By Agrobroadcast Team
The Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) has rolled out a new five-year agricultural intervention targeted at improving livelihoods and job creation in Northern Nigeria.
The initiative, known as the Resilient and Inclusive Agri-Food Systems Empowering Women and Youth in Nigeria (RISE) project, is funded by Global Affairs Canada and seeks to reinforce key agricultural value chains while opening pathways to decent employment for women and young people.
Officially launched on Thursday, January 22, 2026, the project is expected to generate about 8,000 long-term jobs and directly support 12,500 smallholder farmers through access to finance, climate-smart production methods, and improved market connections.
In addition, RISE aims to strengthen 450 women- and youth-owned agribusinesses and support 250 farmer cooperatives, with an estimated 50,000 people benefiting overall.
Project activities will be implemented in Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano states, with a focus on strategic crops including rice, maize, groundnut, and soybean.
RISE is built on a three-pronged approach that promotes higher productivity and income for farmers through climate-resilient practices, improves the competitiveness of women- and youth-led enterprises by expanding access to finance and technology, and tackles restrictive social norms by encouraging inclusive leadership within cooperatives and agribusiness organisations.
The project launch attracted a broad range of stakeholders from government institutions, the private sector, financial organisations, women’s associations, and farmer groups, who engaged in discussions on persistent bottlenecks affecting agricultural value chains in the region.
Addressing participants, MEDA’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Diaka Diallo Sall, said the project prioritises women and young people as key actors in reshaping Northern Nigeria’s agri-food systems.
She noted that RISE is designed to build resilience against climate and economic shocks while creating sustainable opportunities for farmers, cooperatives, and agribusiness operators across the three states.
Also speaking at the event, Canada’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pasquale Salvaggio, reiterated Canada’s support for Nigeria’s agricultural sector, describing it as critical to economic development, gender inclusion, and poverty alleviation.
He explained that empowering women and youth within agri-food systems would help stimulate job creation, strengthen local economies, and promote more sustainable food production.
The event featured expert-led panel discussions facilitated by MEDA and Sahel Consulting, with Dr. Aishatu Bakari Usman representing the perspectives of women farmers.
RISE is being jointly designed and implemented by MEDA alongside Sahel Consulting, Development Exchange Centre, Emeraid Capital, Extension Africa, Women in Business Forum, and the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN).
Several high-ranking officials attended the launch, including the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator (Dr.) Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, state commissioners for agriculture and women affairs from Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano states, as well as senior representatives from planning and social development ministries.