KSADP, Sasakawa Commission Mechanization Hub to Boost Smallholder Farming in Kano
By Mustapha Salisu
The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), under the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP), has commissioned the Kadawa Agricultural Mechanization Centre in Garun Mallam Local Government Area, one of three agricultural mechanization hubs established to transform smallholder farming in Kano State.
PRIME TIME NEWS gathered that, the intervention, funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Lives and Livelihoods Fund (LLF) as well as the Kano State Government, will see similar centres established in Danbatta and Gaya LGAs.
The initiative is part of a six-month extension to the five-year KSADP, which began in 2021 and now runs until December 2025. While the Kano State Government provided land for the hubs, SAA is responsible for construction and equipment installation under the project’s crop component.
Speaking during the commissioning, SAA Nigeria Country Director, Dr. Godwin Atser, represented by the Project Coordinator, Abdulrasheed Hamisu Kofarmata, said the intervention would “lift thousands of smallholder farmers out of low-productivity cycles.”
He explained that improved access to mechanization will empower farmers to compete in larger markets, create jobs, and strengthen food security.
Kofarmata added that the hubs will also generate opportunities for youth and women in machine operation, maintenance, and agro-processing. To ensure sustainability, he noted, the project is anchored on a Private Service Provider (PSP) model that integrates cooperatives and private operators.
In his remarks, Dr. Rami Ahmad, Vice President (Operations) of IsDB, expressed satisfaction with the commissioning of the Kadawa hub, describing it as a milestone that will significantly boost farmers’ productivity.
“This project is aimed at touching the lives of three million people. It is something for all of us to be proud of, as it benefits Kano State and farmers across the surrounding areas,” he said.
On his part, Kano State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Danjuma Mahmoud, noted that the project’s full impact would be felt in the years to come.
“From crop production, irrigation, value addition, processing, and livestock productivity enhancement to climate-resilient initiatives, the benefits of this project will crystallize over time,” he said, expressing hope that the state and private sector partners would sustain and expand the initiative beyond donor involvement.
A beneficiary of the mechanization support, Sagir Abubakar from Ciromawa community, revealed that farmers under the project had collectively generated and saved N21 million.
“Out of this, N20 million has been deposited in the bank, while N1.3 million was distributed among members to enable them to purchase seedlings,” he explained.
Each of the hubs, PRIME TIME NEWS gathered, will provide clusters of farmers with access to modern machinery and technical services for land preparation, planting, harvesting, processing, and storage. The facilities are equipped with tractors, power tillers, planters, harvesters, and threshers, operated by trained technicians.
Other highlights of the event included the formal commissioning of the Kadawa hub by Dr. Rami Ahmad, tour around the facility and a tree planting exercise.
