Project Summary
The GAERS project aims to train smallholder farmers in Sokoto State, Nigeria, in the development and use of natural fertilisers. In thisregion over 87.73% of the population lives below the poverty line and agriculture is affected by high production costs and insufficient government support. Selected farmers learn how to produce natural fertilisers and pesticides from local resources. They are supported by volunteers, who will disseminate the knowledge in the region. The aim is to reduce dependence on expensive chemical fertilisers, increase soil fertility and thus improve yields. The farmers learn how to use microorganisms and biological methods to improve the soil through online and face-to-face training.
Project Manager
Country
Nigeria
Status
Ongoing
Budget
7700 €
Links
Partners
Yerlanda FarmLab
Rapunzel One World Organic-Foundation
Project goals
50 farmers are trained directly in two waves through hands-on field sessions,
200+ farmers are reached through Hausa-language WhatsApp digital advisory, enabling continuous learning, Q&A, and peer exchange beyond physical trainings.
Establishment of a community laboratory to provide additional farmers and advisors with ongoing access to educational resources and training on sustainable farming practices.
Rukayya Mahe had attended several of our courses and workshops in the last years and ultimately became a Community Manager of our Action Network Worldwide networking and learning platform. In 2020, Rukayya earned her master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, where she focused on agricultural and food policy, particularly in the area of food safety. Before coming for this studies to Germany, she worked as a banker at Union Bank of Nigeria Plc for eight years.
While serving as a research assistant at the University of Hohenheim, Rukayya contributed to projects related to trade and agricultural value chains in the ECOWAS region. This experience motivated her to pursue project management training at the Weltweit Summer Academy in 2021. Inspired by her current work with Weltweit e.V. as an Equal Opportunities Manager, she founded the Global Agricultural Extension and Rural Services (GAERS), a social entrepreneurship initiative. GAERS aims to enhance the quality, relevance, and responsiveness of agricultural extension services in Nigeria by addressing farmers’ needs and leveraging digital technology to promote sustainable agricultural development.
The GAERS training initiative aims to empower smallholder farmers in Sokoto State, Nigeria, with the knowledge and resources to adopt sustainable, eco-friendly farming practices. Agriculture plays a crucial role in Nigeria’s economy, yet farmers—particularly smallholders, who comprise 88% of the farming population—face numerous challenges that threaten their productivity and livelihoods. With over 72% of these farmers living below the poverty line, they struggle with high production costs, unsustainable pesticide use, limited market access, and degraded land quality. Sokoto State is especially impacted, with over 87.73% of its population below the poverty line (World Bank, 2022), and a dependency on costly chemical inputs that diminishes agricultural productivity and increases food insecurity.
To address these challenges, GAERS’ training program will focus on promoting safe, affordable, and environmentally sustainable alternatives to harmful pesticides, including Atrazine, Glyphosate, and Dichlorvos, which are banned or restricted in many countries due to health and environmental hazards. Smallholder farmers will be trained in integrated pest management (IPM), organic pesticide development, and bio-based pest control methods. These practices are designed to reduce chemical contamination of soil and water, enhance biodiversity, and improve long-term crop yields.
Farmers are also be educated on sustainable agricultural practices, such as organic farming, crop rotation, intercropping, and using natural fertilizers, to further improve soil health and resilience.
Through extension services, and farmer online training sessions, GAERS equips farmers with actionable knowledge to:
- Reduce reliance on expensive and hazardous chemicals, cutting production costs and improving profit margins.
- Increase crop resilience and yield through natural fertilizers and microbial soil health enhancers.
- Minimize health risks and environmental impacts associated with conventional pesticides.
Following the successful completion of Phase I, GAERS has focused on transitioning from awareness to practice. Preparatory work for Phase II has concentrated on programme design, partnerships, and institutional engagement. The Building Soil Health – Phase II concept emphasizes hands-on learning, including farmer-led demonstrations, practical soil health interventions, and the establishment of a Soil Health FarmLab as a central learning hub. Key preparatory milestones include the development of a modular FarmLab concept adapted from a proven model in India, ongoing discussions with technical partners (WASSAN www.wassan.org, FarmLab Yeranda Solutions and Sudah Academy) to support knowledge transfer, and engagement with government stakeholders regarding land allocation and institutional support. In parallel, Phase II activities are being aligned with GAERS’ digital advisory platform and extension capacity-building efforts to ensure continuity and reach.
Phase II is designed to strengthen farmer skills, reduce dependency on costly chemical inputs, and lay the foundation for long-term programme sustainability. The programme is designed not as a one-off intervention, but as a long-term learning and innovation model that strengthens local capacity, supports farmer entrepreneurship, and lays the foundation for a scalable soil health movement across Northern Nigeria.
