How climate-resilient seeds are transforming smallholder farmers’ livelihoods in Gombe

No fewer than 2,000 smallholder farmers in Gombe State have reported significant improvements in productivity and household income through the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project. Beneficiaries who spoke to Daily Trust in Sabon Garin Zambuk village, Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area, said the combined provision of improved seedlings and solar-powered boreholes has transformed farming […]

No fewer than 2,000 smallholder farmers in Gombe State have reported significant improvements in productivity and household income through the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project.

Beneficiaries who spoke to Daily Trust in Sabon Garin Zambuk village, Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area, said the combined provision of improved seedlings and solar-powered boreholes has transformed farming activities in the community, particularly during the dry season.

 

Improved yield, higher income

A farmer, Malam Muhammad Gardi, who cultivates tomato, maize and rice, described the intervention as life-changing.

According to him, ACReSAL provided improved seedlings for tomato, maize and rice, leading to remarkable increases in yield.

“We have seen a lot of changes. With a small quantity of fertiliser, we now get higher yields. The output has nearly doubled on the same plots of land.

“Before the intervention, we harvested about five bags of maize from a piece of land. Now, we harvest up to 10 bags from the same land. We have witnessed similar improvements in rice, tomatoes and other vegetables.

“We now get over 30 baskets from a space where we used to produce around 15,” he said.

Gardi attributed the gains to the combination of improved seedlings and reliable water supply through solar-powered boreholes installed on farmlands.

“Previously, dry season farming was difficult because of water scarcity. Now we no longer worry about irrigation or even domestic water use,” he added.

He noted that the improved harvest has boosted revenue, with buyers arriving from neighbouring states to purchase produce.

“We no longer depend solely on rainy season harvests to meet family responsibilities such as marriages and other needs,” he said.

 

Wider community impact

A traditional leader, Malam Jauro Samaila, said about 55 farmer clusters in the area are benefiting from the intervention.

“ACReSAL provided improved seedlings for maize, rice, millet and guinea corn. The millet and guinea corn are for the rainy season, while maize and rice have strengthened our dry season farming,” he said.

He added that the boreholes addressed long-standing water scarcity challenges, significantly improving living standards in the community.

 

Strengthening climate resilience

The Gombe State ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Dr Sani Adamu Jauro, said the project was implemented in collaboration with the State Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives to ensure sustainability.

“In partnership with the ministry, we have distributed more than 3,700 kilogrammes of drought-resistant seedlings, including millet, guinea corn and maize, to farmer clusters across the 11 local government areas of the state,” he said.

According to him, 2,071 farmers across 55 clusters have directly benefited from the initiative.

“These varieties are designed to withstand late onset or early cessation of rainfall, enabling farmers to record better harvests even under irregular weather patterns,” he explained.

Jauro noted that climate change poses a major threat to agriculture and food security, stressing the need to build farmers’ resilience.

Beyond seeds, he said the project has promoted mechanisation by procuring multipurpose tractors distributed to local governments for farmers’ access at subsidised rates.

“What would have taken nearly three weeks of manual labour can now be completed within a short period. With the realities of climate change, timely land preparation is critical to productivity,” he said.