INVESTORS AND PARTNERS

CORE DONNER

Nippon Foundation

PROJECT DONORS

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation JICA USAID AGRA WFP

 

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is one of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) in the USA that provides economic, development and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the country’s foreign policy goals.

SAA collaborates with USAID in various ways

Between 2005 and 2010, USAID/Nigeria implemented the five-year Maximizing Agricultural Revenue and Key Enterprises in Targeted Sites (MARKETS) project. MARKETS focused on expanding economic opportunities in the agricultural sector by increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing value-added processing, and increasing commercialization through private-sector led and market-driven growth and development. MARKETS worked on a number of value chains. It sub-contracted with several service providers, such as SAA, to network and train farmers in an out-grower scheme to produce some commodities for an already available market (buyers).

Project Title: Management of Demonstration Farms and Maize Outgrowers Program in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Period: June 2010 – Jan. 2011; May 2011- Aug. 2011

Target Area: Sami-Naka, Yar-Kasuwa, Gadar Gayan, Jaji and Riga Chukun, Nigeria

Fund Amount: approx. $US 85,000 and $US 33, 433, respectively

Background, Purpose of the Project and Role of SAA:

In 2010, MARKETS worked with SAA Nigeria as a subcontractor to organize and train 3,000 farmers in an out-grower scheme designed to produce raw material (maize) for the Grand Cereals Oil Mills, Limited (GCOML), Jos, a company that is involved in food and feeds processing. The purpose of the SAA intervention was to train the farmers on the best agronomic practices for improved maize production and supply of quality maize grain (especially in drying, threshing, cleaning) to meet standards set by the buyer.

The project was conducted in Kaduna State in some selected local governments that have potentials in maize production. SAA was responsible for overseeing a team of extension agents to design and implement Training of Trainers events for lead farmers, provide technical advice to the networked farmers, supervise step-down trainings by the lead farmers on to their members, conduct field days, report on the outcomes of all events, and measure the impact of the MARKETS intervention for the full agricultural season. This work was carried out along with the Kaduna State Agricultural Development Authority, who made available their Extension Agents to SAA.

Approximately 2,850 farmers participated in the program in 2010, which increased to 5,000 in 2011. It is anticipated that the MARKETS 2 project will start in 2012 and that SAA will play a much greater role in it.

Funded by USAID, the INTSORMIL (International Sorghum, Millet and other Grains) Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) is a research organization focused on education, mentoring and collaboration with host country scientists in developing new technologies to improve sorghum, pearl millet and other grains (teff, fonio, finger millet) production and utilization worldwide. Coordinated by the University of Nebraska INTSORMIL has projects in 17 developing countries of Africa and Central America, and in the United States and the INTSORMIL mission is to conduct collaborative research to improve farm income and human and animal nutrition by overcoming constraints to sorghum, millet and other grains production and utilization for the mutual benefit of agriculture in the U.S. and developing countries. One of its projects is Development of Inputs and Product Markets in West Africa for Sorghum and Millet. SAA is a partner in this initiative.

Project Title: Development of inputs and product markets in West Africa for Sorghum and Millet

Period: May 2011 – Apr. 2012 (one year)

Target Area: Ségou region in Mali

Fund Amount: $US 27,000 and $US 40,000 Farmer-Based Organization revolving fund

Background, Purpose of the Project and Role of SAA:

In the 2011 crop year, the major activity is the scaling up process of millet production and marketing intensification from 500 hectares to 1,000 hectares involving farmers from ancient and new villages. To achieve higher yields and higher prices of Toroniou (millet in the Segou region), SAA is working with agro-dealers to provide farmers with Toroniou Millet seed, fungicides and fertilizer for 500 new hectares. Farmer Based Organizations will use the revolving fund from the 2010 millet grain marketing premium to purchase production input for the ancient 500 hectares.

In 2010 the IICEM and USAID funded project provided financial resources to support SAA for scaling up improved millet production and market technologies in Segou region. The goal was to increase the area in new technologies from 150 ha to 500 ha in 2010 and 1,000 ha in 2011.

SAA provides technical support to IICEM, Regional Directorate of Agriculture and Micro financial institutions, and agro-dealers. The good working relationships of SAA with the implementers of the project contribute to facilitate technology expansion in the area of the project.

Left: SAA Managing Director appreciating millet crop, Right: Women agroprocessor discussing with a farmer on a millet variety