In a bid to boost youth employment and promote sustainable agriculture, the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP) has kicked off the training of 1,000 young people on converting rice straw into livestock feed.
The training, which began on Thursday at the Audu Bako College of Agriculture in Dambatta, is funded by the Islamic Development Bank and the Lives and Livelihoods Fund. It targets youths from rice-producing communities across the state.
Speaking at the training launch, KSADP Project Coordinator Ibrahim Muhammad described rice straw as an untapped resource that can play a key role in both environmental conservation and economic empowerment.
“Instead of burning rice straw, which contributes to pollution, young people are being taught to turn it into compost or livestock feed. This not only generates income but also supports sustainable farming,” he said.
Muhammad also noted that greater availability of livestock feed from rice fields could reduce nomadic herding, a practice often linked to clashes between farmers and herders.
“As rice farming expands in Kano, most of the straw is either burnt or used for roofing. But when treated with urea, it becomes a valuable feed that can help livestock gain weight,” he explained.
He revealed that KSADP plans to set up 200 production hubs around irrigation schemes across the state. Each youth group will be supported with grants or credit facilities for machines, tools, and transportation to process and market urea-treated straw.
“We’ve already secured the necessary equipment. During harvest season, every five-member team is expected to produce and sell up to 500 metric tonnes of feed. This will significantly increase the availability of livestock feed in the state,” he added.
Also speaking at the event, Provost of Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Professor Muhammad Wailare, said the college is proud to partner on the project. “The beneficiaries will learn simple but effective technologies that not only generate income but also promote eco-friendly farming practices,” he said.
The initiative is part of wider efforts in Kano to tackle youth unemployment, reduce environmental damage from open burning, and foster peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders through innovative agro-solutions.
