Women farmers in Kano are recording remarkable progress in yields, incomes and agribusiness opportunities thereby making remarkable progress in the agricultural value chain.
Through the Special Agro Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Programme, a Federal Government initiative supported by IFAD and the Islamic Development Bank, beneficiaries told Daily Trust that the project has provided them with training, inputs and business kits that have transformed their livelihoods.
Sa'adatu Sule Umar said she has expanded her tomato and rice business after receiving home gardening kits and product development support.
"SAPZ gave me home gardening kits, product development support and agric inputs. Now I am able to expand my business and improve my income," she explained. She added that the programme has given her the confidence to think bigger about her future.
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According to her, she now produces tomato and rice products, including tea bags, and hopes to train other women from the skills she has acquired.
"In a few years to come, I hope to advance my business to start processing tomato paste in larger quantity and establish a rice processing company. This programme has helped me with skills and knowledge and I am now a better person," she said.
For Wasila Lawan Hassan of Gezawa Local Government, sesame production has doubled since she joined the programme.
"I used to harvest five bags, but now I produce up to eight. SAPZ taught me best practices and how to process and package my produce. I have close to 20 people working under me," she said.
She explained that before the intervention, she simply sold her produce raw after harvest, but now she processes and packages it, which has increased her sales and profits.
"I also process the rice I produce and sell it in the market. My biggest appeal now is to be supported with a rice processing machine so I can expand and start exporting rice and sesame even abroad," she added.
Zainab Yusuf Bichi said training under SAPZ had changed her approach to farming.
"Before, I farmed anyhow. Now I farm rice and groundnut professionally, process and package before selling. I am self-reliant and don't have to wait for support from my parents," she said.
She explained that she used to struggle with low yields and lack of recognition, but perseverance and the SAPZ training have helped her grow.
"I used to farm about 10-15 bags of rice and 3-5 bags of groundnuts annually. Now I hire labourers to work with me, and I am gradually expanding. In a few years to come, I hope to acquire bigger machines that will help me scale up production," she said.
The testimonies, according to SAPZ state Programme Coordinator in Kano, Aminu A. Ilyasu, reflect the wider impact of the project on the women farmers' lives.
He noted that women farmers are indispensable to food security, nutrition and climate resilience, yet face barriers in accessing land, finance and markets.
"This celebration is not just ceremonial. It is about creating an enabling environment where women farmers can thrive," he said at the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 event.
SAPZ Rural Institutions Development Officer, Mujiba Kabir Yahaya, explained that the project is promoting agro industrialisation through four priority value chains of rice, tomato, groundnut and sesame, across 16 local governments.
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"We profiled more than 15,000 farmers in phase one alone, with deliberate emphasis on gender inclusiveness, youth participation and support for people with disabilities," she said.
She added that the programme has conducted extensive training, exhibitions and knowledge sharing sessions, including the Gender Action Learning System (GALS), which strengthens women's voice, agency and leadership.
Mujiba stressed that SAPZ is not only boosting yields and incomes but also creating jobs, strengthening household resilience and positioning women as champions of agrifood transformation.
They urged government, private sector and community leaders to invest more in women led enterprises and promote policies that ensure women participate meaningfully in agricultural development and decision making.
