{"id":18219,"date":"2026-06-20T13:03:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T13:03:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/nigerian-women-farmers-from-subsistence-to-thriving-agribusiness\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T16:50:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T16:50:44","slug":"nigerian-women-farmers-from-subsistence-to-thriving-agribusiness","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/nigerian-women-farmers-from-subsistence-to-thriving-agribusiness\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigerian women farmers: From subsistence to thriving agribusiness"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Rukayya<\/a>
Rukayya Muhammad tending to layer birds in one of her poultry pens.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mariam Abass and Rukayya Muhammad were subsistence farmers in northern Nigeria, producing just enough food to feed their families, until they came across an agribusiness training program that changed their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program has equipped them with the knowledge and skills to start and grow their businesses, significantly increasing their productivity and putting them on a sustained profitability path. For instance, one of the women disclosed that her net profit before the training was around a miserly N30,000, but that on applying the knowledge gained, her net income increased to a whopping N500,000, which she described as profound and life-changing. \u201cThe training was invaluable, it taught us how to manage our business, connect with buyers, and join groups that expand our knowledge and help us grow,\u201d Rukayya, who lives in Kano State, stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Women farmers, particularly in the region, traditionally face low productivity and financial dependence on male family members. Culture and childcare responsibilities have historically hindered their participation in agricultural training, where they could access modern skills, mentorship, and resources to improve their agricultural practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Rukayya<\/a>
Rukayya and her husband collecting eggs from her poultry farm.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, that has begun to change, thanks to the agribusiness training designed for them by IITA<\/a>\u2019s Youth in Agribusiness Unit (IYA)<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given their peculiar situation, the IYA first conducted community assessments to identify the constraints and specific needs of women in the region, particularly those interested in agribusiness training. This eventually led to an agribusiness training program that targeted 70 per cent of women’s participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mariam<\/a>
Mariam and her husband, Nasir, preparing feed for their chickens.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The training covered climate-smart farming techniques such as crop rotation, drip irrigation, improved livestock housing, feed optimization, vaccination, efficient waste management, renewable energy integration, and finance skills such as budgeting and record-keeping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mariam, who lives in Zaria, Kaduna State, noted that she had seen significant changes in her farm since participating in the training. \u201cWith the help of IITA, I now have vast knowledge in the poultry business and marketing,\u201d she stated. \u201cI don\u2019t sell my birds locally anymore. I have markets in Kaduna and Kano, which have increased my income and improved my business insight.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBefore we started the training, any time we stocked birds, we recorded losses and lost our capital because we didn\u2019t know much about the business. Miraculously, IITA came into our lives, and that was where our journey to success started.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Chicks<\/a>
Chicks feeding in Mariam and Nasir\u2019s brooding pen.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n\n\n\n

IYA provides childcare services and allows recess between training sessions to ensure nursing mothers are not distracted or excluded from the training. Additionally, the program allows couples to participate, eliminating hesitant spouses\u2019 concerns and fostering family support. According to Mariam, the latter was why she could confidently participate in the training, describing the initiative as commendable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Findings indicated that the training has enabled these women to evolve from subsistence farming into successful agribusinesses, boosting their income and enabling them to be part of the agricultural value chain. \u201cOur business significantly improved after the IITA training,\u201d Nasir Abubakar, Mariam\u2019s husband, said with gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added, \u201cWe gained marketing skills, which have helped us attract better customers. After our last sales, we deducted our expenses and made a profit of about \u20a6500,000, whereas before the training, our profit was less than \u20a630,000.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solomon Adebayo, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at IITA, emphasized the need for women’s empowerment, saying, \u201cRural women, who make up about 43 percent of the world\u2019s agricultural workforce, face significant discrimination in land ownership, livestock ownership, equal pay, participation in decision-making roles, and access to credit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Concerned by these challenges, the IYA collaborates with organizations like the Mastercard Foundation<\/a>, le Fonds international de d\u00e9veloppement agricole (FIDA)<\/a>, and other partners to provide essential training and support that addresses the barriers women in agriculture face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The women farmers participating in the program say the training has significantly improved their ability to manage businesses effectively. Relying on what she learned at the training, Rukayya has established reliable connections with more buyers and sells locally to supermarkets and MaiShayi<\/em> vendors (tea sellers). A new buyer from the neighboring Niger Republic recently purchased an entire batch of her broiler chickens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The training has also taught her how to keep her poultry healthy by cleaning the environment regularly, adjusting their feeding schedules, using clean water, and giving them the right medication. She said these changes had made her chickens healthier and increased profits. \u201cWe had 600 chickens in the past, but now we have 800. We added broilers to our poultry to gain more profit and expand our business,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With their expanded poultry business and increased income, Rukayya says her family\u2019s living conditions are improving. They are moving to complete their building and provide quality education for the children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Allowing spouses to participate in the training has been crucial in assisting the women\u2019s businesses in thriving. Mariam and Rukayya say their husbands are involved in the businesses, providing logistical support, helping to market the products, and sharing responsibilities in the day-to-day running of the farm, which increases productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis intervention by IITA has changed our lives,\u201d Nasir remarked. \u201cWe have paid our daughters\u2019 school fees for the whole school year, and we have bought foodstuffs for the month, unlike before when we struggled to buy food daily.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the collective efforts of IYA and its partners, women farmers are improving their livelihoods and reshaping their roles within their communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contributed by Jesutofunmi Robinson<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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