WACOT, BOA Launch Sesame Programme to Support 10,000 Jigawa Farmers with Inputs, Finance
WACOT Limited, in partnership with the Bank of Agriculture (BOA), has commenced its 2026 Sesame Outgrower Programme in Jigawa State, targeting more than 10,000 smallholder farmers with access to finance, quality inputs, extension services and improved farming practices. The initiative is being implemented under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Smallholder Support and Value Chain Programme and commenced with the distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers in Medu Village, Gagarawa Local Government Area of the state. Under the partnership, participating farmers will receive input loans and repay them with farm produce after harvest. Extension services will also be provided to improve productivity, crop quality and the long-term sustainability of their farming activities. The partnership extends beyond sesame production in Jigawa, with similar interventions covering rice farmers in Kebbi State and maize and soybean farmers in Katsina State. Speaking at the launch, Managing Director of WACOT Limited, Naveen Chaurasia, said the company remained committed to maintaining international quality standards while ensuring farmers benefit from the agricultural value chain. “When farmers succeed, everyone benefits,” Chaurasia said, stressing that stronger farmer livelihoods would contribute to the growth of the wider agricultural ecosystem.Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at TGI Group, Yosola Onanuga, said WACOT had consistently invested in farmers’ capacity through training, extension services and sustainable agricultural practices. She described the partnership with BOA as another milestone that would provide farmers with subsidised input loans and a structured repayment system.Representing the BOA Managing Director, Ayo Sotinrin, the bank’s Executive Director, Operations, Tosin Salami, described the collaboration as an example of how partnerships between financial institutions and private-sector operators could deliver sustainable value across Nigeria’s agricultural sector. A beneficiary farmer, Laure Haladu, said WACOT’s intervention had improved farming practices and increased yields, while additional skills such as soap and briquette making had created income opportunities for women. According to WACOT, the programme began in 2018 as a pilot scheme and has since grown into one of Nigeria’s major contract farming programmes, covering more than 10,000 farmers across eight local government areas in Jigawa State. The company said it had disbursed more than ₦1 billion in input credit over the past seven years, providing farmers with certified seeds, fertilisers and crop protection products, alongside technical support through its Farmers Academy and extension services. The programme also places emphasis on increasing the participation of women and young people while promoting climate-smart and sustainable farming practices. The launch brought together government officials, traditional leaders, development partners, farmers and other stakeholders. Activities included input distribution, agronomic demonstrations, financial literacy sessions and testimonials from participating farmers. WACOT said the programme would continue to strengthen farmers’ access to productive inputs, finance and markets while supporting improved yields and sustainable livelihoods across the agricultural value chain.
Source: https://msmeafricaonline.com/wacot-boa-launch-sesame-programme-to-support-10000-jigawa-farmers-with-inputs-finance/