Farmer tending cowpea crops in Borno. Photo by IITA

An 81% increase in farmers’ incomes over the past 5 years from improved yields, better access to farm inputs, and social empowerment are the key results of the US$6.33 million PROSAB project in northern Nigeria.

PROSAB is Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in Borno State, a project started in 2004 by IITA with Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) funding.

In a conference held last September in the state capital of Maiduguri, government officials, farmers, participants, local partners, and other stakeholders said that PROSAB has “helped significantly increase agricultural productivity and build the capacity of thousands of farmers and farmers’ associations in the northern Nigerian state.”

Key project interventions included the introduction of improved crop varieties from IITA, training of farmers on improved agronomic practices, and promotion of gender equality, especially empowerment of women, in agricultural development.

The local government plans to upscale the project to further reduce poverty by promoting greater farmer education on best agricultural practices through the Agricultural Development Program; and encouraging more women to participate in the program.

Amare Tegbaru, PROSAB Manager, says the program has also improved the nutrition of farmers, especially children. “Farmers who adopted improved technologies and management practices experienced increased food availability and improved livelihood. Also, considerable progress has been made in addressing the problems of declining soil fertility and witchweed (Striga hermonthica),” he says.