How Cooperative Farming Is Changing Lives in Ukanafun LGA

Smallholder farming in Ukanafun LGA has long been a solitary, resource-constrained enterprise. Farmers working alone rarely had the capital for quality inputs, the labour for larger plots, or the market access to sell at fair prices.

SUSLIVA's cooperative farming initiative changed that.

How the Cooperative Works

Through our Agriculture & Food Security program, SUSLIVA has facilitated the formation of structured farming cooperatives — groups of smallholder farmers who pool labour, tools, knowledge, and sometimes land to grow food more effectively.

Each cooperative receives:

Training in improved planting techniques

Access to a shared seed bank

Connections to local markets and buyers

Financial literacy education to manage group resources

The Results

In the most recent farming season, cooperatives facilitated by SUSLIVA reported a 40% average increase in yield compared to individual plots. Families who previously struggled to produce enough food for home consumption are now selling surplus at local markets.

"I grew more yam this year than in the past three years combined," one cooperative member told our field team. "Because we all worked the land together."

What's Next

SUSLIVA is expanding the cooperative model to two additional communities in Ukanafun LGA, with plans to introduce agroforestry techniques that improve soil health over the long term.

Your donations help fund the training, inputs, and field staff that make this work possible.