The Soil Values Programme, in partnership with the Nigerian Agro-Inputs Dealers Association (NAIDA) Northwest, has launched a mobile one-stop shop model that seeks to improve smallholder farmers’ access to quality farm inputs across northern Nigeria.
The initiative, unveiled in Dutse on Friday, will deploy nine mobile agro-input shops across more than 20 rural communities in Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi states.
According to the Soil Values Country Coordinator, Mrs Medina Fagbemi, the model is designed to reach at least 7,000 smallholder farmers across nine local government areas (LGAs).
Fagbemi explained that the mobile shops will bring essential farm inputs, including certified seeds, fertiliser and crop protection products, directly to farmers, reducing long travel distances, transport costs and fragmented supply chains that often hinder productivity.
Beyond input distribution, the model integrates soil testing, agronomic advisory services and digital farmer profiling, enabling data-driven recommendations for better soil health and yields.
Farmers and trained agro-dealers will also receive business and financial management support to ensure long-term sustainability of the model.
“This initiative links farmers, input suppliers and value chain actors, promoting market efficiency and inclusive access to improve soil health and resilient livelihoods,” Fagbemi said.
“I commend the trained agropreneurs for their enthusiasm and urge them to uphold integrity, service and inclusiveness in delivering this vision.”
NAIDA Northwest Vice President Abdullahi Muhammed urged beneficiaries to uphold training standards and act as ambassadors of the programme. Similarly, Jigawa State Agricultural Transformation Agency Director, Dr Saifullahi Umar, welcomed the initiative, assuring full support from the state government and the Namadi administration.
Beneficiaries Mathew Zaki and Tasiu Muhammed, speaking on behalf of participants, pledged to use the mobile shops responsibly and apply lessons gained from three days of technical training.
NAIDA Northwest Secretary Muhammed Auwal reinforced this commitment, noting that strict monitoring mechanisms are in place to ensure ethical use of the mobile facilities.
The Soil Values Programme is a €100 million, 10-year initiative funded by the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation.
Operating in Nigeria, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, the programme aims to improve soil fertility, close yield gaps, and build climate resilience for 1.5 million smallholder farmers, while restoring 2 million hectares of degraded land.
In northern Nigeria, the initiative targets 600,000 farmers, including women and youth, and 800,000 hectares of land restoration by 2034.
The programme is led by the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) in partnership with SNV and Wageningen University & Research, with technical support from IITA, AGRA, ICRAF, IWMI and ISRIC.
Source: Punch
Image: Radio Nigeria Kaduna
