The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) under the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Component 2 has launched distribution of toolkits for home gardening to 1,445 households in Kano state.
The initiative, under the SAPZ’s Targeted Nutrition Support Programme, anchored the toolkits to strength the households across 8 local government areas of the state.
The initiative holding between 3rd and 6th October, 2025 essentially aimed to empower women and vulnerable groups by enabling them cultivate nutrient-rich vegetables and crops at home to stimulate food security.
Speaking at the launch of the initiative in Kano, State Project Coordinator (SPC) Aminu Iliyasu disclosed that 180 women, each from the 8 local government areas benefited from the intervention.
He listed the benefiting local government areas as Kura, Garun-Mallam, Bebeji, Dambatta, Gezawa, Dawakin-Tofa, Bichi and Bagwai.
According to Iliyasu, the initiative is primarily to improve dietary diversity, ensure continuous access to fresh nutrient-rich foods by enabling households particularly women to grow vegetables and small scale crops within their homes.
The SAPZ Coordinator emphasized that beneficiaries are provide access to appropriate gardening implements such as gardening tools and inputs to enable families to cultivate variety of vegetables and small scale crops suited to their local environment.
He added that it would help in lowering food expenses of household, sell surplus produces for additional income and build Self-sufficiency overtime this contributes to greater economic stability and reduce vulnerability to external shocks such as price fluctuation and food shortage.
“It also aimed at providing these basic resources so as to remove barriers, so as households with limited prior farming experience can participate fully in this initiative.
” The initiative will help empower families to grow their own fresh produce, thereby enhancing dietary diversity and reduce dependence on external food sources.
” It will address micro-nutrients deficiencies and mal-nutrition particularly among children, pregnant women and other vulnerable groups within the household.
” To lower food expenses of household, sell surplus produces for additional income and build Self-sufficiency overtime this contributes to greater economic stability and reduce vulnerability to external shocks such as price fluctuation and food shortage.
At the end, the SAPZ Coordinator pointed out that the initiative is expected to increase in household production of nutrient-dense vegetables, which contributes to reduce levels of malnutrition especially among children under 5, pregnant and lactating mothers.
” It is expected that the programme would help Improve household food security and resilience against economics shocks. Women and youth empowerment through ownerships and management of home gardens. Strengthens community engagement and ownership of nutrition sensitive of Agricultural interventions
Support to local suppliers and stimulation of local economic activities through procurement of material,x Iliyasu explained.
In his remarks, the Kano state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Danjuma Mahmoud, described the initiative as a bold vision of a Nigeria ” where agriculture is not merely about subsistence, but about empowerment; not merely about producing food, but about nourishing people, creating livelihoods, and transforming communities.”
According to Mahmoud, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Bashir Sanusi, the SAPZ initiative embodies the transformative vision and seeks to reposition agriculture sector as a true engine of inclusive growth, improved nutrition, and rural development.
“This flagship programme is being championed through strong collaboration between the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in partnership with state governments, the private sector, and our resilient farming communities.
‘These interventions are not abstract policy statements; they are designed to address the everyday needs of our people. By focusing on youth and women-those who carry the greatest responsibility for household nutrition and family wellbeing-the programme is laying the foundation for stronger households and healthier futures.
“This effort is also in perfect alignment with the vision and commitment of the present administration of His Excellency, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, to Strengthen agriculture as a driver of empowerment and prosperity.
” Under his leadership, the government has introduced bold programmes such as the provision of cattle. goats and cheen to women and youth including graduates of our School of Agriculture; the deployment of massive agricultural mechanisation equipment-tractors,
combine harvesters, and power tillers-to enhance productivity; and the employment of over 1,000 young people as agricultural extension workers to bring knowledge and innovation closer to farmers.
” These measures are clear evidence of a government that sees agriculture not only as an economic sector, but as a pathway to dignity, empowerment, and shared prosperity,” Dr Mahmoud said.