eight Local Government Areas with climate intelligence and improved agronomic practices to boost maize and soybean productivity.
The project targets 100,000 farmers across Niger and Kaduna states, with a focus on 50 per cent women participation along the maize and soybean value chains. Smallholder farmers in these regions face challenges such as limited access to quality seeds, poor farming techniques, weak post-harvest handling, and inadequate market information. Furthermore, poor infrastructure and fluctuating prices have reduced farmers’ competitiveness in the market.
The project aims to address these challenges by improving productivity by at least 30 per cent, unlocking high-value markets through strengthened cooperatives and contract farming, and enhancing coordination among value chain actors. The train the trainers session aims to prepare Extension Agents and Community-Based Advisors for step-down training in their communities, especially before the establishment of demonstration plots.
Field agents are being equipped with skills to translate complex climate information into farmer-friendly messages and use digital tools for effective communication and reporting. Participants are trained on planning and managing demonstration plots, including site selection, plot layout, input calculation, record-keeping, and monitoring indicators.
The three-year project, which commenced in September 2025 and will run until March 2028, aims to promote contract farming, strengthen market linkages, and increase investment in agriculture. Eni expressed optimism that the newly trained agents will lead community-level adoption of climate-smart practices, improving yields, reducing production risks, and enhancing the competitiveness of smallholder farmers in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a highlight of the training was technical sessions facilitated by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) on interpreting seasonal rainfall predictions and aligning planting decisions with weather advisories.