Follow Us on Google
By Chinyere Anyanwu
The federal government, through the Kano State Special Agro-Processing Zone (SAPZ) Programme in partnership with IFAD, has empowered 9,870 rice farmers in Kano with climate-resilient inputs and modern rice production technologies.
This was revealed in a statement issued by the SAPZ Knowledge Management and Communication Officer, Rabi Mustapha.
The State Project Coordinator, Mr. Aminu Iliyasu, disclosed this at the weekend during the Farmers Field Day at Chiromawa Garin Babba Cluster in Garun Malam Local Government Area.
He said the exercise was organised to expose farmers to science-based, practical solutions capable of enhancing yields, improving food security and boosting rural livelihoods.
Iliyasu described the field day as a celebration of knowledge, innovation and the resilience of smallholder farmers.
He explained that the SAPZ initiative in Kano is aimed at expanding access to improved technologies, strengthening extension services, reducing post-harvest losses and creating market opportunities for rural farmers.
“These innovations are not theoretical. They are practical solutions that farmers can adopt immediately to raise productivity and increase income,” he said, while commending the support of local authorities.
Mustapha said the inputs distributed to 9,870 farmers included FARO 44 improved seeds, Urea and NPK fertilisers, and insecticides, targeting beneficiaries in Garun Malam, Gezawa, Bichi and Bagwai LGAs during the 2025 wet season. She added that experts trained farmers on soil selection, seed dressing, nursery establishment, land preparation and timely transplanting at proper spacing.
“They also covered fertiliser management, weed control, integrated pest management and water regulation to boost rice yields. The training emphasised harvesting at optimal maturity, drying paddy to safe moisture levels, and fumigation using phostoxin to prevent storage losses,” she stated.
