Janet Akolo Andaku & Kejand Riscare Innovations

Janet Akolo Andaku is a development practitioner and environmental scientist with extensive experience in grassroots development across North Central Nigeria. As a rural woman herself, she understands the challenges smallholder farmers, particularly women, face in accessing tools, markets, and training to thrive.

In 2023, Janet co-founded Kejand Riscare Innovations, a social enterprise dedicated to sustainable agriculture, climate education, and inclusive community empowerment. As CEO/Founder, she plays a key role in shaping the company's strategic direction, management, and operations, bringing her expertise in agricultural processes and modern farming techniques to the business.

Kejand Riscare Innovations strengthens the rice value chain by collaborating with smallholder farmers and women-led cooperatives. The enterprise supports the transition from subsistence farming to profitable agribusiness through climate-smart training, equipment, and market access. By empowering women and providing youth with opportunities for skills development and mentorship, Kejand creates pathways to economic independence while fostering sustainability and innovation in Nigeria's rice industry.

With support from a Giving Joy microgrant (donated by Farish GSD), the program ran across two phases in 2026:

Phase 1 (January–March 2026): Training and capacity-building reached 300 beneficiaries across three cohorts (90 in January, 95 in February, 115 in March), covering rice and agribusiness training, financial literacy workshops, mentorship and coaching, starter pack distribution, and community sensitization.

Phase 2 (April–July 2026): A core group of 40 beneficiaries progressed from training into hands-on cultivation, working a 2-hectare rice farm in Ashangwa, Lafia — covering land preparation, planting, and field maintenance through the growing season.

Impact to date:

• 300 people reached through training, mentorship, and workshops

• 45 direct and 70 indirect jobs created

• 20 small-scale enterprises launched

• 30% average increase in participant household income

• 25% increase in household food production

• 60% women, 40% youth among participants

• 40 beneficiaries advanced into active field cultivation, with many already feeding their households directly from crop yields

Janet's work shows how small, targeted investments can drive meaningful change. By strengthening local value chains and supporting women entrepreneurs, Giving Joy is helping build a more sustainable, economically resilient future for rural Nigeria across two rural communities.

Looking ahead: Kejand plans crop protection, harvest support, and post-harvest processing following the expected October–November 2026 harvest, followed by market linkage for beneficiary farm outputs. The organization hopes to scale the field-cultivation model to the remaining 260 trained beneficiaries, with capital access — not participant interest — identified as the primary bottleneck to expansion.