KADUNA: BEYOND MALABO TARGET

With more than 12 per cent annual budget to agriculture, Kaduna has become the only subnational to meet and exceed the Malabo Declaration benchmark, writes

 WILLIAM BALAT

That the Senator Uba Sani administration was serious about promoting agriculture was not in doubt. The shock is the massive scale at which the Kaduna State governor is leading the charge.

At the state’s recent quarterly ministerial briefing, Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Murtala Dabo, unveiled the N74 billion agricultural transformation initiative. That huge figure is what Kaduna is allocating to agriculture in its 2025 budget. More impressive is that 97.7% of the agric sector budget of N74.2 billion was earmarked for capital projects and “only 2.3% was allocated to recurrent expenditure, reflecting a strong emphasis on long-term, impactful investments.”

Knowing the place of food on Maslow’s hierarchical order, the Kaduna State intervention in ensuring food security is very commendable. For clearer perspectives, the immediate past administration allocated N1.48 billion to agriculture in its 2023 budget, prompting the commissioner to describe the N74.2 billion agriculture allocation as “an exponential growth of 5,000%.” And knowing how angry hungry men can be, isn’t it wise to have less hungry men around?

“Collectively, the budgetary allocations to agricultural activities in the Ministries of Environment, Education and Human Services have pushed the allocation to agriculture to over 12% of the 2025 budget, making Kaduna State the only subnational to meet and exceed the 10% Malabo Declaration benchmark,” Dabo said of the history-making output. The Malabo Declaration benchmark of allocating at least 10% of annual budget to agriculture was signed by African Union heads of state in June 2014.

Dabo also said Kaduna allocated an additional N200 million to rehabilitate critical irrigation infrastructure and has expressed interest in the World Bank’s $500 million Sustainable Power and Irrigation for Nigeria (SPIN) project. It cannot be denied that in the past two years since Sani became governor, farmers who make up about 70% of the 10 million population and contribute more than 51% to the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), have enjoyed.

Is it the introduction of Tallafin Noma (A Koma Gona) which means ‘Get Back to Farm’ which has seen the distribution of over 100, 000 free bags of fertilisers, improved seedlings and other agro-chemicals to 69, 000 verified smallholder farmers? Under that scheme, verified co-operatives got 500 power tillers and 10, 000 solar-powered water pumps to be deployed to use by their members. They were also given 30 bags of Urea and NPK fertilisers, one motorised knapsack sprayer, one carton of herbicide and another carton of pesticide. Across the state, 16 rural roads have been rehabilitated under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) project to improve market access for farmers. It would also connect farmers to schools, and healthcare centers, reducing post-harvest losses and improving livelihoods.

However, understanding that while smallholder farmers should be empowered, the secret to overcoming food insecurity lies in mechanisation, the Sani-led administration is aiming at encouraging mechanised farming.

“Under macro-mechanization, we have procured a fleet of tractors to enhance mechanization,” said Dabo.  

“A new public-private partnership framework has been developed to operationalize these tractors via revived mechanization hubs.”

The commissioner disclosed that these tractors would be hired to farmers at highly subsidised rates, incentivising private operators to acquire more tractors till “there will be a penetration of this mechanization to all nooks and crannies of the state over the years.”

This vision is not contained within Kaduna. Under Sani as governor, the state has opened up agricultural-wise, blazing uncharted territories with both local and international partners. With the support of the Afrexim Bank, Kaduna is developing the Agricultural Quality Assurance Centre (AQAC), the first of its kind in Northern Nigeria. This development, according to Dabo, would ensure that agricultural produce in the state are inspected, tested and certified to meet global standards, particularly within the AfCFTA framework.

“This means that our farmers and agro-industries will not only produce more but will produce better—meeting the highest standards required for export and premium markets,” he said.

Also, on April 8, 2025, Kaduna made history as the first Nigerian state to commence the Special Agricultural Processing Zone (SAPZ). The SAPZ is a partnership initiated by the African Development Banks (AfDB) to tackle food insecurity. At the groundbreaking ceremony hosted by Governor Sani and attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President of the African Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, a surge of hope was felt in the speeches.

“You have been a great Governor for Kaduna State,” said Dr. Adesina.

“Your passion for agriculture is impressive. I learnt that since you became the Governor you have increased the share of the State budget allocated to agriculture to 10%; and that this has risen to about 74 billion Naira. Well done! The fastest way to develop your vast state, so rich with agricultural potential, is via agricultural transformation. It will transform your rural economies, create jobs, expand your fiscal space and make Kaduna State critical for feeding Nigeria.”

According to AfDB, the SAPZ “will increase agricultural productivity by over 60%, reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen value chains from farm to market… For Kaduna, the focus will be on maize, soybeans, ginger, and tomatoes.”  

Then, there is the project, ‘Smart Tomato Value Chain Enhancement Through Sustainable Practices for Livelihood Improvement in Kaduna State.’ It was signed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Kaduna State government in February this year.

The agreement seeks to reduce post-harvest losses and improve tomato production. It should be noted that Kaduna State is a leading tomato-producing state in the country. At the event, the FAO Country Representative, Koffy Dominique Kouacou, said the partnership would focus on enhancing production techniques to improve yields and quality. It would also reduce post-harvest losses through better storage, processing and infrastructure development.

“Kaduna State – and indeed Nigeria – has the capacity to become a powerhouse in agricultural production, value addition, and food security, not only for the nation but for the continent,” Kouacou said while commending Governor Sani for his visionary leadership.

“This signing ceremony represents more than just an agreement; it is a milestone in our shared journey toward sustainable development, job creation, and inclusive economic growth.”

In the first year of the Sani-led administration, ginger farmers in the state were hit by a ginger blight epidemic. In response, the government swiftly deployed scientists and distributed 12,800 units of agrochemicals to support affected farmers. Similarly, when a Fall Armyworm outbreak threatened maize and rice farms last year, the state government also trained pest control officers and distributed 18,000 units of agrochemicals to protect the over 4,700 hectares of farmland.

The Sani-led administration has also vaccinated 1,000,000 against Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia (CBPP), and 350,000 sheep and goats against the deadly Peste des Petits Ruminants virus. Grazing reserves have been rehabilitated while solar-powered boreholes installed for pastoralists. The government has also engaged in distributing fodder choppers and residue crushers to reduce grazing conflicts, thereby fostering peaceful coexistence. These measures are ensuring that Kaduna remains conducive to livestock productivity

By increasing funding, introducing new agricultural schemes and partnering with small and big farmers as well as local and international organisations, Governor Sani has not only broken records, he has laid a foundation for sustainable agribusiness and food security in Kaduna and beyond. Other leaders would do right to emulate Kaduna’s green revolution being led by him.

Balat writes from Kaduna