Female farmers in Nasarawa State harvested a rich harvest
Achieving high results has become possible thanks to the introduction of practices and cultivars from the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA, Nigeria). The organization works in partnership with the Japanese foundation The Nippon Foundation, striving to improve food security and the incomes of smallholder farmers through the "co-innovation" concept, which includes the creation, packaging, transfer, and adaptation of knowledge. Women farmers shared this with journalists after a two-day field event in the Obi and Doma districts.
During the NGO's intervention, participants mastered modern practices: proper plant placement, the application of biochar and compost, efficient fertilizer use, and improved field management. The chairwoman of the Madagba community women farmers' group in Doma LGA, Felicia Alaku, reported that they were introduced to orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) for the first time, which outperformed traditional crops in yield and sparked interest among other farmers. The farmers were trained in proper ridging, the storage of planting material, and preparation methods for vitamin A-rich sweetpotato.
A beneficiary from the Angwan Hamidu community in Obi LGA, Adama Rabiu, noted an improvement in family nutrition due to the cultivation of fluted pumpkins around residential houses. Another participant from the Angwan Ilie community in Obi LGA, Sarah Joseph, spoke about mastering cultivation technologies for Pro-Vitamin A biofortified maize (SAMMAZ 52) and improved soybean, which made it possible to increase productivity on small plots.
SAA National Director Dr. Godwin Atser (represented by Technical Coordinator Nathaniel Otene) explained that the organization connects research institutes and farmers, offering drought-tolerant, early-ripening, and pest-resistant cultivars. According to Communications Specialist Moses Nongoatse, the program has covered seven districts of Nasarawa State: over 18,900 farmers have been mobilized, 15,975 people have undergone training, and 60 demonstration plots have been established.