The chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria in Kaduna, Kabiru Salihu, says the association has registered about 2,700 farmers.

He said that this was even as the association positions members to benefit from a new agricultural empowerment programme.

Mr Salihu disclosed this in an interview in Kaduna on Tuesday.

He explained that the ongoing registration drive was part of efforts to strengthen data for planning and ensure transparent access to interventions.

Mr Salihu said the figure included at least 700 women, reflecting the association’s push for greater female participation in agriculture and leadership.

The chairman also said the AFAN in Kaduna was restructuring its grassroots leadership, with executives being constituted across the 23 council areas and 225 wards, with deliberate inclusion of youths and women.

”We are prioritising women in leadership at the state level; now we have women leaders across the three senatorial zones, including one of the vice-chairpersons,” Mr Salihu said.

Mr Salihu said Kaduna would benefit from the Resilient, Inclusive Agri-food Systems Empowerment programme, targeting 50,000 farmers directly.

He added that about 128,000 farmers were expected to benefit indirectly, noting that credible farmer registration would guide transparent beneficiary selection.

(NAN)