By Efosa Taiwo

Nigerian agriculturist, Muhammed Braimoh Usman is leading a revolution, using sustainable agricultural methods to breathe new life into the country’s struggling rural economy.

Agriculture in rural Nigeria used to rely heavily on manual labor and outdated methods. This often led to low productivity and environmental damage. But Usman is showing that eco-friendly farming can bring both economic and social benefits.

Usman, a top graduate of Agricultural Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, applies clean energy and modern practices to farming.

At Emperor Farms in Ibadan, he helped turn a 13-hectare estate into a thriving agricultural hub. The farm, which grows palm, cassava, and plantain, now runs on solar power and biogas systems. These changes helped raise crop yields by 75%, grow revenue by 30%, and create over 50 rural jobs.

Usman said, “Water access also improved. Solar-powered systems now supply clean water to nearby households. Local youth have found steady employment on the farm, in areas like processing and logistics.

Before his work at Emperor Farms, Usman was a Sustainability Officer at Zartech Ltd. There, he helped reduce waste by 35% and water use by 25%. His efforts were said to cut energy costs by 20%, saving the company over $180,000 a year. The money, it was gathered, was reinvested in local training and sustainable upgrades, further boosting the rural economy.

In Kebbi State, Usman worked on renewable energy projects for GB Foods’ Tomani Farms. It was gathered he reduced water usage by 30% and cut emissions by 20% using solar and biogas systems with these changes reported to have saved $80,000 yearly and increased crop yields by 15%.

“These numbers have real meaning for rural communities. Farmers are earning more. Women are finding work in areas like renewable energy and agro-processing. Youths are being trained in smart technologies like cold storage and automated irrigation.

“Government and private sector support is also growing. Projects now offer microloans for solar irrigation and support for organic compost production. These changes help make eco-friendly farming affordable for smaller farmers,” Usman said.