Cassava farmer turns role model in her farming community
MADE is working with Agricultural Input companies to facilitate the adoption of Good Agronomic Practices (GAP)and access to inputs by smallholder farmers in Niger Delta Region.
There are few farmers in Aiyedun Community and environs who can match Alhaja Fausat Aliyu for zeal and hard work. A cassava and cocoa farmer of no mean repute, Alhaja Fausat, whose farm is located at Owena Dam, Igbara Oke road in Ondo state, has been a cassava and cocoa farmer for more than five years. In that period, she has tried several types of stems and different types of chemical additives and pesticides in order to improve her yield. Unfortunately and to her dismay, none had worked, but not for lack of trying on her part. Alhaja Fausat had experience and knowledge in her favour. What she lacked and needed most was knowledge that addressed her specific challenges. Knowledge of the right kind of Agricultural Input tailored to solve her particular farming challenges. Fortunately, she learnt of MADE intervention supporting agric input providers to demonstrate the efficacy of their inputs in combatting most of the challenges she was facing in her farming operation. She was among the first in her community to participate in the demonstration and training organised by Syngenta and supported by MADE.
The training was just what Alhaja Fausat needed. While she had battled different pests and conditions that adversely affected the yield of her cassava crop, the training exposed her to inputs like Touchdown, Ridomil and Actara that could make all her farming worries go away. True to what she was taught, Alhaja Fausat used the inputs provided by Syngenta and had her own stories to tell. But she did not keep her success story to herself. A member of Aiyedun Community Cassava Farmers’ group boasting of close to 500 members, Alhaja Fausat spread the good news among her group members. Words quickly reached other farmers, and soon she became trainer and mentor to several of them. Membership in her farmers’ group has more than doubled since the demonstration and training she attended.
Alhaja Fausat is now a very happy farmer. The loan she took to purchase Syngenta agric inputs was paid off in short order because of her bountiful harvests. She had so much left over that she has not taken any other loans since then. In fact, she now gives help to others.
‘Things have changed greatly in my life, my children’s lives, my husband and even my extended family. I am now able to help people financially, including helping people to pay their children’s school fees. It wasn’t like that before, but I thank God everything is good for me’ — Alhaja Fausat Aliyu
Always on the lookout for ways to improve her farming, Alhaja Fausat took part in the second demonstration organised by Syngenta. This was aimed at updating her knowledge and also equipping her to better teach those farmers that have come to depend on her for information.
‘I will go back to my community, call members of my group together, and educate them on the new things I have learnt in order to improve their productivity’ — Alhaja Fausat Aliyu
Alhaja Fausat has become a role model for other farmers in her community.
