In a move aimed at restoring livelihoods and boosting agricultural productivity, BUA Cement has begun distributing farm inputs to over 300 farmers in host communities affected by the company’s operations in Wamakko Local Government Area, Sokoto State. The initiative is part of the company’s Sustainable Livelihood Restoration Programme and is expected to benefit approximately 1,500 people across the impacted communities.

The distribution exercise, which took place on Thursday, was praised by Umar Mohammed, Chairman of Wamakko Local Government, who commended the company’s continued support for local farmers. Mohammed urged recipients to make effective use of the agricultural inputs to maximize productivity and achieve the programme’s broader goal of improving livelihoods. He added that the initiative would enhance local food production and strengthen farming activities in the area.

Yusuf Binji, Managing Director of BUA Cement, represented by Sada Sulaiman, Director of Corporate Affairs Services, explained that the beneficiaries were primarily farmers displaced by the company’s operational and land expansion activities. Binji emphasized that the programme is designed to support these farmers in continuing their agricultural activities and improving their yields. “These items are being given to farmers who were displaced as a result of the company’s expansion. The goal is to support them to continue their farming activities and improve their productivity,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Ali Gumel, Assistant Director of Health, Community Safety, and Environment at BUA Cement, highlighted that the distribution marked the commencement of the agricultural component of the Sustainable Livelihood Restoration Programme. He acknowledged that many farmers had lost their farmlands due to company operations and stressed that the initiative is designed to enhance farming capacity. “Even though replacement farmlands were provided, we are also supporting them with inputs to improve the quality of their farming and help them achieve better yields,” he noted.

The current distribution targets 300 farmers in two batches of 150 each. Gumel disclosed that before the distribution, several classroom and field training sessions were conducted to equip farmers with enhanced agricultural skills.

Beyond crop farming, the company plans to implement additional livelihood initiatives, including entrepreneurship training, skills acquisition programmes, and livestock farming support for other community members affected by the company’s operations. The programme is being carried out in collaboration with agricultural development partners and is expected to strengthen local farming capacity while improving the livelihoods of displaced residents.

This effort reflects a growing trend among corporations to integrate sustainable community development with business expansion, ensuring that economic growth benefits host communities alongside operational objectives.