In Northern Nigeria, Farmers Learn Sustainable Solutions to Extreme Hunger

"I will now be able to comfortably feed my family and assist some of my relatives." —Binta Jalo, Farmer, Program Participant

Political unrest, war and ecological crises create the perfect storm for famine and extreme hunger.

But through the generosity of Presbyterians around the world and gifts made through the Presbyterian Giving Catalog, organizations like the Civil Society Coalition for Poverty Eradication (CISCOPE) are helping farmers in conflict-challenged regions get back on their feet, and supplying their communities with the tools they need to thrive.

With support from the Presbyterian Hunger Program, CISCOPE has helped to cultivate positive, transformative change in one part of the world hit especially hard by extreme hunger: Northern Nigeria. In two communities, CISCOPE projects aren’t just about growing sustainable food — they’re planting the seeds of a brighter future.

Hope is growing for 200 small farmers in Michika (LGA) of Adamawa State who now have the resources they need to sustain their crops during the dry season. Not only did these Nigerian families receive farm implements and tools, they participated in a hands-on field school where they could collaborate on their shared problems and learn farming best practices together. Forty groups, each containing five farmers, benefited from this effort, each receiving one water pumping machine for irrigation farming, 10kg of rice seedlings and vegetable seedlings such as amaranths and okra to help the people living in this northern Nigerian community flourish and grow.

Likewise, in Madagali (LGA) of Adamawa  State, 500 farmers will have a better harvest this year. Shared threshing machines provided by CISCOPE have made them better prepared to gather and process farm produce — and ultimately, to feed their families. Although the region is still impacted by famine-causing forces, sustainable nutrition, self-sufficiency and income are also now more attainable in part due to the cowpea and groundnut seeds the local farmers received. Now, for the people of Madagali (LGA), a more bountiful future awaits.