Women Farmers Fund Cooperatives to Expand Grassroots Agribusiness

The Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) has disbursed N25.2 million to 12 cooperative clusters to expand women-led agribusinesses, deepen financial inclusion and strengthen grassroots enterprise development.

Each of the 12 clusters received N2.1 million in additional funding. The beneficiaries were selected based on their savings discipline, enterprise performance and commitment to collective economic development along the agricultural value chain.

The disbursement was announced during an Entrepreneurship Development Training organised for extension workers and trainers from WOFAN’s North-West and North-East operational zones in Kano State.

The training focused on business pitching, crowdfunding, marketing, financial management, bookkeeping, sales strategies and business planning. It was designed to help women agri-entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses and gradually move from dependence on grants to formal financial services.

WOFAN Global Advocate and Executive Board Chair, Dr Salamatu Garba, said the organisation’s approach was based on combining capital with skills, savings and accountability.

She said the model was intended to ensure that financial support translated into sustainable businesses rather than short-term relief.

Garba disclosed that the beneficiary clusters had previously received about N1.5 million each, while their savings and the latest funding had significantly increased their combined capital base.

She said some beneficiaries who previously worked as roadside food vendors, farm labourers, widows and heads of female-headed households now control between N4 million and N5 million when their savings, previous support and latest intervention are combined.

According to her, the growth has positioned the women to expand their agribusinesses and eventually access formal loans and other financial services.

“At WOFAN, we believe that when a woman is equipped with capital, skills and a supportive sisterhood, she does not merely survive, she transforms her destiny and that of her community,” Garba said.

She added that every investment in the cooperatives represented an investment in Nigeria’s shared prosperity.

Garba explained that WOFAN’s support model was performance-based. Beneficiaries are assessed according to their savings records, business performance and ability to work collectively before receiving additional funding.

The approach is intended to encourage women to grow their businesses, maintain accountability and become successful agri-entrepreneurs who can mentor others entering the agricultural sector.

WOFAN Business Development and Coordination Manager, Taiwo Olawale, said the training was designed to prepare beneficiaries for a transition from grants to loans.

He said women who had demonstrated the ability to manage grants responsibly could develop the capacity to obtain and repay loans from financial institutions.

“If they can manage their own grants now, it means that they can manage loans,” Olawale said.

He cautioned, however, that providing loans without first equipping entrepreneurs with financial management skills could undermine the sustainability of their businesses.

WOFAN Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Sadik Zakariya, trained participants on entrepreneurship, sales strategies, customer care, customer loyalty, enterprise sustainability monitoring and business plan development.

He stressed the importance of understanding customers, monitoring business performance and preparing realistic plans to guide business decisions.

WOFAN ICON-2 Finance Manager, Abdurasheed Abdulaziz, also trained participants on basic accounting and bookkeeping. He emphasised the importance of maintaining accurate financial records to manage, monitor and expand agribusinesses.

Representatives of the beneficiary clusters commended WOFAN for combining financial support with entrepreneurship training.

They said the approach had strengthened their savings culture and created new opportunities for women, particularly young women and people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

A cluster leader from Tukuntawa, Hayin Kwari, Hajiya Bara’ratu Baffa, said the N2.1 million support would allow members to strengthen existing enterprises and explore new business opportunities.

She said WOFAN had helped women understand the importance of saving profits and reinvesting them to grow their businesses.

Another beneficiary, Samira Musa of the Tashar Dukku Women Agro-Marketers cluster in Gombe State, said the funding would enable members to expand their agribusinesses and explore additional enterprises.

She urged beneficiaries to use the support productively and maximise the opportunities created by WOFAN’s interventions.

The initiative forms part of WOFAN’s broader efforts to promote financial inclusion among grassroots women by linking grants, savings, skills development, accountability and access to finance.

Through its performance-based revolving support model, the organisation hopes to turn short-term financial assistance into sustainable agricultural enterprise development and help more women connect with formal financial institutions.