Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) has launched the Resilient and Inclusive Agri-Food Systems Empowering Women and Youth in Nigeria (RISE) project, a five-year initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural value chains and creating decent jobs across Northern Nigeria.
The project, supported by*Global Affairs Canada, was unveiled in Abuja on Thursday, January 22, 2026. It is expected to create 8,000 sustainable jobs and directly support 12,500 smallholder farmers through improved access to finance, climate-smart agricultural practices, and stronger market linkages.
RISE will also strengthen 450 women- and youth-led enterprises, empower 250 farmer cooperatives, and reach an estimated 50,000 beneficiaries over its lifespan.
Implementation will cover Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano states, with a focus on key value chains including rice, maize, groundnut, and soybean.
The project is built around a three-pillar strategy: boosting farm yields and incomes through climate-smart innovations; improving the competitiveness of women- and youth-led agribusinesses via access to finance and technology; and addressing harmful social norms by promoting inclusive leadership within cooperatives and agribusinesses.
The launch event convened stakeholders from government, the private sector, financial institutions, women’s groups, and farmer cooperatives to discuss systemic challenges and opportunities across the targeted value chains.
Speaking at the event, Diaka Diallo Sall, MEDA’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, said the RISE project places women and youth at the heart of agricultural transformation in Northern Nigeria.
“With RISE, we are moving further and deeper. The project will strengthen agri-food systems in Bauchi, Kaduna, and Kano states, improve resilience to climate and economic shocks, and expand opportunities for smallholder farmers, cooperatives, and agribusinesses,” she said, adding that women and youth would serve not just as beneficiaries but as leaders driving change.
The Pasquale Salvaggio, Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to Nigeria’s agricultural development, describing agriculture as a key driver of economic growth, gender equality, and poverty reduction.
“By empowering women and youth across Nigeria’s agri-food systems, we are helping to create decent jobs, strengthen local economies, and build more resilient and sustainable food systems,” Salvaggio said.
The event also featured panel discussions moderated by MEDA and Sahel Consulting, with Dr. Aishatu Bakari Usman representing women farmers.
The RISE project is co-designed and implemented by MEDA in partnership with Sahel Consulting, Development Exchange Centre, Emeraid Capital, Extension Africa, Women in Business Forum, and the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN).
Dignitaries at the launch included Senator (Dr.) Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, alongside commissioners for agriculture, women affairs, and planning from Bauchi, Kano, and Kaduna states.
