The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) has begun training agro-dealers to support 100,000 smallholder maize and soybean farmers.
The initiative targets Kaduna and Niger states, aiming to improve productivity and strengthen food security.
Prof. Isaac Eni, Consultant to SAA, shared the update during a two-day training for agro-dealers in Zaria on Wednesday.
Organised by SAA in partnership with other stakeholders, the programme seeks to improve farmers’ access to quality agricultural inputs and enhance productivity along the maize and soybean value chain.
Titled “Training of Agro-Dealers on Safe Handling and Sale of Agro-Chemicals, Improved Maize and Soybean Seed Varieties and Fertilisers; Business Skills, Inventory Management, and Record Keeping”, the programme is part of SAA’s project to enhance productivity and competitiveness of smallholder farmers in Nigeria.
Eni said, “The initiative targets 100,000 smallholder farmers across 12 Local Government Areas in Kaduna State and eight LGAs in Niger. Improving farmers’ access to accurate information on agricultural inputs is critical to addressing low yields and strengthening national food security.”
He emphasized that agro-dealers play a strategic role in rural agricultural development as the closest source of advisory support. “Farmers depend heavily on agro-dealers for seeds, fertilisers, and agro-chemicals. By strengthening dealers’ knowledge, we indirectly improve farmers’ productivity and food security,” he noted.
The training equipped agro-dealers with skills in safe agro-chemical handling, improved agronomic practices, and enterprise management, promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Eni described agro-dealers as potential “semi-agricultural extension agents,” especially given the shortage of extension workers nationwide.
“With limited extension personnel, empowering agro-dealers bridges the knowledge gap and ensures farmers receive timely guidance to improve yields and reduce production risks,” he added.
Mukhtar Ibrahim, AGRA Desk Officer for the Maize and Rice Consortium Project in Kaduna State, said the programme strengthens collaboration across the agricultural value chain, enhancing synergy among agro-dealers, farmers, and service providers.
Participants described the training as timely and impactful. Dauda Yusuf, an agro-dealer from Ikara LGA, said it improved his technical and business knowledge, enabling him to better serve farmers and expand his enterprise. Umar Ishaq from Igabi LGA added that learning safety precautions for agro-chemical handling would help prevent health hazards, reduce crop losses, and increase yields.
The AGRA-funded project aims to improve the productivity and competitiveness of smallholder farmers by enhancing both the quantity and quality of domestically produced maize and soybeans. The three-year, value-chain-focused project, running from September 2025 to March 2028, targets 100,000 beneficiaries—60,000 maize farmers and 40,000 soybean farmers, with 50% women, 40% youth, and 10% men and persons living with disabilities.
