Kano signs $12.3m deal to deepen farm mechanisation, create 22 rice enterprises

The Kano state government has signed a $12.3 million agreement with the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA)-Nigeria to expand agricultural mechanisation and boost support for smallholder farmers across the state.

The deal, funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Lives and Livelihood Fund (LLF), marks a new phase of the Kano State Agro-pastoral Development Project (KSADP), and will run until December 2025.

Godwin Atser, country director of SAA Nigeria, described the partnership as “a critical continuation of SAA’s longstanding support for Kano farmers”.

“This initiative not only builds on KSADP’s achievements but also responds to the government’s renewed emphasis on mechanisation, which is vital for transforming agriculture and ensuring sustainability in Kano state and beyond,” Atser said.

“It reduces the labour burden, enhances efficiency, and makes it possible for farmers to expand the scale of their operations.”

Under the agreement, farm service centres will be set up across the state to provide over 9,000 agricultural machines, including tractors, combine harvesters, power tillers, planters, rice mills, sprayers, and solar irrigation systems.

Atser added that the initiative will also support the establishment of 22 medium-scale rice enterprises, 40 cereal processing units, and 10 artificially aerated onion storage facilities.

“Mechanisation is not just about machines,” he said.

“It is about creating a new pathway for farmers, especially the youth, to thrive.”

Speaking on the project, Danjuma Mahmoud, commissioner for agriculture and natural resources in Kano, said the government is working to expand large-scale technology dissemination.

“While much has been achieved under the KSADP, the state government is working hard to deepen mechanisation through establishing farm service centres, dispersing machinery, and promoting technology through demonstration plots and training,” he said.

“This strategy is not only about increasing productivity but also creating sustainable employment and income opportunities.”

Abdulrasheed Kofarmata, SAA project coordinator for KSADP, said the extension phase will focus on enterprise development to reduce post-harvest losses and increase farmers’ earnings.

“Better days are here for individual farmers and farmer groups in Kano state,” Kofarmata said.

“This arrangement will fund the procurement of tractors and implements, power tillers, combine harvesters, sprayers, rice mills, threshers, and solar irrigation systems.”

He said the state will also provide training on machine use, maintenance, and improved agricultural practices.

The first phase of KSADP, which ran for five years, reportedly reached over 450,000 farmers across Kano’s 44 LGAs.

“These farmers have seen increased yields, higher incomes, and more stable livelihoods,” Atser said. “Now, we are building on that foundation.”

In July, SAA hosted officials from IsDB, LLF, and other donors in Kano. The delegation visited mechanisation centres, rice demonstration plots, and processing units to assess project outcomes.

“We listened directly to farmers who told us how the combine harvesters and tractors had reduced the time spent on labour,” Atser said.

“Some young people even said they are now proud to go into agriculture because they no longer have to use crude tools.”

SAA says its strategy combines regenerative agriculture, climate-smart techniques, and market access to address climate change, labour shortages, and youth unemployment.

With this renewed investment, Kano hopes to position itself as a model for mechanised agriculture in Nigeria.