SAPZ Kaduna Hosts Multi-Stakeholder Forum to Drive Agro-Industrial Growth
The Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Program in Kaduna State recently convened a Multi-Stakeholder Sensitization and Strategic Engagement Forum that brought together government officials, private sector representatives, development partners, farmer groups, and other key stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and deepen understanding of the program’s objectives and implementation strategy. The four-day engagement served as a platform to share updates on the progress of the program and explore practical approaches to improving agricultural productivity, agro-processing, and private sector investment in Kaduna State.
The forum focused on strengthening priority agricultural value chains such as maize, ginger, and tomato while promoting coordinated action toward the development of Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATCs) and Agro-Industrial Hubs (AIHs). Discussions emphasized the importance of building strong partnerships among stakeholders to accelerate agricultural transformation and support sustainable agribusiness development in the state.
During the opening session, the State Program Coordinator, Abbas Sani welcomed participants and appreciated stakeholders for their continued support toward the successful implementation of the program. He highlighted that sensitization activities had already been conducted across the eight participating Local Government Areas in the state to increase awareness and encourage stakeholder participation in the SAPZ initiative.
In his keynote address, the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, Honorable Murtala Dabo reaffirmed the Kaduna State Government’s commitment to agricultural transformation. He explained that the SAPZ program is designed to restructure agricultural production systems, improve productivity, and generate employment opportunities for rural communities. He further noted that Agricultural Transformation Centres will serve as aggregation points for farm produce, while Agro-Industrial Hubs will function as processing centres aimed at attracting both local and international investors.
The Special Adviser on Investment, Sabiu Sani Ismail also delivered a presentation highlighting the vast agricultural potential within Africa, noting that a significant proportion of the continent’s arable land remains uncultivated. He emphasized the importance of promoting agricultural industrialization and strengthening intra-African trade to unlock economic opportunities. He also stressed the need for the adoption of Good Agronomic Practices (GAP) to improve productivity while addressing challenges such as limited market access, inadequate financing, and the slow adoption of modern agricultural technologies.
In a separate presentation, the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA), Sadiq Mohammed outlined the SAPZ investment framework and explained the agency’s role in facilitating agribusiness investments within the state. He highlighted KADIPA’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for investors and supporting partnerships that will drive agro-industrial development and attract private sector participation in the SAPZ program.
Technical sessions during the forum focused on improving agricultural practices, strengthening agricultural financing mechanisms, and enhancing the use of data systems to support evidence-based planning and monitoring in the agricultural sector. Participants also engaged in discussions on addressing key constraints affecting agricultural production and agro-processing, including access to quality inputs, storage facilities, transportation, and market stability.
The engagement concluded with stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to strengthening collaboration, supporting farmer capacity development, promoting agribusiness investments, and accelerating the implementation of the SAPZ program in Kaduna State as part of broader efforts to drive agricultural transformation and economic growth.
