December 12, 2022

Young Nigerien Farmer Pioneers in Moringa Value Addition

Fresh Produce

Niger

Only 28 years old, Djibril Belko Hamsatou is a young Nigerien woman who is passionate about moringa production and the transformation of its by-products. moringa nothing is lost, everything can be used for something, leaves, oil and seeds. In order to live her passion to the fullest, the young Hamsatou does not want to be satisfied with just consuming the plant with a thousand virtues, she has decided to invest in production.

This is the story of a young pioneer in moringa production in Niger.

It all started in the department of Say, located about 60 km from Niamey, in the region of Tillabéry. Trained as a midwife, Hamsatou has been passionate about agriculture for a long time.

I owe this passion for agriculture to one of my aunts who is a millet and cowpea farmer, whom I followed to the field since I was a child. Being in the plantations, cultivating or ploughing ended up being a real pleasure and a passion for me. As far as moringa is concerned, it is a very special and nutritious food. I think as a young person I can contribute to the popularization of this plant in Niger.

Despite her passion, Habsatou faced many difficulties. At the beginning, her father and brothers were against her desire to farm, saying that it is not a job for a young woman. But her parents and especially her mother have finally accepted by realizing the tenacity of Hamsatou as well as the encouragement of other people like the business champion GOROUBI who also produces moringa.

In addition to this family challenge, Hamsatou did not have sufficient financial and technical means to realize her passion. In the Nigerien context, women often do not have access to land because of social constraints. Despite this difficulty in accessing land, Hamsatou was able to save money by selling goats in order to buy land in her village. She also did petty trading during the vacations to earn some income to buy and transport organic manure to her 2 hectare plot.

Empowering youth through capacity building

Through the life skills training organized by 2SCALE as part of its youth inclusion approach, Hamsatou learned to become financially autonomous through moringa production. Today, she employs 4 people permanently and about 15 people temporarily in her field. In addition, she involves women in sowing and harvesting, creating a local market.

Vision for a sustainable future

Young and ambitious, Hamsatou sees herself in the next 10 years as a great entrepreneur in the moringa business with financial autonomy. In a country where the problem of employment of young people is a major challenge, agriculture, especially the production of moringa, can represent a solution to these problems according to Hamsatou. She says:

The earth does not lie," one says. Moringa production can promote not only self-employment but also enable the hiring of many young people through plowing, planting, watering, harvesting, as well as other types of services such as transportation and sales.

Proud of her initiative, Hamsatou wants to be a model that can inspire more young people and women to invest in entrepreneurship. She concludes:

I am very proud as a young girl. The fight I am leading today in agriculture can serve the Nigerien youth by being inspired from my model to become an entrepreneur in this sector.

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