Climate change: Kano to establish farmers’ field school

The International Crops Research for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) under the state’s Agro Pastoral Development Project (KSADP) funded by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), has organised a four-day preseason training workshop for 210 agroextension agents and lead farmers in Kano State as a measure to mitigate climatic risk for economic recovery among smallholder farmers.

Speaking to participants during the training opening ceremony held at the centre’s office in Kano, ICRISAT country representative, Dr Angarawai Ignatius, revealed that the theme for the training, ‘Modeling Technology Transfer to Mitigate climate risks for economic recovery among smallholder farmers had been carefully chosen to educate smallholder farmers on the required techniques in managing climate change risks. He explained that the model had been tested and applied in Jigawa State and Bauchi, adding that the outcome has been very encouraging; hence the need to replicate the model in Kano.

In his remarks, the managing director, Kano Agriculture and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA), Dr Farouk Ahmad Kurawa, said the Kano State Government was committed to repositioning the status of agricultural sector in the state, adding that the new Kano State administration had been doing a lot of intervention in agriculture to ensure that the sector had regained its vigour.

Similarly, the head of the KSADP project monitoring unit, Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammed, revealed that the project had committed a lot of resources in ensuring that the state has well developed and sustainable agricultural practices along its value chain. He added that the project would ensure that farming and pastoral engagements in the state had attained the desired level for a better society.