The National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) has concluded a three-year agricultural intervention project in Niger, empowering approximately 367,000 smallholder farmers.
Dr. Ken Ukaoha, National President of NANTS, announced this during the NANTS/Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) project evaluation, sign-off, and sustainability workshop in Minna.
The project, aimed at improving farmer resilience and upscaling productivity, income, and livelihood in key value chains, surpassed its initial target of 350,000 farmers. Ukaoha described it as a major success, emphasizing its impact across 16 local government areas. He noted that it established Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), trained thousands of farmers in improved agricultural practices, and integrated smallholders into supply chains, securing long-term deals with processors and agro-dealers.
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Recommending further steps for sustainability, he stressed the need for digital technology to track commodities, improve market access, and expand financing options for smallholder farmers.
AGRA Programme Officer, Godswill Agwuyi, highlighted the importance of gathering feedback from VSLA groups to enhance future interventions. He urged them to communicate, share ideas, and find ways to sustain the project’s gains.
Beneficiaries shared their experiences, with some noting how the provision of POS machines had eased financial transactions, while others credited the project for boosting cooperative businesses through equipment support. Many expressed plans to reinvest earnings into additional resources, further strengthening their ventures and improving livelihoods.
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