Women groups commend Sasakawa’s intervention in improving smallholder farmers’ income in Gombe

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By Akanji Alowolodu, Gombe

The Sasakawa Africa Association’s (SAA) intervention in Gombe State has been described as a sure way that is improving sources of livelihood and boosting incomes of smallholder farmers in various communities particularly among Women groups in Yamaltu/Deba and Kaltungo Local Government Areas of the State. 

The assertion was made by the Women groups while sharing their experiences  with Journalists during a media field day visit organized by SAA to assess the activities of the project and the impact made so far among the beneficiaries.

Leader of Kauna Women Multipurpose Group in Dadin Kowa, Mrs Agnes Danladi said that the SAA has exposed them to best agriculture practices which have impacted positively in their livelihood and improved their incomes.

She also said that at the initial stage, they have not taken farming as business but only as source of food production for the immediate family. 

“Initially we have not taken Agriculture as business but food production for family consumption but  with the intervention given to us SAA, we are now cultivating different types of crops for our personal consumption and business,” she explained.

According to her, the group now has over N6 million in its account and out of the money, they give loans with 10 per cent interest to its members and people in the community who applied for it

“We will remain grateful to SAA for the intervention given to us which had impacted in our lives positively,” she explained.

Mrs Barmani Musa, leader of Kai -Kendi Women group, Ture-Okwaldi community also said that SAA intervention has really changed their lives for good financially.

She said that they were smallholder farmers, cultivating food in small quantity, “but with the new farming techniques given to us by SAA we are now harvesting a significant quantity for our consumption as well as business.”

Barmani Musa also said that apart from income generation from the crops produced, they received training on how to balance their diet from the food they produced in their farms as well improving their personal hygiene for healthy living.

Also speaking, Mrs Zainabu Haruna, leader of Kalkwi women group, Ladur also in Kaltungo LGA said that the training given to them by SAA had empowered them on how to establish perma-gardening around homes to improve their  nutritional status and income generation.

According to her, the group is now financially independent taking responsibilities of their immediate needs without contacting anyone for help or waiting for their spouses.

“ We eat from the garden and we also sell “ the  little profits we realized we cater for our  family immediate needs, now we are above poverty level ” she explained.

Also speaking, Mr Salomon Salihu, the village head of Ludur  commended Sasakawa Africa  Association (SAA) for lifting the members of his community out of poverty through its intervention.

He said that initially what they were cultivating was for the immediate family consumption, but now they take their farm produce to markets in other LGAs for sale and also as source of income.

“ Farming has been our primary occupation but when we became beneficiaries of SAA our capacity was built on how to boost the productivity of our crops, we have turned from subsistence to commercial farmers,” he said.

He commended Sasakawa for the intervention saying, “We will forever remain grateful to SAA for the knowledge given to us which has changed our status ,”.

Earlier, the Ag.Country Director of SAA, Dr Abdulhamid Gambo said that they were in the communities with Journalists to interact with the beneficiaries as well as to assess the progress so far made as well as challenges and how to improve on them.

According to him, SAA within the period working in Gombe, they have worked on several strategic areas supported farmers in various communities on agricultural best practice. 

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