ACReSAL Initiative Transforms Farming in Katsina’s Abdalawa Community

Abdalawa, a predominantly farming community in Kaita Local Government Area of Katsina State, has long struggled with low agricultural productivity and economic hardship. For decades, farmers cultivated just enough to feed their families, often running out of food supplies before the next rainy season.

However, intervention by the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project has significantly altered the landscape, boosting livelihoods and fostering sustainable development.

The Village Head of Abdalawa, Alhaji Jafaru Ibrahim, highlighted longstanding difficulties. Farmers relied on traditional, inefficient tools and lacked access to essential inputs like fertilizer. Pest infestations further reduced yields, limiting cultivation to less than a hectare per farmer. These challenges forced many young people to migrate to urban centers like Lagos in search of better opportunities, leaving behind an aging population.

In 2024, ACReSAL launched an initiative aimed at reversing these trends. The Katsina State ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Alhaji Halliru Mohammed, stated that Abdalawa was selected due to its fertile land, which supports year-round irrigation farming. As part of its intervention in Abdalawa, the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project identified five Community Interest Groups (CIGs) that met the selection criteria for its pilot scheme. These groups include:

• Tapkin Madaki Nasarawa Kaita Fadama Users
• Abdalawa Sabon Sara Rice Farmers Cooperative Society
• Katoji Abdalawa Kaita Tomatoes Processing Cooperative Society
• Abdalawa Huyoro Women Furafura Sellers Cooperative Society Limited
• Abdalawa Women Groundnut and Beans Farmers’ Cooperative Society

Each group, consisting of 25 members, received extensive support aimed at boosting agricultural productivity. The intervention provided critical farming resources, including:

• 10 hand tillage machines
• 85 bags (50kg each) of fertilizer
• 10 solar-powered pumps
• 10 packages (5kg each) of improved maize seeds
• 10 packages (25kg each) of improved cotton seeds
• 10 packages (5kg each) of improved cowpea seeds
• 10 packages (5kg each) of improved millet seeds
• 10 packages (5kg each) of improved rice seeds
• 10 packages (5kg each) of sorghum seeds
• 50kg of wheat bran
• 10 packages (5kg each) of improved groundnut seeds

This comprehensive support is designed to enhance agricultural yields, reduce production costs, and promote food security among the beneficiary groups. ACReSAL’s intervention is expected to strengthen cooperative farming efforts and sustain long-term economic growth in the community.

For beneficiaries like Kabiru Galadimawa, the impact has been profound. Formerly forced to travel to Lagos and Abuja in search of work, he now sustains his family through farming. His earnings have surged from ₦400,000 to over ₦2 million, allowing him to purchase farmland and keep his 12 children in school.

Similarly, Hadiza Kabir, chairperson of the Tapkin Madadi group, has seen her farming income increase from ₦300,000 to ₦900,000, enabling her to expand her food processing business and contribute to family stability. She notes that fewer youths are leaving the village for cities, as local economic opportunities improve.

Women in the community have also benefited significantly. Firdausi Jafaru transitioned from renting farmland to owning her plot, boosting her earnings from ₦350,000 to over ₦800,000. She has reinvested her profits in livestock farming and business expansion. Amina Lawal Abdalawa, a rice farmer, increased her harvest from two bags to ten, securing long-term financial security for her family.

The ACReSAL initiative has strengthened cooperative farming by providing training in modern agricultural techniques, crop rotation, and organic fertilizer production. According to Abubakar Aliyu, chairman of the Sabon Sara Cooperative Rice Farmers, the project introduced wealth-creation strategies, such as repurposing maize husks into baskets and shoes.

Aliyu confirmed that cooperative members will use the provided hand tillage machines for commercial services, generating additional income for their groups.

In Kwamgomi, ACReSAL’s support has encouraged youths to remain in agriculture instead of migrating to cities. Local farmer Bishir Isiya emphasized the benefits of solar pumps, which allow year-round vegetable cultivation. However, he called for further support in education and access to farming equipment.

Alhaji Halliru Mohammed reaffirmed ACReSAL’s commitment to sustained capacity building, monitoring, and evaluation to maintain project success. Beneficiaries, including cooperative leaders, pledged to optimize the provided resources for continuous development.

The project has commenced work at Dawan Allah Forest Reserve in Abdalawa and Kwamgomi, Kaita Local Government Area, where a 5,000-plant integrated system combining woodlot, orchard, and irrigation is being implemented to support the people.

With over 500 youths actively engaged in agriculture, ACReSAL’s interventions continue to strengthen rural livelihoods and promote economic resilience in Katsina State.

ACReSAL: greening the environment, saving lives.