Farmers Count Losses as Kano Community Remains without Electricity 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.
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.

source:premiuntimesng.com

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