Enhancing Agric Value Chain in Focus as Stakeholders Collaborate in Kano, Jigawa

Hauwa Ali

A gathering of stakeholders in the agriculture sector from Kano and Jigawa states has taken place to deliberate on strategies aimed at fostering food production, processing, and market linkage.
The meeting, held in Kano, sought to contribute insights for the development of the Value Chain North project.
Recent times have witnessed a notable shift in both government and private sector focus towards food production, making it a central topic in discussions aimed at achieving food security in the country.
Agricultural stakeholders have actively formulated strategies and initiatives to address this imperative.
In Kano, experts and smallholder farmers are currently engaged in discussions to shape a new initiative known as the Value Chain North (VCN). The primary objectives of this project are to alleviate poverty, improve nutrition, and enhance the resilience of the rural population.
Stakeholders involved in these deliberations assert that the present moment is opportune for encouraging smallholder farmers through diverse forms of support, fostering effective food production, processing, and market linkage throughout the country.
The Value Chain North project specifically targets eight northern states: Kano, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara, Borno, Katsina, and Yobe. With a focus on 456 thousand direct beneficiaries, equivalent to 91 thousand households across these states, the initiative aims to make significant strides in advancing the agricultural value chain.