Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase-One (ATASP-1) In Focus

President Muhammadu Buhari 

*Improves Livelihood Of Farmers, Processors Others

*Boosts Food Production, Rural Infrastructure

*Builds Capacity Of Youths, Women, Others

The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) under President Muhammadu Buhari in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) designed the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase-One (ATASP-1), which has adopted a holistic approach to tackling the challenges confronting agriculture in Nigeria. The AfDB is funding ATASP-1 as its contribution to the revitalization of agriculture in the country.

ATASP-1 which is in its 3^rd year is a 5-year program being implemented in line with the present government’s Green Alternative Agriculture Policy. The program is overseen by the current Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh, and coordinated by Mr. Haruna K. Akwashiki, who is the National Program Coordinator (NPC).

The program is on-going in 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in seven states of the federation including Anambra, Enugu, Niger, Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi and Sokoto with a land area of 194,426Km² and a population of 32,121,944 people who are predominantly farmers. The benefitting states are located in four Staple Crop Processing Zones of Adani-Omor, Bida-Badeggi, Kano-Jigawa and Kebbi-Sokoto.

The objectives of the program are to ensure attainment of food and nutrition security, contribute to employment generation and wealth creation for the targeted beneficiaries along rice, sorghum and cassava value chains on sustainable basis, attract private sector investments in agriculture, reduce post-harvest losses, add value to local agricultural produce, develop rural infrastructure and enhance access of farmers and other value chain actors to financial services and markets.

ATASP-1 has three complimentary and mutually reinforcing components namely: Infrastructure Development; Commodity Value Chain Development and Program Management. The Commodity Value Chain Development Component of ATASP-1 is being implemented by IITA and its consortium: AfricaRice and ICRISAT under an outreach arrangement. IITA focuses on cassava; AfricaRice coordinates work on rice, while ICRISAT leads the work on sorghum.

The field activities in the three commodities (Cassava, Rice and Sorghum) are technology verification, adaptation, diffusion and extension and skill acquisition enhancement. The effective transfer of technologies to the farmers depends on effective and efficient extension delivery services. Extension Agents (EAs) play this key role in all the zones during the program life span.

Since the program started in 2015, not much has been put in public domain about its achievements. According to the NPC, Mr. Akwashiki, “ATASP-1 has recorded revolutionary achievements in the benefitting communities across the states the program is being implemented”.

He said construction of social infrastructures (primary schools, community health centres, boreholes and/or hand pump, VIP latrines, community markets, technology demonstration centres etc.) has attained 70% completion, adding that evaluation of bids for feeder roads has been completed and sent to AfDB, while Irrigation Scheme designs are being reviewed.

Completed Solar Powered Borehole  and Health Clinic in Ogbunka Community, Orumba South LGA, Anambra State

Other achievements listed by the NPC are training of farmers and Extension Agents on Good Agronomic Practices (GAP), establishment of demonstration plots and multiplication plots on rice, cassava and sorghum in the seven participating states, facilitating the formation of Value Chain Innovation Platforms and efficient Production Clusters geared towards establishing a reliable supply of cassava roots, rice and sorghum grains to processing mills.

To verify the authenticity of his claim and obtain first hand information, an independent media team went round the zones and visited the project sites. A lot of success stories were told by many beneficiaries including men, women and the youth.

The beneficiaries told the media team that their livelihoods have been improved through capacity building on Good Agronomic Practices (GAP) and entrepreneurship trainings, among others, which boosted their outputs, even as the journalists saw the tremendous achievements in infrastructure development from one community to the other and reports zone by zone.

ATASP-1 Adani-Omor Zone

In Adani-Omor zone, the journalists were stunned by the unsung success stories reeled out by the beneficiaries. Mrs. Perpetual Okolimba is a female member of Ogbunka community in Orumba South LGA, Anambra state, which benefitted from a motorized borehole, health clinic and refuse disposal. The middle aged woman married with eight children told reporters that the community was in dire need of the two amenities for a long time but with ATASP-1 intervention, they heaved a sigh of relief.

Khamisu Yahaya, Equipment Fabricator displaying his certificates

“The hospital we go to is very far and we normally fetch water from the stream, but we thank God that ATASP-1 has built clinic and constructed borehole for us. They have reduced our sufferings,” the woman disclosed.      

The Chairman of the community, Hon. Jonathan Onyema told journalists that disease prevalence was high prior to ATASP-1 intervention as a result of lack of portable water but with the borehole the rate has reduced, adding that “moreover the clinic is nearby for anyone that falls sick to easily attend.”

Speaking to newsmen on behalf of Chief Reginald Onyeaka, the President General of Omogho community in Orumba North LGA, Anambra state where a solar powered borehole was constructed by ATASP-1, Chief Nwankwo Clement, the Vice President General hailed the program for its intervention.

“The community members are very happy with the water project; they no longer go here and there in search of water for various purposes. We thank ATASP-1 for giving us water,” Nwankwo noted.

Mr. Ndidigwe Ezekiel Ekene, is a 30 year old young graduate who has benefited immensely from ATASP-1 initiative. He told the media team in his farm in Adani, Enugu State that after his national youth service and having received training on farming he decided to start a rice farm. 

“What I got from ATASP-1 is numerous. Formerly what we do here is that we used to broadcast rice but with the intervention of ATASP-1 and with the help of AfricaRice, I adopted a new approach which has significantly increased the yield,” he said while arranging the bags of rice ready for transport home from the farm.

A Sorghum farm In Adani, Enugu state

Speaking further, Mr. Ekene said: “What I used to get before the ATASP-1 intervention was 11 to 12 bags (of 130kg each) after broadcasting, but now I’m getting above 15 during the rain-fed and quantities we used to get are higher during the dry season.”

The young graduate said with the Intervention of ATASP-1 things will get better for him in the future adding that “I don’t think there is any work that can make me stop farming unless you send me out of this country to where I cannot see land, but once there is land there I will continue farming. What I have here is one hectare but I will like to expand my business to at least 10 hectares.”

Another rice farmer, Bernard Idu, a 53-year-old man with nine family members, who through the program has increased production to 10 hectares, said the improved technology and the seeding system training he received from ATASP-1 led to the increase in yield of his crop.

Mr. Benard iIdu n his rice farm at Adani, Enugu state

Mr. Idu stressed that the difference is clear in terms of what used to be and the change introduced by the program. He added, “the tonnage has dramatically increased from 2-3 tons/ha to about 5 tons/ha and with the money I made from the sales I am now building a story building.”

In the area of seed multiplication, the media team visited some of the farms owned by Adani Youth Seed Farmers trained in both cassava and rice seed multiplication.

Mr. Ogwuda Solomon Ugochukwu, Chairman of the youth group is a 31-year old graduate of zoology and father of 2. He told the reporters that the initiative has changed his view of farming and has equipped him and other 20 members of the group to make more money.

He, along with the group co-owned 8 hectares in Adani and more hectares in other locations where they are producing seed and already linked to an off-taker. The farm was due for harvest when journalists visited.

Like Ugochukwu, a young lady, Mrs. Lydia Onochie who through the initiative owns 0.5 hectare of rice farm told the reporters that her perception of farming has changed as a result of the training she and others received on seed multiplication.

Mrs. Onochie expressed view that “Farming is no longer business as usual, it’s now a business; now I have a company that is going to buy my seeds, which means I’m going to get more money”, adding that she hopes to expand her farm to 3 hectares next season.

Journalists and farmers in Mr. Ndidigwe Ezekiel Ekene's rice farm in Adani, Enugu state

Mr. Agbor Christopher Chinedu is the Leader of Doyen Multi-purpose Cooperative in Adani which comprises of 3 clusters with about 40 farmers.

The group is into cassava seed multiplication and operates on 1.1ha in Adani and 10ha in Iyakpa cluster. Chinedu told journalists: “We used to harvest cassava in one and a half years but with the intervention of ATASP-1, we now harvest in one year.”

“We want to develop a large and sustainable cassava farm to supply everybody in the community, but our challenges are lack of mechanization and roads,” he stated.

Besides rice and cassava, ATASP-1 program has for the first time introduced sorghum farming among the Mbu community of Udenu LGA of Enugu State and the people are seeing huge potentials in the crop.

Mr  Ugwuagbo Anthony is a 29-year old farmer who until now saw sorghum as something of no interest to them, he has now realized that huge potential abounds in the crop.

He told the reporters in the farm that the program has introduced four new varieties of sorghum (SK 5912, CSR 01, SAMSORG43) for trials and all showed good prospects as observed in the farms.

The project has arranged an off-taker for the farmers when production is up-scaled next season and many farmers who spoke with the reporters in their farms are already gearing up towards sustained cultivation.

ATASP-1 Bida-Badeggi Zone

In Niger State, the project has helped Alhaji Ahmed Ala to refocus his 50 hectares of sorghum farm with new and improved four varieties and connect to off-takers in Kano state; something that he said has expanded his financial coast.

Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed, Cassava farmer in Wushishi LGA, Niger state

He told the media team while conducting the reporters round his farm that he was expecting double the harvest this year because of the new varieties and extension services he got from ATASP-1.

Alhaji  Abubakar Isah Tukunji  is the Extension Agent under ATASP-1 who monitors this farmer. He told the reporters how the program nurtured the farm: “In fact, this particular farmer, there was a day I discussed with him to change his local varieties to other varieties. Last year in one of our demo plots, out of our four varieties, he decided to choose one of the varieties.

“Before the rainy season we supervised the land and told him how to do the ploughing, planting, spacing and how to get the tractor.  Last two months he was in a stakeholders meeting with the off-takers from Kano, when he came back, in fact, he said he didn’t even know that ATASP-1 is up to that level that he now has confidence to do more than this next year.”

John Yisa is the Agribusiness Development Officer, Bida-Badeggi ATASP-1, he told Journalists in Wushishi, Niger state that they discovered there is a problem in seed system in Nigeria, and the way to address that, “is to see if we can get seed ourselves not only by providing seeds to the farmers but also to have a kind of sustainable seeds system.”

“We cannot just be going to the seed companies everyday asking them for seed, there is a way we want to put up a structure where farmers can be trained in seed production, because the way we produce seed is different from grain or any other thing, so we are trying to see how we could bridge the gap,” he stressed.

Ibrahim Adebayo Jimoh, Equipment Fabricator in Gbako LGA, Niger state

Mr. Yisa continued, “As it is in Niger state here we don’t have much of seed companies, we are just like consumers of seeds, we have to travel as far as Kano and some other places to get seeds, so now that these youths are coming up and we train them to produce seeds the situation will change.”

ATASP-1 is doing what is called youth agribusiness training, now there are youths that produce seeds for rice, for sorghum in Niger state, he noted.

Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed, 44, and father of nine children from two wives in Wushishi local government, Niger state, cultivates cassava, maize, sorghum and millet but does more of cassava - an area he benefits from ATASP-1 intervention.

He disclosed that with the new technology he received from the program, the cassava yield appeared to be doing extremely better, adding that he is expecting over N1million from the hectare he cultivated under the progam.

Ibrahim Adebayo Jimoh is a 28-year-old agricultural and other equipment fabricator in Gbako LGA, Niger state who received ATASP-1 training on equipment fabrication. He was busing working when the media team visited his workshop.

The fabricator told newsmen: “I am happy for the training, it has led to improvement in my work and income and I am popular with the farmers as I fabricate agricultural equipment for them.”

The team also visited the Technology Demonstration Centre in Lemu community and Health Clinic at Mungorota, both in Gbako LGA, Niger state, which were built by ATASP-1. Both facilities have been completed and waiting for commissioning. The community members lauded ATASP-1 for coming to their aid. 

Women Innotion Platform members in Bunkure LGA, Kano state

ATASP-1 Kano-Jigawa Zone

The first port of call in Kano-Jigawa zone was Popular Farms and Mills Ltd, Kano; an ATASP-1 off-taker which has fully integrated rice mill with 1,500 to 1,700 metric tons capacity per annum.

Mr. Sudhansu Ray, Manager, Agric and Procurement told the media team: “We have signed 600 farmers’ cooperatives; 250 – 300 in Kano and Jigawa. We have high capacity, the largest in the country and we are encouraging more farmers to produce rice for us to buy at good price.”

Sanusi Mohammed, the ATASP-1 Zonal Agribusiness Development Officer and Communication Desk Officer told reporters that the deal with the milling giant was to ensure farmers under the project have a more sustainable market, adding that aggregation centres are being built to grade all the rice and sorghum so that farmers get value for their efforts.

A similar arrangement has been made with the Northern Nigeria Flour Mills, Kano to off-take about 100,000 tonnes of sorghum annually.

Group picture of Ogbunka community members, Orumba South LGA, Anambra state

 Also, to ensure that farmers under the project get inputs (fertilizer) promptly, the program arranged with the Kano State Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO) to supply fertilizer to the farmers at even much cheaper rate than the Federal Government’s recommended price of N5,500.

Alhaji Garba Usman DanAiya, the Public Relations Officer, KASCO, disclosed that increase in fertilizer demand has led to expansion of the production capacity of the plant from 5 trucks per day to 30 tonnes per hour, adding that the company was taking care of adulteration.

KASCO’s Assistant General Manager Commercial, Alhaji Musa Kabir said while KASCO has agreed to sell at wholesale price, ATASP-1 has also agreed to supply the company improved rice seeds.

The media team proceeded to Gafar-Zanya community in Bunkure LGA, about 50km from Kano where ATASP-1 built a 20-bed Health Clinic with male and female wards and VIP toilet. The community is made up of 10 – 15 groups of farmers with 25 members each.

Bala DanAlhaji Zanya, the representative of the community told journalists: “No basic health facility here until ATASP-1 intervened. Last year, about 10 pregnant women died on their way to the hospital which is very far from here. We are grateful to ATASP-1 and appeal to them to help us construct our road.”

Alhaji Muhammad Isah Umar, District Head, Hakimin Bunkure and Barayan Kano, who facilitated the location of the clinic in Gafar-Zanya said the community has appealed for a health facility for over 25 years in vain.

He was happy and grateful that ATASP-1 finally came to the community’s rescue, while urging the program to continue the good work.

The media team met a group of women processors trained by ATASP-1 on product development and processing in Bunkure market which is under construction by ATASP-1.

Hajiya Talatu Idi, 45-year-old mother of 8 children leads the Innovation Platform which processes rice into various products such as noodles, doughnut and milk. She told journalists: “We are so happy that ATASP-1 built market for us; this is something we women are so proud of. We were taught how to make rice milk, rice noodles and doughnuts.”

She continued: “We have been empowered in various ways including building our capacity to do many things. We are appealing to ATASP-1 to help us acquire small processing equipment.”

Hajiya Rukaya Saidu, Women Leader of the Cassava Processors in Kila, Gwaram LGA, Jigawa state

“We cultivate rice, wheat and sorghum. I have cows bought from the proceeds of my farm. We are able to send our children to school because what we produce, we have been linked to markets; the off-takers follow us home, we don’t have issues at all,” Hajiya Talatu disclosed.

Another member of the group, Hajiya Ladiyo Garba, 40-year-old mother of seven children, who corroborated the success story told by their leader, said she was also able to step-down the training to other women in her community, adding that “I am able to generate money to take care of my needs and that of my household.”

In Dutse, the Jigawa state capital, the media team met 44-year-old machines and equipment fabricator, Khamisu Yahaya, whose capacity was built by ATASP-1.

The husband of four wives and father of 24 children can design any processing machine for farmers, including multi-purpose crop threshers of various capacity, rice harvester and planter. He is already coming up with more agro processing machines.

Displaying his certificates, Yahaya, who has attended several trainings, told newsmen:  “ATASP-1 training is excellent and has built my capacity to produce high quality stainless steel equipment, though expensive but better for health. There are some changes in my income after the training.”

 In Kila, Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa state, the media crew was surprised to see that cassava is produced in large quantities in every community.

However, with the state government’s processing company for garri, cassava flour and starch now comatose, the farmers struggle to process their products under good modern practices, but ATASP-1 is intervening with processing equipment through its innovation platform approach so that more money enters the farmers’ pockets.

The farmer’s group, which has 1,250 members cultivating about 500 hectares of cassava, lacks the basic training, equipment to process high quality cassava flour and garri for the Nigerian market.

Alhaji Magaji Danbaba, Chairman of the Innovative Platform and Alhaji Tijjani Adamu Ringim, who is the Production Manager/Acting Factory Manager, Jigawa Cassava Products Ltd Kila, Gwaram said ATASP-1 intervention was changing the story of cassava production in the area.

The Secretary of the Cassava Innovation Platform, Alhaji Danladi Isah, stressed that the project intervention would help not only the famers, but even the state cassava company, which would be resuscitated.

The media team was shown round some processing machines supplied to the farmers, but drying slabs, which would help farmers to adopt a more hygienic process, is underway while some of the farmers have been trained on good agronomic practices.

 Hajiya Rukaya Saidu, Women Leader, Cassava Processors told journalists that they now have a better approach to cassava processing, adding that “the project is doing commendable work in the area of training the farmers and the processors.”

At Farin Dutse also in Gwaram LGA, 18-year-old Safiya Musa was trained on Cassava Seed Multiplication in Abuja and Ibadan by IITA through ATASP-1and already producing in her one hectare farm - a very unusual achievement among her peers in the area.

Although Safiya is still pursuing her secondary education, she appears to be so happy with the cassava seed production job, which according to her will give her money to take care of her school fees and assist her parents.

Datti Farindutse, 55-year-old sorghum farmer is married to three wives with 17 children. He told reporters in Farin Dutse: “I am a civil servant but don’t rely on salary. ATASP-1 gives me improved sorghum seeds and builds my capacity. I harvest my sorghum before other farmers and get more yields – about 8 bags.”

He commended ATASP-1 efforts while appealing for assistance in the area of market for his produce.

ATASP-1 Kebbi-Sokoto Zone

In Kebbi-Sokoto Zone, the program is executing several rice, sorghum and rural infrastructure (schools in Tukurwa community, Dandi LGA, clinics in Sabon Tunga, Suru LGA, water projects, markets for rice and sorghum) across many communities to strengthen smallholder farmers in the two states.

At Kamba Rice Market, Dandi LGA, which is being constructed by ATASP-1, Alhaji Abdullahi Abombe Kamba, the market Chairman, Alhaji Tukur DanMalik Kamba, market Secretary and Alhaji Musa Dantayana, the Sarkin Kasuwa, unanimously commended ATASP-1 for constructing the market where the quantity of rice paddy stockpiled and volume of trade is amazing.

In Tukurwa community also in Dandi LGA, the District Head, Chief Yahaya Saidu, and the School Assistant Headmaster, Abubakar Bello Muslim, expressed happiness for ATASP-1 intervention in building 1 block of 2 classrooms, with office, store and VIP toilet for the community.

The over 70-year-old community leader revealed that for over 100 years the community has been looking for road without success and appealed to ATASP-1 to equally help in constructing the 6km road for them.

The Assistant Headmaster also called on ATASP-1 to intervene in reducing their plight by constructing a borehole for the community.

Speaking on the Health Centre at Sabon Tunga community, Suru LGA, the Village Head, Abubakar Hakimi disclosed that the only available hospital before ATASP-1 intervention was very far away in Birnin-Kebbi.

He said the community has no good drinking water, thereby drinking water from contaminated sources which make the people fall sick. The community leader appealed for ATASP-1 assistance in borehole construction.

Mohammadu Sabon Tunga, Sarkin Noma, Sorghum Production Cluster, Kwakware, Suru LGA and a member, Abubakar Hakimi told journalists that ATASP-1 training and improved varieties have impacted on their yield positively.

Hajiya Kulu Umaru Bogobiri who also produces sorghum told the reporters that the varieties have improved her yield by over 100% from 15 bundles to 35. She has also been able to own two camels and two cows estimated at over N500, 000.

Similarly, Sarkin Kawara, in Kawara, Suru LGA, Kebbi state, Alhaji Kabiru Kawara, 50, with two wives and 18 children and the Chairman, Giro Rice Farmers Association, Engr. Mohammed Mahe, told the reporters that the training they received on GAP planting technology has improved their yields with the adoption of Faro 44 and 51 varieties in their farms.

The media team also visited the market, VIP toilet and refuse disposal under construction by ATASP-1 and the health clinic and solar powered borehole being renovated by the program in Hamma Ali, Kware LGA, Sokoto state.

The Market Overseer, Mohammed Sani Umar, and the Chief Iman of Hamma Ali, Liman Abubakar were full of praises for ATASP-1 intervention in constructing the market facilities and rehabilitating the community borehole and health facility.

The Officer in Charge of the health clinic, Mohammed Bello Sokoto, thanked ATASP-1 for rehabilitating the borehole and appealed for more assistance in renovation of the clinic as most of the buildings are dilapidated.

An ATASP-1 trained sorghum farmer, Sani Saidu, also in Hamma Ali, Kware LGA, Sokoto state, told journalists that his joy knows no bounds as ATASP-1 intervention in the areas of training and improved sorghum varieties has helped him to cultivate more hectares of sorghum, reap more and earn more money.

The Program has adopted a holistic approach to tackling the challenges of agriculture through massive infrastructure and value chain development. ATASP-1 has established a robust zonal arrangement where states are pooling their resources together to develop agriculture. The Program is embarking on aggressive youth and women training and empowerment in line with the focus of the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari. ATASP-1 is indeed revolutionizing agriculture in Nigeria.

If the impact ATASP-1 has made in Adani-Omor, Bida-Badeggi, Kano-Jigawa, and Kebbi-Sokoto Staple Crop Processing Zones (SCPZs) is sustained with the benefitting states paying their counterpart funds promptly, many more farmers, processors and rural communities will benefit immensely from the program.