When you step into Jirka Kampa on market days, one of the first things you’ll notice is the air is filled with the sounds of trade and the smell of freshly harvested crops. Then, the busy movement of people and goods — donkeys and motorcycles carry sacks of maize, fertiliser bags, chemicals, and sunflower seeds. Women sit in clusters sorting beans, while young men load bags of produce onto waiting trucks bound for bigger towns. Farming, here, is more than an occupation; it is the heartbeat of the community.
For years, however, that heartbeat struggled against the odds. Farmers walked long distances to buy fertilisers, crop protection chemicals, or improved seed. Many sold their produce at giveaway prices to middlemen because they lacked aggregation centres or storage facilities. Knowledge of modern techniques was scarce, leaving yields low despite the hard work of farmers.
That reality began to change in 2023, when the Foundation in partnership with AVISA established a Farmers’ Hub in Jirka Kampa, a farming settlement in Saminaka Local Government Area of Kaduna State and appointed Nathan Ayuba Jinda, a seasoned farmer, as its manager.
Nathan remembers the day vividly:
“When FSSS came to my village, they interviewed about ten of us and I was picked based on merit. I was lucky enough to have this very establishment, the Farmers’ Hub. Since then, my life and this community have changed.”
A Hub that Serves Beyond Inputs
The Jirka Kampa Farmers’ Hub grew quickly into more than a shop. It became a lifeline. Farmers now come not only to buy chemicals and fertilisers but also to learn new techniques, attend demonstration plots of hybrid crops, and aggregate their harvests for better market prices.
“We sell chemicals, we sell fertilisers, and we also run demonstrations of hybrid crops. We train farmers and help them improve. And it is not just for this community; people come from outside, even from the city. They see the building, they are attracted, and they patronise us,” Nathan explains with pride.
One of the most significant services the hub offers is aggregation. By pooling harvests, especially sunflower seeds, farmers now have access to structured markets and better income. Nathan himself has become a leader in this space:
“I am the highest marketer of sunflower seeds in this region. People come from far for supplies. And because of this hub, I have also been able to employ people, security men, labourers who offload goods, and assistants. The hub is not just my work; it has become an establishment for the whole community.”
A Farmer Becomes an Entrepreneur
Nathan has been a farmer for more than twenty years, but he admits the hub has turned him into something more — an entrepreneur with multiple income streams.
“Compared to how I used to farm, I have generated so much income from aggregation and the chemical business. Farmers are in their thousands, many of them now depend on me for supplies. I believe that in a couple of years, I will be a multimillionaire because things are moving. I have suppliers, I have customers, and the business keeps growing.”
The hub has also expanded his capacity as a farmer. With increased income and access to quality inputs, Nathan has added more hectares to his farmland. “My farming prowess has increased,” he says with a smile.
But beyond money and land, Nathan treasures the confidence and respect the hub has given him:
“This hub has given me belief and a feeling of firmness. I now support my parents and my family of five. I have become someone known in the society. People work under me, and I have become a boss. For that, I am grateful to FSSS. They have done a lot for my life, things I could not have done on my own.”
The Family Behind the Hub
Running the hub is not Nathan’s journey alone. His wife, Justina Nathan Jinda, an affable and loving personality, is an active partner, ensuring the business runs smoothly.
“I support my husband’s business. I help him sell goods and manage other things. The hub has helped our family. We are able to meet our needs and support our parents. It has also helped farmers because they get chemicals and fertilisers cheaper here, and of very good quality. They are happy and always return for more.”
For Justina, the hub is both a source of stability and a call to farmers:
“This is also a call to farmers. We sell goods, quality chemicals and fertilisers, at very affordable prices. The hub is here for them.”
A Community Anchor of Growth
Today, Jirka Kampa is not the same community it was two years ago. Farmers no longer travel far for inputs. They are more knowledgeable about modern farming techniques. They have a place to sell their harvests at fairer prices. And young people in the area now find employment opportunities, reducing rural idleness.
The ripple effects are visible: families are better supported, children are cared for, and farming has become more dignified.
Nathan reflects on this journey with gratitude:
“I must say that I am thankful to FSSS because they have done a lot for my life. This hub is a great establishment, not only for me but for the whole community. People are happy, and I pray that God blesses them for the impact they are making.”
What started as a single intervention in a small farming community has grown into a hub of prosperity, proof that when farmers are supported with access, knowledge, and markets, entire communities can thrive.