Farmers count losses as Kano community remains in darkness after 23 years

In the fertile plains of Kura Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano State, residents of Sabuwar Gainawa, a community renowned for its agricultural productivity, have endured over two decades without electricity.

Residents of the community of over 140,000 people produce crops such as maize, rice, and vegetables to supply local markets and traders from other parts of the state and country.

However, Sabuwar Gainawa, one of Kura’s prominent communities, remains literarily in the dark. It has never had electricity, leading to reduced agricultural yields and limited economic opportunities for residents.

The community was established in 2001 by then-governor Rabiu Kwankwaso to resettle flood victims from other parts of the state. Since then, residents have faced numerous challenges, including high crime rates. However, the main challenge is the lack of electricity, which contributes to the others.

Several farmers who spoke to this reporter mentioned how the lack of electricity affects their work and livelihoods.

One of them, Yahaya Abdullahi, shared that the lack of electricity forces him to travel long distances to grind grains after harvest, significantly increasing his expenses, reducing his profit and putting his life at risk.

“I travel 25 kilometres to Kumbotso. The trip is costly and time-consuming; sometimes, I even risk being robbed on the way,” he said.

Mr Abdullahi explained that grinding a single bag of maize costs ₦15,000 in Kumbotso. Transportation for each bag adds an extra ₦1,000 to ₦1,200 in a single trip, depending on fuel prices and vehicle availability. This means the cost of processing a bag totals around ₦16,000, excluding other incidental expenses.

A processed bag of maize sells for about ₦60,000, but the high grinding and transportation costs eat into the farmers’ profits.

“With no electricity in Gainawa, this routine cost eats into my earnings; nearly 30 per cent of this income goes to transportation and grinding expenses.” Mr Abdullahi lamented.

The power shortage also affects poultry farming in Sabuwar Gainawa. Muhammad Adam, a poultry farmer, described how the lack of electricity forces him to rely on a generator to maintain his operations, significantly increasing his production costs.

Mr Adam said he spends ₦12,000 on fuel every four days to power the generator for lighting and water pumps essential to his poultry farm. In a month, this adds up to about ₦86,000. For every crate of eggs he sells at ₦2,000, about 30 per cent of the total revenue is spent on fuel alone, leaving him with reduced profits to manage other farm expenses.

Beyond the financial strain, Mr Adam has also suffered losses from theft.

“Thieves recently stole 23 birds from my farm, which is over ₦115,000 in losses,” he said.

The darkness created by the lack of power provides cover for such criminal activities, compounding the challenges faced by poultry farmers like Mr Adam.

Mansir Adamu, a farmer and secretary of the Onion Traders’ Association in Gundutse Market, Kura Local Government Area, highlighted the challenges onion traders and farmers face due to the lack of electricity and how high energy costs and inadequate infrastructure hinder their productivity.

“For irrigation, I rely on a gas-powered engine. A single farming cycle costs me around ₦30,000 on gas for irrigation alone,” he said.

He added that the cost is even higher for those using petrol-powered engines, as 10 litres of petrol purchased from the black market, where petrol is readily available, costs ₦15,000. Depending on the scale of operations, refuelling may be required every 4 to 5 days, pushing expenses to at least ₦60,000 per month.

Mr Adamu explained that these operational costs, coupled with the absence of government support, have forced many farmers into debt.

“Many of us borrow money to farm,” he said. “But after paying for irrigation, petrol, and other costs, there’s little left to repay lenders. Without these funds, continuing next year becomes impossible.”

In Gundutse Market, the absence of electricity exacerbates the challenges. Farmers bring their produce from surrounding local governments, including Rano, Kibiya, and Tudun Wada, but there are no facilities like fans or air-conditioned storage units to preserve perishable crops.

“Without fans to dry the onions, they begin to spoil within two days, leading to significant losses for traders,” Mr Adamu said.

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Other residents, such as Abdulrahman Abdullahi, have faced personal losses as thieves capitalize on the dark surroundings.

“They stole five of my goats, which are worth about ₦300,000, each selling at ₦60,000, leaving only the smallest ones behind. Darkness gives them room to hide,” he explained.

Mr Abdullahi noted that the theft has significantly impacted his business, as the stolen goats were critical to his income and expansion plans.

“I rely on my goats for both meat and breeding. Losing them means I can’t expand my herd as planned, which affects my overall production and profits.”

He emphasised that the persistent thefts, fuelled by inadequate lighting and security, make it increasingly difficult to sustain his business and maintain a steady income.

Ado Inuwa, the community leader of Gainawa, is deeply concerned about the electricity crisis. He said the lack of electricity has stunted the community’s economic growth.

“Our Gundutse Market could attract more traders and investors, but the lack of electricity discourages them,” he explained.

Community efforts to access power

The community has taken some measures to address the lack of electricity but to no avail. They have sought interventions from local leaders, electricity companies, and relevant government agencies.

To demonstrate their commitment, the community raised ₦470,000 through contributions from residents between 2019 and 2020. The funds were intended to cover the costs of materials such as poles and wires, showcasing the community’s dedication to addressing the electricity problem.

However, due to the project’s overwhelming costs, they were unable to proceed. Eventually, the money was refunded to the contributors.

Abdullahi Shuaibu, the chairman of the Sabuwar Gainawa Community Development Group, said the community also approached the Kano State Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) and the Rural Electrification Board (REA) but without success.

When contacted, the Managing Director of the Kano Rural Electrification Board (REB), Sani Danbatta, said the community meets the criteria for electrification and could benefit from the state government’s efforts soon.

“The state’s recent approval to procure 500 transformers of various sizes and types intended to expand electricity access, specifically to underserved areas, including Sabuwar Gainawa,” he noted.

He also highlighted ongoing efforts to collaborate with private developers through the mini-solar project, which aims to leverage solar generation for remote locations without electricity infrastructure.

Efforts to assist onion farmers

While the residents of the community continue to hope to be connected to the electricity grid, the state government is taking limited action to assist some farmers.

Mr Shuaibu, the Sabuwar community leader, stated that the Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP) constructed an ‘Aerated Onion Storage Technology’ facility in the area in 2023 to aid in onion preservation. The facility, powered by solar energy, is designed to prevent spoilage and extend the shelf-life of harvested onions.

The system operates through a solar-powered fan that keeps the onion neck tissue and outer scales dry. It is programmed to work for 12 hours a day, with the fans alternating every other hour to avoid excessive airflow across the bulbs, which could lead to spoilage.

Upon visiting the facility, it is clear that this technology has played a critical role in reducing post-harvest losses.

However, Mr Inuwa pointed out that only a small group of farmers can access it.

“The facility uses solar power, which is great, but it benefits only a limited number of farmers due to the facility’s capacity and the small scale of the operation.”

Some farmers who have used the facility said it has been helpful. However, its limitations in size and scope mean only a few farmers can benefit from it.

All the farmers and residents of Sabuwar Gainawa Community believe that providing electricity will unlock their community’s agricultural and economic potential, create jobs and reduce crime.

“We don’t need much, just electricity. With power, we can irrigate our farms, grind our grains, and store our vegetables and don’t have to travel 25 kilometres away to grind our food,” Mr Abdullahi, the maize farmer, said. “Our leaders should understand that everything depends on power.”

This investigative report was supported by the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID) under their Climate Change Project.