By Faridat Salifu
Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) has launched a five-year agricultural initiative aimed at strengthening agri-food systems and creating 8,000 jobs across northern Nigeria.
The project, titled Resilient and Inclusive Agri-Food Systems Empowering Women and Youth in Nigeria (RISE), is supported by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by MEDA in partnership with local and international organisations.
RISE targets the strengthening of agricultural value chains while improving incomes, resilience, and market access for smallholder farmers in the region.
The initiative is expected to support 12,500 smallholder farmers through access to finance, climate-smart agricultural practices, and improved market linkages.
It will also strengthen 450 women- and youth-led agribusinesses and empower 250 farmer cooperatives across participating states.
Overall, the project is projected to reach about 50,000 people directly and indirectly during its implementation period.
RISE will be implemented in Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano states, focusing on rice, maize, groundnut, and soybean value chains.
The project adopts a three-pillar approach centred on increasing yields and incomes through climate-smart practices, improving the competitiveness of women- and youth-led enterprises through finance and technology, and addressing harmful social norms within cooperatives and agribusinesses.
The launch event convened stakeholders from government, the private sector, financial institutions, women associations, and local cooperatives to identify barriers within targeted value chains.
MEDA Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Diaka Sall, said the project places women and youth at the centre of agricultural transformation rather than as passive beneficiaries.
She said RISE aims to strengthen agri-food systems in Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano states while improving resilience to climate and economic shocks.
Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pasquale Salvaggio, reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to Nigeria’s agricultural development, describing agriculture as a key driver of economic growth, gender equality, and poverty reduction.
He said empowering women and youth would help create decent jobs, strengthen local economies, and build resilient and sustainable food systems.
The launch also featured panel discussions moderated by MEDA and Sahel Consulting, with women farmers represented by Dr. Aishatu Usman.
RISE is co-designed and implemented by MEDA alongside Sahel Consulting, Development Exchange Centre, Emeraid Capital, Extension Africa, Women in Business Forum, and the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria.
Government officials present at the event included representatives from federal and state ministries of agriculture, women affairs, human services, and budget and planning across Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano states.
The project is expected to contribute to inclusive agricultural growth while strengthening food security and climate resilience in northern Nigeria.