Kano State is set to host a high-profile agricultural transformation workshop from October 7 to 8, chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The event will focus on agricultural transformation through the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)-funded Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP).
Attendees include 20 State Governors, representatives from 10 African countries, IsDB officials from Jeddah, and leadership from Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) in Tokyo and the USA. The workshop, themed “Agricultural Transformation and What Works: Reflections from the Crop Value Chain of KSADP,” will take place at Kano State Government House and field locations.
Governor Abba Yusuf will host dignitaries, including governors from Jigawa, Kaduna, Kwara, and more. Dr Godwin Atser, SAA Nigeria’s Country Director, highlighted the event’s aim to showcase KSADP’s success and provide networking opportunities to explore IsDB funding for other states.
The workshop will also launch a large-scale mechanisation initiative and present IsDB financing strategies for agricultural development.
Key attendees include former IsDB Vice President Dr Mansur Mukhtar, Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso, Yohei Sasakawa, and Dr Amit Roy. Additionally, the event will feature the launch of the book “Sasakawa Africa Association: Three Decades of Fight Against Poverty and Hunger in Nigeria,” authored by Prof Mohammed Othman.
However, SAA Nigeria, through a $19.3 million sub-grant, is implementing the crop value chain component of KSADP, supporting 450,000 smallholder farmers across 44 local government areas, focusing on rice, maize, sorghum, millet, and vegetables such as tomatoes and onions.
The project promotes value addition, e-extension services, and climate-smart agriculture, contributing to sustainable growth in the region.