The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), under the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Component 2, has commenced the distribution of home gardening toolkits to 1,445 households in Kano State.

The initiative, under the SAPZ Targeted Nutrition Support Programme, aims to support households across eight local government areas.

Speaking at the launch in Kano, the State Project Coordinator of SAPZ, Mr Aminu Iliyasu, said the intervention was designed to empower women and vulnerable groups to cultivate nutrient-rich vegetables and crops at home, thereby enhancing food security.

He listed the benefiting local government areas as Kura, Garun-Mallam, Bebeji, Dambatta, Gezawa, Dawakin-Tofa, Bichi and Bagwai.

Iliyasu explained that the distribution was aimed at improving dietary diversity and ensuring continuous access to fresh, nutrient-rich foods.

“The initiative will provide gardening implements and inputs to enable families to cultivate a variety of vegetables and small-scale crops suited to their local environment,” he said.

He added that the initiative would lower household food expenses, generate additional income from surplus produce, and promote self-sufficiency, thereby enhancing economic stability and reducing vulnerability to price fluctuations and food shortages.

According to him, the programme is expected to increase household production of nutrient-dense vegetables, reduce malnutrition among children under five, pregnant and lactating women, and strengthen community ownership of nutrition-sensitive agricultural interventions.

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In his remarks, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Danjuma Mahmoud, described the initiative as a bold step towards transforming agriculture from subsistence to empowerment, job creation and community transformation.

Mahmoud, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Bashir Sanusi, said the programme aligns with the vision of the administration of Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf to strengthen agriculture as a key driver of empowerment and prosperity.

“This flagship programme is championed through strong collaboration between the Federal Government, the Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, state governments, the private sector and farming communities,” he said.

He noted that the state government had introduced bold measures including livestock distribution to women and youth, deployment of mechanised equipment, and employment of agricultural extension workers to boost productivity.

“These measures are evidence of a government that sees agriculture not only as an economic sector but as a pathway to dignity, empowerment and shared prosperity,” Mahmoud said. (NAN)