Transforming Nigeria’s Vegetable Markets

Context and Project Objective

While the vegetable sector is a promising area for economic development in rural Nigeria, smallholder farmers have not been able to effectively harness this opportunity due to significant constraints along the vegetable market chain.

The Transforming Nigeria’s Vegetable Markets project will contribute to a more resilient and more efficient vegetable production sector by bringing knowledge, new varieties, and improved techniques and technologies from the private sector and evidence-based knowledge and skills from reputable universities to smallholder farmers.

These activities will stimulate the rural economy of Nigeria in general and the vegetable sector in particular. Smallholder farmers will improve their market position because of increased sales of better-quality produce, which in turn will lower production cost per item. Also, training government and university agricultural extension agents in northern Nigeria on improved vegetable production technologies  will contribute to institutionalizing this knowledge. By resulting in more vegetables available on the market at affordable prices, this project will also lead to improved nutrition amongst local low-income households.

Outcomes 

• 136,200 smallholder farmers trained and supported, resulting in increased productivity and income 
• At least 100,000 farmers indirectly reached via e-learning, social media, and radio
• Vegetable seed distribution and agricultural-input network established in the project area
• Vegetable farming extension services and training improved and revitalized among university, extension institute, and Ministry of Agriculture students and staff 

EWS-KT Partners

Funding partner: SDG Partnership Facility, a grant program of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs managed by RVO

Implementing partners: Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry Kaduna State; Ahmadu Bello University; Wageningen University & Research; Solidaridad Network West Africa

Project Period

1 July 2019 – 30 June 2024; extended to 31 December 2024

Location

Nigeria: Kano and Kaduna states