The pilot phase of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) program in Kano state has been adjudged by many commentators to be successful, supporting over 1,000 vulnerable, smallholder farmers in modern rice and tomato production.
Specifically, Dr. Kabir Yusuf, the National Program Coordinator, Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) program in Nigeria added his voice to gains of the Kano pilot phase program.
The coordinator disclosed this at the1st Joint FGN/IFAD Supervision Mission Wrap-up event, held recently, in Abuja, while sharing the progress and anticipated impact of the SAPZ initiative.
According to him, rice and tomatoes are only a fraction of the commodities SAPZ intends to support as part of its mission to enhance Nigeria’s food security.
He said: “We took the most vulnerable 1,000 and supported them with production in rice and tomato. 505 farmers in rice in the Kura local government, 504 in tomato in Bagwe local government.
“These farmers received support and were connected to off-takers, addressing a critical barrier for many smallholder farmers in Nigeria—ensuring that their produce reaches buyers at competitive prices.
“As part of the development objective of the project to promote sustainable and inclusive agro-industrial development in Nigeria, we also brought them and connected them with off-takers.
“These connections aim to ensure fair market access for smallholder farmers, a key obstacle the program seeks to address. Farmers signed MOUs with off-takers following extensive discussions on pricing, ensuring competitive and fair prices for their products.
“We have further followed these agro-industries to see what those commodities are going to turn into. Some of them are going to be table rice, some into tomato paste, and a few are for table tomatoes.
The program, which is a partnership between the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), various state governments, and private investors, is a seven-year effort aimed at fostering sustainable agro-industrial development across Nigeria.
Dr. Yusuf further noted the efforts to ensure fair pricing for farmers, explaining that the farmers were engaged in dialogue and pricing deliberations before signing MOUs with off-takers.
Looking ahead, Dr. Yusuf expressed optimism about SAPZ’s future impact, noting its anticipated role in promoting food security and rural economic development.
“With the commitment of the government that we have in promoting this project… we would reach our target for 2025 and the issue of food security would be history,” he stated.
He also identified the involvement of state governments in SAPZ rollout across Kano, Kaduna, the FCT, Kwara, Imo, Oyo, Ogun, and Cross River. He anticipates SAPZ projects expanding nationwide, with plans to onboard additional states.
“This benefit is going to cross across the 36 states of Nigeria,” he said, forecasting that any state implementing SAPZ could expect significant employment growth. “From our preliminary analysis, direct and indirect job creation will result in at least 500,000 jobs in any SAPZ,” he added.
Speaking further, Dr. Yusuf acknowledged the complexities of managing the project’s multi-donor funding structure, praising IFAD’s startup funding as instrumental to launching SAPZ’s initial activities.
“IFAD is one of three financials that provided us with a startup cost that enabled us to kickstart,” he noted, describing the challenge of coordinating funding from multiple sources and developing systems to manage and report on financial activities effectively.
However Dr. Yusuf said that the SAPZ’s mission is to integrate rural regions into the national economy.
“What is the benefit of what we have done in Kano linking smallholder farmers to the agro-industry?” He asked. While explaining that SAPZ would contribute to reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imports, conserve foreign exchange, and retain agricultural revenue within the country.
His words: “ Since the program’s inception, SAPZ has focused on a range of initiatives to build local capacity and foster rural economic development. Amongst them, we selected 1,000 farmers with women of childbearing age and youth,”
He expressed confidence in the team’s commitment to achieving SAPZ’s ambitious goals.
“We cannot run away from our responsibilities as Nigeria,” he asserted, emphasizing that the program’s success would require strong coordination and compliance.
He also emphasized SAPZ’s contribution to national priorities, aligning with “Mr. President’s renewable agenda for prosperity to all Nigerians.”
In closing, Dr. Yusuf celebrated the dedication of the SAPZ team and the collaboration with local and international partners.
“As we come to the close of this first supervision mission, I wish us all success and luck,” he said, adding that he viewed the event as the beginning of a “long journey” toward SAPZ’s full potential in transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector and contributing to food security, job creation, and economic growth across the nation.