Sualisu Lamin Wagya has been on an incredible path from being an ordinary farmer using traditional methods to becoming a farming expert and community leader. With the knowledge and skill he gained by working with iDE, Sualisu grew into a source of inspiration and hope for other young people in his community, taking on the title of Farm Business Advisor. In this role, Sualisu hosts meetings and visits with farmers in their fields, selling products that help his customers grow more and better crops. He is now teaching others farming practices in the same way that he learned: through demonstration and hard work.

Before Sualisu became who he is today, he watched his mother and wife improve their soybean yields with techniques they learned from iDE-trained farmers. His moment of curiosity and inspiration came during the harvest “when my wife got 8 bags of soybeans from an acreage of farm while I made 6 bags from 2 acres,” said Sualisu. When he had the opportunity, he seized his chance to learn and began using modern farming techniques and technology.

The entire family of entrepreneurs now works together to continue improving their lives. Sualisu’s mother purchased livestock with her profits while he and his wife purchased land, a dream he never thought he would achieve. Sualisu now sees himself not only as an entrepreneur but also as a teacher and believes his success is only the beginning. “People believe and trust me; I feel like I’ve also become someone useful - a leader,” said Sualisu.