The Story of Talatu Ibrahim

Talatu Ibrahim is a TGE with Babban Gona from the small community of Rafin Guza. This community is one of the settlements on the banks of the Kaduna River and is in Kaduna – North Local Government Area, with a population of about 200,000 people. Talatu’s decision to join Babban Gona was borne out of curiosity and a desperate search for something better. Her first encounter with the Field Officers from Babban Gona was when they came to her village, and she listened to all they had to say about the support the company provides to agricultural entrepreneurs with great excitement. Upon joining Babban Gona she was further assured that she had made the right decision based on the countless ‘aha!’ moments she had during the Saidu Sani training sessions which gave her insight into the proper methods of planting, fertilizer application and farm management practices – pointers to why she had not been getting the best yield from her farm. “The quickest way to get to my community is by canoe, and this has been a great challenge for us. This has also created a problem with getting our farming supplies (i.e. fertilizers and seeds). Every year was the same; full of uncertainty about how to get what we needed.” Babban Gona’s dedicated employees, and our unique distribution networks have helped to remove much of Talatu’s constant uncertainty through providing consistent, quality inputs and services to both her, and the Trust Groups she manages. The season before she joined Babban Gona, she had gotten 15 bags on her 2.5-acre farm. However, with Babban Gona she got 45 bags from the same plot of land. With the bags marketed through Babban Gona and the bonus payments she received from Babban Gona throughout the season, she received well over 3x her normal income. She now has enough money to send her daughter and son to better schools. “I am grateful to Babban Gona for changing my life. I look around and can see the transformation that has taken place in our home. My children are well-fed and in good schools. We have also refurbished our home and bought additional land. All I see around me is growth.” The new season has begun, and Talatu is once again full of hope for an increased income by partnering with Babban Gona. She says “My team members and I were so pleased with our last season with Babban Gona, and as a result we have been able to increase our team’s combined farm size from 10 acres to 20 acres. We are excited for what the future holds, and are grateful to Babban Gona for showing us the path to success”