Poverty, food insecurity and unemployment remain daunting challenges for policy makers and various stakeholders in Kano state and Nigeria in general. Addressing these challenges and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require much more efforts to enhance the nation’s economic growth on an inclusive basis. In this perspective, Kano state government formulated a development strategy entitled “The Kano State Development Plan II 2016-2025 (KSDP II)” which aligns with the government ‘s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017-2020. The need to implement agricultural component of the KSDP II metamorphosed into an imperative partnership between SAA and Kano state government in addressing the simmering agricultural challenges facing the state. The aim is to support agricultural producers, processors and market operators by promoting new agricultural technologies to increase productivity and incomes. This will reduce poverty, food insecurity and natural resource degradation.

SAA partners with Kano state government to implement a 5-year development project titled; Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP). The project aims to contribute to poverty reduction and to strengthen food and nutrition security of vulnerable population in Kano state through sustainable development of livestock and crop selected value chains. SAA will provide technical support to government’s extension efforts of enhancing agricultural productivity and competitiveness through access to inputs, value addition, e-extension services delivery, agri-business development, capacity strengthening of farmers in crop production, postharvest operation and market access. It also considers some relevant crosscutting issues such as private sector involvement, climate-smart agriculture, gender mainstreaming and human nutrition. This effort will directly address a fundamental root cause of low productivity and conflicts because of the transhumance in Kano state and Nigeria in general.

The sum of $21.31 million was budgeted for the 5-year project implementation through a loan facility from the Islamic Development Bank and a grant component from Live and Livelihood Funds (LLF) which will be invested in the development of sustainable production systems that are resilient with respect to both climate and market shocks through enhanced market institutions investment, infrastructures and natural resources management and conservation. SAA will also work on some relevant crosscutting issues such as private sector involvement, climate-smart agriculture, gender mainstreaming and human nutrition. The target beneficiaries include smallholder farmers active in selected agricultural value chains of Rice, Maize, Sorghum and Millet. SAA will directly reach 450,000 farmers across the identified value chains and local governments areas of the state. SAA will also target indirectly an estimate of at least 15% of the rural population in the state amounting to 1.26 million people.