Empowering Communities Through Innovation, Skills & Livelihood Support (Magazine Vol. 2)

Welcome to the Gidan Arziki Impact Magazine, a special feature on the FCDO-funded Resilience Building and Smallholder Farmers Support Project, implemented by Life Helpers Initiative and the World Food Programme. It captures the transformation unfolding through the Gidan Arziki centre in Batagarawa, Katsina State, from commissioning to full operation.

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Leadership lens

"The journey goes beyond infrastructure and statistics; it is about restoring dignity, building confidence, and creating sustainable opportunities for individuals and families."

Hannah Kidzi, Gidan Arziki Facility Manager (LHI)

Youths are acquiring vocational and tailoring skills, smallholder farmers are accessing improved processing services that reduce post-harvest losses, and community members are benefiting from affordable services that support their daily livelihoods.

The big picture

The Gidan Arziki centre in Batagarawa LGA was commissioned on 27 April 2026 by the Deputy Governor of Katsina State, Faruk Lawal Jobe, representing the Executive Governor. He described it as a transformative initiative with the potential to strengthen livelihoods and empower women and youths across the state. The ceremony included facility inspections, interactions with beneficiaries and a ceremonial tree planting. Stakeholders advocated for similar centres in other LGAs of Katsina State.

Built in four weeks, governed by the community

The Batagarawa Farmer Service Centre is the second major agricultural hub under the FCDO-funded project in Northwest Nigeria, replicating the success of the Wamakko model. Construction reached 100% completion within four weeks, and by April the facility was fully operational.

A Facility Management Committee of 20 members (12 male, 8 female) was established even before construction finished, and selected farming equipment was formally handed over to the committee lead.

Services: core agricultural services, agro-processing, extension and advisory services, a meeting room, farm equipment and mechanisation, tool rental, cold room, car wash and a charging dock.

Facility operations

• Agro-processing: a busy grinding section and a groundnut oil extraction section producing groundnut oil and kuli-kuli. Women were trained on modern equipment, hygiene, and product branding and packaging. A new groundnut grinding machine was added.
• Cold room: water chilling and ice block production, plus fura da nono, a locally consumed dairy product.
• Charging station: additional equipment procured; popular with youths for affordable, safe charging.
• Business incubation: sewing lessons (30 trainees), paid use of sewing machines by tailors without equipment, and the sewing and sale of hijabs, veils and bedsheets.
• Car wash and tool rental: fully operational, creating income opportunities for youths.

Data digest: April 2026

| Revenue by unit | Amount (₦) | |---|---| | Cold room | 457,985 | | Processing centre | 237,210 | | Charging station | 151,000 | | Car wash | 76,860 | | Business incubation | 38,100 | | Tool rentals | 11,200 |

Total income ₦1,075,365 · total expenditure ₦588,370 · profit ₦486,995.

Voices of change

• Finding purpose at 70: Arajana Suleiman
• Voices from Batagarawa: leaders on the Gidan Arziki hub
• A modern slaughterhouse for Batagarawa

Also in this issue

The NIDAKE reusable sanitary pad (Goshen Development Centre, Tamaje Bye Pass, Sokoto) and WeSpeak (Muyi Magana), LHI's weekly radio programme on Radio Nigeria Royal FM 101.5.

For feedback, suggestions, appreciation or complaints, WhatsApp or SMS 0201 330 9033 or email feedback@lhinigeria.org.