Cultivating Resilience: A New Harvest in Northwest Nigeria (Magazine Vol. 1)

Welcome to the first edition of Cultivating Resilience. This feature tells the story of a transformative journey unfolding across the farmlands of Sokoto and Katsina States. Over six months, from inception to impact, the Resilience Building and Smallholder Farmers Support Project, a partnership between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and Life Helpers Initiative (LHI), has moved from planning to profound action.

Covering September 2025 to February 2026, the magazine captures a season of laying strong foundations and celebrating the first fruits of resilience, growth and renewed hope.

Download the full magazine (PDF) · Project fact sheet · Farmer Service Center brochure

Executive message

"The journey is not only about numbers; it is about dignity. Farmers who once struggled to access financial services now have bank accounts. Women are organizing into savings groups and leading their communities toward economic independence."

Uzo Okpara, Project Manager (LHI)

The big picture

The project addresses unpredictable rainfall, limited access to quality farming inputs, weak market linkages and limited financial services through four reinforcing pathways:

• Immediate support: cash-based transfers provide a safety net and seed capital for small businesses.
• Agricultural strengthening: quality seeds and fertilizer with training on Good Agronomic Practices boost yields and support dry-season farming.
• Financial inclusion: Village Savings and Loan Associations help communities, especially women, save, borrow and build a financial identity.
• Infrastructure and digital innovation: Farmer Service Centres and the AgriFMIS digital platform create long-term systems for market access, processing and data-driven support.

In data we trust

• 5,700 households supported directly, 37,050 household members indirectly
• 70% smallholder farmers, 30% cash-based transfer beneficiaries
• 42 wards across 4 LGAs in Sokoto and Katsina
• 29.1% female-headed households; 1,384 people with disabilities (24.2%)
• Maize (51.4%), tomatoes (29.6%) and cabbage (16.8%) were farmers' first seed choices

Coordination success

A courtesy visit to the Katsina State Ministry of Agriculture and an advocacy visit to the Kware LGA secretariat solidified local ownership. In January 2026, WFP and FCDO conducted a joint monitoring visit with gender-segregated focus group discussions with 23 women and 17 men.

Also in this issue

• Jamila's daily miracle
• Harvesting prosperity twice a year
• From eight years of struggle to renewed hope
• Four cobs on one stalk
• Saving a family business
• A group that grows together
• Atika's journey from hopelessness to healing
• Noma Tushen Arziki: the farming wealth hub