Project Overview Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in Borno State, Nigeria – PROSAB 30 communities across 3 agro-ecological zones Aim: –To improve the livelihoods of resource poor farmers –Generating income through initiatives that increase agricultural productivity –Reducing environmental and land degradation.

Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in Borno State CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture) Partnership: –Borno State Agriculture Development Program –University of Maiduguri (the capital of Borno State) –Community Research for Empowerment and Development (a local non-governmental organization)

PROSAB’s Objectives 1. Increase the sustainable agricultural productivity of male and female farmers in project area 2. Improve access to agricultural input and output markets. 3. Reinforce policies for the sustainable management of land, crops, and livestock 4. Strengthen the capacities of project partners in the implementation of project activities

Implementation 1. Increase the sustainable agricultural productivity of male and female farmers Facilitate process of social involvement Teaching locals on improved crop, land, soil and livestock management practices Training sessions –Crop rotation, seed spacing, fertilization Facilitate the use of cereal crop varieties

Implementation 2. Improve access to agricultural input and output markets. Expose dealers to outside markets Link farmer groups to major dealers Improve market linkages, opportunities and strategies Training to local organizations on proper management of credit Farmers’ Field Day

Implementation 3. Reinforce policies for the sustainable management of land, crops, and livestock Involvement of policy makers in promotion of projects Sensibilization on local issues, relating to gender equity and sustainable agriculture. Report the impact of existing policies and proposed alternative gender sensitive sustainable options

Implementation 4. Strengthen the capacities of project partners in the implementation of project activities Training of locals to continue teaching and implementing sustainable agricultural Training in leadership, group dynamics, constitution, record keeping, self reliance and sustainability

Results 1. Increase the sustainable agricultural productivity of male and female farmers 50% - practice a cereal and legume rotation 40% - always cover their fertilizers after application 62% - practice closer spacing of seeds 72% - always spray their cowpeas at least once Most adopted crops were maize and soybean New cultivation techniques and improved crops positive results on soil fertility, decreased soil erosion and reduced the Striga pest Livestock farmers now have access to genuine veterinary drugs

Results 2. Improve access to agricultural input and output markets farmers were linked to inputs markets 291 Seed producers were directly linked to seed markets PROSAB reports a 4932 % increase in revenues for soybean farmers from farmers to gain access to credits reaching a total value of 8.75 million Naira

Results 3. Reinforce policies for the sustainable management of land, crops, and livestock 12 gender sensitive policy guidelines launched by the Borno State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development in Increased awareness of new technologies and management techniques Even though policy makers and government officials showed some interest in PROSAB it is still too early to see if nation scale projects will be implemented by the state.

Results 4. Strengthen the capacities of project partners in the implementation of project activities Project fully autonomous and sustainable Farmers are now: –able to continue the project using and promoting new technologies and management techniques without supervision –capable of providing themselves with improved seed varieties and fertilizers –capable of selling their products directly at competitive prices in output markets –capable of spreading the new technologies and management techniques to other farmers and other communities