AgroEknor

The Challenge

Smallholder farmers in Northern Nigeria face deep structural barriers that keep them locked in poverty. Limited access to premium markets, dependence on exploitative intermediaries, inadequate infrastructure, and increasing climate shocks suppress incomes and undermine resilience. Women, who make up the majority of the agricultural workforce, are disproportionately affected, with most earning well below the $3.20 per day poverty line.

The Innovation

AgroEknor is a farmer-allied hibiscus processor and exporter that sources directly from smallholder farmers and connects them to global markets. Through its FEEP bundled services model, the company provides climate-smart training, quality inputs, traceability, and guaranteed premium pricing. Its NAQS-accredited fumigation capacity and YieldPro traceability platform enable international quality standards, premium pricing, and long-term buyer relationships, advantages that few competitors can match.

The Impact

AgroEknor currently partners with more than 6,000 smallholder farmers, 82% of whom are women, with 81% living below $3.20 per day. By linking farmers to premium export markets and providing comprehensive support services, the company is driving meaningful income uplift and resilience. Since inception, AgroEknor has onboarded over 13,000 farmers and aims to reach up to 100,000 by 2028, demonstrating that export-oriented agriculture can be a scalable pathway out of poverty in Northern Nigeria.