The Federal Government has trained 1,884 agricultural extension agents and food security specialists under a digital initiative aimed at improving farming practices and raising agricultural productivity across Nigeria.
The personnel, comprising 1,110 extension agents and 774 food security specialists, were trained across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory under the Grassroots Digital Extension Corps (GDEC), launched in Abuja on Wednesday.
Speaking at the launch, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said strengthening extension services was necessary to address low crop yields and help Nigeria realise agriculture’s estimated $300 billion economic potential.
He said agriculture contributes about 26 per cent to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and provides employment for more than 70 per cent of the population across the agricultural value chain.
However, Abdullahi noted that the sector generates only about $1 billion in foreign exchange earnings, despite opportunities to increase revenue through better production, processing and exports.
He said agriculture could account for up to 30 per cent of President Bola Tinubu’s $1 trillion economy ambition, equivalent to approximately $300 billion.
The minister highlighted the difference in agricultural yields between Nigeria and other countries, noting that yields for several Nigerian crops average between 1.3 and 1.5 tonnes per hectare, compared with about 11 tonnes per hectare recorded in Egypt under irrigation.
On cassava, he said Nigeria produces an estimated 63 million metric tonnes annually, making it the world’s leading producer, but achieves average yields of only six to seven tonnes per hectare.
Abdullahi said improved extension services could help farmers increase output, reduce production costs and identify industrial opportunities, including the production of high-quality cassava flour.
He also stressed that agricultural advice must take market demands into account rather than focus solely on farming techniques.
“If your extension services and advice to me is not market-centric, you are just deceiving the farmer. You are wasting his time and discouraging him,” he said.
He called for the integration of GDEC with the ministry’s existing National Electronic Extension Platform to prevent duplication and ensure farmers receive consistent information.
The minister also proposed a committee to harmonise existing agricultural extension initiatives and urged the National Assembly to reconsider the proposed Agricultural Extension Bill.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Development Fund, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the programme was developed with the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension and other stakeholders to bridge the gap between agricultural research and its application on farms.
He identified people, tools and data as the initiative’s three main components, explaining that information gathered from farmers would also support government planning and the development of evidence-based interventions.
Ibrahim said the programme’s impact would be assessed through the number of farmers reached, the adoption of improved farming practices and measurable increases in productivity, rather than the number of personnel trained or digital tools distributed.
Also speaking, the Director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension, Taiye Tehinse, said digital platforms such as FarmEasy would complement traditional extension methods by improving communication, data collection and agricultural decision-making.
He said personnel involved in the programme must combine digital skills with practical agricultural knowledge to provide effective advisory services.
Tehinse also called for greater inclusion of women, young people and persons with disabilities in digital agricultural programmes.
Ademide Adebayo
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