by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
A group of farmers living with various disabilities, including blindness, physical impairments, and hearing difficulties have adopted modern farming techniques to support themselves, especially during the current rainy season on a dedicated farmland located in Kaduna Town.
Accordingly, the people with special needs are increasingly becoming successful farmers, as many have embraced modern agriculture as a means to improve their livelihoods, in Kaduna State, northwestern Nigeria.
The effort is part of a specially designed farming initiative aimed at helping them to become self-reliant, rather than depending on charity or handouts, according to Mr. Williams Maka, a visually-impaired farmer. Their goal is to rely on the food they grow to feed their families.
Mr. William Makia, who uses simple farm tools, told Journalists that he has been farming in the area for a long time with the sole purpose of providing for his family.
He stated: “I am blind. The reason I farm is to feed my family. I don’t beg, and I have never begged in my life. I do not like begging,” he declared.
He added that he enjoyed farming and even shared his harvest with able-bodied neighbors, which helps strengthen community bonds and cooperation.
“I use a hoe for farming. I use a cutlass and other hand tools for weeding and general farm work,” he added.
Eyewitness said his farm is neatly organized, with rows of beans, sweet potatoes, groundnuts, and vegetables like tomatoes and okro, located at the Rehabilitation Board School premises.
Mr Williams emphasized that embracing smart farming practices is essential to reduce the high cost of food affecting everyone in society.
A young man with a leg disability, Mr. Joshua Matthew, is also part of the group. Despite limited mobility, he drags himself across his farm to tend to his crops.
“What people should understand is that, I farm intensively to feed my family. I grow maize, rice, and other food crops to reduce the high cost of living,” Joshua said.
He stressed that, despite his condition, farming is not as difficult as many people believe. He also urged the government to support them so they can continue to be self-reliant.
“Due to the high cost of fertilizer, many farmers in the area have resorted to using organic manure as a more affordable alternative,” he said.
Our Correspondent observed that, “Even with low rainfall this year, these farmers remain committed. They continue to work diligently, applying modern farming techniques to ensure the production of sufficient and quality food.”
“We all agree that we are physically challenged; but the fact is we can produce food crops to feed our families. Yes, we need fertilizer support to boost our morale and improve our farming,” one farmer said.
“This inclusive farming initiative, known as Inclusive Smart Farming, aims to integrate people with disabilities into agriculture as a strategy to combat hunger and poverty in Nigeria. The program is already showing promising results,” they stated.
President of the Association of People with Special Needs in Nigeria, Comrade Rilwani Abdullahi, emphasized the importance of inclusive smart farming systems in boosting agricultural production among persons with disabilities.
“This is an effort to become self-reliant. Therefore, we call on the authorities to support these farmers and ensure they are included whenever agricultural inputs like fertilizers are distributed,” he said.
He added that across Nigeria, many people with disabilities are actively engaged in serious farming – producing both food and cash crops – and should be supported with fertilizers and appropriate farming tools.
“Currently, these resilient farmers are fully dedicated to agriculture as a means of sustaining themselves, refusing to resort to begging,” People with Special Needs in Nigeria Becoming Successful Farmers stated.
However, they often decried and expressed frustration for being excluded from government distribution programs for fertilizer and other agricultural inputs.
A science and environment journalist from African Climate Reporters (name withheld), who visited these farmers, noted that, despite their visual impairments, the blind farmers maintain exceptionally clean and organized fields due to the time and effort they dedicate to weeding and maintaining their farms.