Empowering Farmers, Enriching Communities: The Impact of ACReSAL’s CRF

Across communities in all the 19 states and the FCT, farmers have been facing challenges in farming production as a result of several factors such as droughts, land degradation, desertification, these are the effects of climate change. With lose of farmland to these natural disasters, poor farming practices, lack of modern farming skills, limited access to funds, lack of modern farming tools, gender inequality have all been traced to major factors limiting local farmers in various communities, especially in the northern states of Nigeria. This was the story of NAMO A.A. AKPALAKPO, a rice farmer from Yelwa Community in Doma of Nasarawa State and many other farmers across the 330 communities that have so far received the ACReSAL Community Revolving Fund (CRF).

Due to limited access to finance, lack of modern skills and techniques, the farming communities had continued to experience very low crop yields. Farmers were only able to cultivate a very small portion of a hectare of land in most cases, and production and profit margins remained very minimal. This poor production has led to widespread food insecurity, limited economic opportunities, and a perpetual cycle of poverty among the farming communities.

The CRF intervention by ACReSAL is designed to support small-scale farmers in optimizing climate-smart agricultural production, processing and marketing activities.  This timely intervention addresses significant economic challenges faced by these communities.

The Community Revolving Fund (CRF) is bringing newfound hope to farmers and communities, enabling them to envision a prosperous future. With the CRF, they can thrive economically, feed their families, send their children to school, expand their agricultural businesses, and explore new ventures. This support also enhances their resilience to climate change. Moreover, the CRF is promoting a culture of sustainable agriculture, empowering communities, and contributing to a more sustainable environment.

The CRF is a non-interest, community-level revolving fund that supports ACReSAL-registered community Interest Groups (CIGs).  Each target community receives a CRF of US$25,000 to enable them undertake investments in climate-smart rainfed crops interventions.

Registered community/farmer groups prepare investment/business plans and apply for loans from the Community revolving Fund Management Community (CRFMC). These plans are appraised to ensure that they are profitable, sustainable and contributes to enviromental management. The fund is designed to revolve across communities, allowing many farmers and community members to benefit from it.

To date, the CRF has been disbursed in 330 communities, with a total target of 2800 communities to be reached. The impacts and feedback from beneficiaries have been overwhelmingly positive. One such beneficiary is Mohammed Sani Umar, a dedicated farmer from the Gamahue community in Jigawa State. Prior to receiving support from ACReSAL, Mohammed struggled to secure essential inputs, limiting his harvest to just 7-10 bags of rice each season.

However, everything changed when ACReSAL intervened, providing him with 280,000 Naira through his community’s cooperative. With this financial boost, Mohammed was able to purchase quality seeds, fertilizer, and herbicides, ensuring the protection and growth of his crops. He now expects to harvest up to 20 bags of rice, a remarkable increase that translates into greater financial stability for his family.

Mohammed’s success has also enabled him to invest in his children’s education, purchasing uniforms and school supplies, and even buying bicycles to help them get to school on time.

Mohammed Sani Umar

Hauwa, a married woman and dedicated rice processor, faced significant challenges in her business due to limited capital. Previously, her production was constrained to just 2 bags of rice, making it difficult to reinvest and grow her business.

However, with the support of the CRF, Hauwa from Jigawa state has seen a remarkable transformation. She can now produce 4-5 bags of rice, allowing her to make substantial progress and even extend support to other women in her community. With this newfound success, Hauwa and her peers are taking significant steps to uplift their community. They are not only able to support their children’s education but can also provide funds to take them to the hospital when the need arise.

Inspired by the positive changes, they are planning to establish a school aimed at empowering married women with knowledge and combating illiteracy.

Hauwa from Jigawa State

Jumai Kwantu, a 40-year-old mother of four from the Kasachia community in Gujba Local Government, Yobe State, shared her story. ‘Before I received the loan from ACReSAL, I was farming and also selling wrappers. My income margin was N60,000 naira per harvest season. I usually got 8 bags of groundnut and guinea corn. I had insufficient fund and no knowledge on how to boost production.

’’However, with the intervention of ACReSAL, Jumai planted rice and guinea corn and harvested 50 bags of rice and 4 bags of guinea corn. She noted that there were 14 members in her group, 8 females and 6 males, and she has been able to pay up over 80% of her loan with a profit margin of over N400,000. Jumai expressed her gratitude, saying, ‘My life has completely changed for good. We feed well, and our children now go to school. I will invest more in farming, acquire my own land, and also go into the wrapper and groundnut business as a distributor. I will pay up my loan because I want others to benefit from this life-changing intervention by ACReSAL.’

Jumai Kwantu

In the rural of Kasachia community in Gujba LGA, Yobe state, Fannami Grema was living a simple life, rearing goats and cows, and farming food crops such as Guinea corn, beans, groundnuts, and maize on a small one-acre plot. Despite his hard work, his profit margins were modest, ranging from ₦200,000 to ₦300,000 per season.

But everything changed when Fannami encountered the ACReSAL project. With a loan of ₦804,000 and invaluable technical support, Fannami’s farming endeavors were transformed. He expanded his operations to six acres, and with just one harvest, his profits soared to an astonishing ₦2,295,000!

Not only did Fannami reap financial rewards, but he also gained a newfound sense of pride and independence. He promptly repaid his loan by January 13, 2025, and with his improved financial status, he was able to pay his children’s school fees on time, freeing himself from debt.

Fannami’s success is a testament to the impact of ACReSAL’s interventions. With access to improved seeds, farm inputs, and training, Fannami’s farming skills have been significantly enhanced. His story serves as a shining example of how ACReSAL is empowering rural communities to break the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future.”

Fannami Grema

The ACReSAL agro-based Community Revolving Fund (CRF) have been a game-changer for Mr. Adamu’s business. With increased patronage from ACReSAL Community Interest Group (CIG) members, Mr. Adamu, an agro-chemical shop owner, has expanded his shop, employed three additional staff, and even purchased a motorcycle to boost his operations. But that’s not all – Mr. Adamu has also opened a second shop at a new location, creating more jobs and opportunities for his community. He credits the CIGs’ loyal patronage for his business’s remarkable growth. Mr. Adamu’s success story is a testament to the positive impact of ACReSAL’s initiatives. By empowering local communities, ACReSAL is creating a ripple effect of economic growth, job creation, and improved livelihoods.

Pictures of Adamu’s shop

Mr. Adamu

During a tour to Kasachia community, the testimonials from beneficiaries were impressive and encouraging, especially their understanding of the purpose of the CRF and the need for repayment of the loan to maximize benefits and impacts. The ACReSAL CRF initiative is truly making a positive impact on the lives of farmers and community members, and its success is a testament to the power of community-led development and the importance of access to finance for smallholder farmers.

The ACReSAL Community Revolving Fund initiative is a shining example of how innovative financing models can be used to drive agricultural development and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. With a total target of 2800 communities to be reached, the initiative has already made a significant impact in 330 communities, and it is expected to continue transforming lives and improving agriculture in rural communities.

By providing access to finance and technical support, ACReSAL is empowering communities to take control of their own development and build a more sustainable future. As the initiative continues to expand, it is clear that the impact will be felt for generations to come. With its focus on community-led development and climate-smart agriculture, ACReSAL is paving the way for a more resilient and prosperous future for farmers and communities across the region, and serving as a model for sustainable agricultural development that can be replicated and scaled up to benefit even more communities in the years to come.

With the intervention, the quality of lives of farmers in over 300 communities in the ACReSAL participating states have been improved through the provision of access to financial resources, improved agricultural practices, and support to economic stability. Both measurable and measurable impacts have resulted in the creation of job opportunities, particularly in farming, processing, and associated sectors like agro-chemical businesses. It has also led to significant increase in food production, particularly rice and wheat, cassava, etc., due to better access to finances (CRF), and knowledge of modern farming techniques and improved infrastructure.

The intervention has served as a booster and encouragement for greater participation and inclusion of women in the project; it has also enhanced gender equity and contributes to more balanced and sustainable outcomes.

Another notable success of the CRF intervention is the high level of understanding and compliance among beneficiaries. Encouragingly, many have begun returning the funds, allowing others to benefit and maximizing the initiative’s impact.