Jigawa hosts maiden youth summit on Agriculture and Climate Change

On 15 May 2025, young farmers and key stakeholders from across Jigawa State gathered for a one-day summit themed “Quest for Climate-Smart, Productive, Profitable and Sustainable Farming Systems in Jigawa State.” The event focused on tackling the twin challenges of agricultural productivity and climate change through smart and sustainable solutions.

Organised by the Green and Environmental Project Initiative (GEPI), a civil society organisation, with support from the Jigawa State Government, the summit marked a historic first in the state’s efforts to engage youth in agricultural and climate resilience discourse.

Speaking at the event, Comrade Ahmed Ilallah, GEPI’s State Lead, described the summit as “historic,” emphasising that the organisation had engaged with communities across the state to bring together young farmers, government officials, and other stakeholders to chart a way forward for climate-smart agriculture.

“Our primary aim is to educate our young and existing farmers about climate-smart practices and align them with the government’s agricultural transformation agenda,” Ilallah stated. “We want to build awareness of adaptive methods and systems that can withstand the growing threats of climate change.”

The summit was officially declared open by the Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, represented by his Technical Assistant on Agriculture, Dr Saifullahi Umar. In his opening remarks, Dr Umar highlighted the various opportunities available to participants under Governor Namadi’s agricultural transformation initiatives.

A series of expert-led presentations were delivered during the summit including the following:

“Understanding Jigawa State Governor Malam Umar Namadi’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda for Greater Jigawa” – by Dr Saifullahi Umar.

“Understanding the Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food Security” – by Usman Haruna, a Professor of Agricultural Economics at the Federal University, Dutse.

“Assessing Agricultural Potentials and Financing to Improve Agriculture in Jigawa State” – by Muhammad Auwal.

“The Future of Agriculture and Exploring Climate-Smart Farming Techniques” – by Dr Isma’ila Ibrahim of Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa.

The summit concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between government, academia, civil society, and the farming community to build a resilient agricultural future in Jigawa State.