The HortiNigeria program, funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, is equipping and empowering farmers with innovative techniques and enhanced knowledge to boost their productivity and thus, boost their income.
By fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and collaboration, the program helps farmers adopt more efficient, sustainable practices that transform traditional farming into modern farming. Through targeted training and the introduction of modern farming methods, farmers are not only increasing their productivity and enhancing their incomes but also uplifting their communities.
With HortiNigeria’s emphasis on knowledge sharing, farmers can adopt sustainable techniques and then improve their communities’ livelihoods by sharing what they know.
Through its demonstration farms, HortiNigeria aims to teach farmers about these modern techniques to enhance productivity and resilience, enabling them to increase their income.
Fatima Mahmud is a prime example of the transformative impact of the HortiNigeria program as it works to develop a sustainable and inclusive horticulture sector that enhances food and nutrition security.
Through HortiNigeria’s training, Fatima gained valuable knowledge that enabled her to meet the growing demand for seeds in her community. By registering as an agro-dealer, Fatima expanded her business to serve both home gardeners and commercial farmers. Today, her thriving business has boosted her income and positioned her as a community leader, promoting sustainable farming practices and empowering those around her.
Promoting modern practices, such as improved seed varieties, precision farming, and integrated pest management, enhances farming efficiency, leading to higher profits for farmers.
Through its demonstration farms, HortiNigeria aims to teach farmers about these modern techniques to enhance productivity and resilience, enabling them to increase their income.
After visiting one of these demonstration farms, Musa D. Suleiman quickly adopted modern seed and crop techniques he learned there. He soon invested 300,000 naira (approximately U.S. $181) in six packs of Diva F1 tomato seeds, a hybrid variety reputable for its high yield and quality fruits. After he planted them according to the techniques he learned on the demonstration farm, his investment earned him a return of 1.5 million naira (approximately U.S. $906).
This year, Musa expanded his production by purchasing 16 packs of tomato seeds to farm on a larger scale. His increased income has inspired at least 10 other farmers in Musa’s community to adopt these practices, with more expected to follow.
Modern farming practices offer farmers many crop management benefits for increasing yields and profit because they incorporate advanced technologies, such as precision agriculture, which allows for more efficient use of inputs like water, fertilizers, and pesticides.
Hajiya Amina adopted pest management methods from training offered by HortiNigeria at Bayero University Kano. Through efficient and safe pest management practices, Hajiya’s crops are protected, helping improve the quality of her crops and increase yields. This newfound strategy has helped provide valuable increased income for Hajiya and her family, who now sell her harvests of cucumbers at the university.
By promoting sustainable practices and empowering farmers with the tools they need to succeed, the program is not only transforming individual lives but also fostering community-wide economic growth.
HortiNigeria’s promotion of modern farming practices and techniques, including specific field layout, bed preparation, installation of poles, trellising, and the use of organic fertilizers, inspired Aliyu Idee, who implemented these techniques to improve the health and productivity of his crops and achieved his first bountiful harvest cycle.
Seeing the significant increase in his crop yield, Aliyu was happy to share this knowledge, and he encouraged other farmers to adopt these practices on their own farms. Leveraging the positive impact of learning and sharing knowledge in agriculture leads to increased productivity and income for small-scale farmers across various communities like Aliyu’s.
HortiNigeria farmer Maman Murna has successfully shared her knowledge across her community with 20 women in Ikara Local Government Area in Kaduna State, fully embracing HortiNigeria’s modern vegetable farming techniques.
These women independently prepared the beds, cultivated healthy seedlings, transplanted them, sourced trellising poles, and meticulously followed all fertilization schedules without the use of paid labor. The group’s teamwork and adoption of modern practices have ensured success, significantly increasing their productivity and potential income.
The success of these farmers underscores the profound impact that HortiNigeria continues to make on agricultural productivity and income generation. By promoting sustainable practices and empowering farmers with the tools they need to succeed, the program is not only transforming individual lives but also fostering community-wide economic growth.
The HortiNigeria program (2021-2025), funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) in Nigeria, aims to facilitate the development of a sustainable and inclusive horticulture sector that contributes to food and nutrition security in Nigeria.
