Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) Nigeria, with support from The Nippon Foundation (TNF), has organised Green Mega and Mini Field Days in Benue, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, and Nasarawa to promote climate-smart and regenerative agricultural practice to boost food production and strengthen smallholder farmers.
In a statement by Communication Officer Moses Nongoatse, the association noted that the field days are live events where over 3,000 farmers witnessed results of innovative farming integrating maize and soybean strip cropping with agronomic practice, conservation agriculture, and integrated soil fertility management.
Techniques such as use of biochar, plant spacing, mulching, and adoption of improved seed varieties, including Provitamin A maize and high-yielding soybean , were showcased.
These interventions, implemented under SAA’s thematic areas of Regenerative Agriculture, Market-Oriented Agriculture, and Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture, are to enhance productivity, boost soil health, and help farmers adapt to climate change and malnutrition.
Speaking at the Mid-Season Review Meeting at Ministry of Agriculture in Makurdi, SAA Country Director, Dr. Godwin Atser, described the events as crucial learning platforms for knowledge exchange and technology dissemination.
‘Field days are instruments that catalyse learning and innovation in agricultural value chain. They enable us to interact directly with farmers and scale up improved practice that drive productivity and resilience,’ Dr. Atser said.
In Gombe State, the event attracted participation from farmers, officials, development partners, and monarchs.
Representing Commissioner for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, Barnabas Malle, Director of Agric Services, Ibrahim Sajo, praised SAA for its contributions to agricultural growth.