The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has underscored the role of enhancing agricultural extension services to strengthen food security in Nigeria.
He made this known while speaking at the National Agricultural Extension Service Impact-sharing Workshop organized by the USAID Agricultural Extension Activity in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture.
Represented by Deola Lordbanjou, Director of the Federal Department of Extension Services, Kyari highlighted the event as an essential platform for discussing the partnership’s achievements, which have improved extension and advisory services.
These improvements, he said, are necessary for enhancing productivity and increasing the income of smallholder farmers across the country.
Since the inception of this collaboration in 2020, the partnership has successfully introduced innovative business solutions and integrated private extension delivery into the national extension policy.
This initiative has directly benefited over 311 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which play a vital role in supporting small farmers.
Kyari pointed out that these efforts have not only enhanced production but also advanced digital extension initiatives.
These initiatives have created jobs and improved farmers’ access to vital markets, thereby contributing to the overall economic stability of rural communities.
In his remarks, the Minister urged stakeholders to expand these successful models further to alleviate rural poverty and combat food insecurity in Nigeria.
Also speaking, Jean Rousseau, the Director of Winrock International, noted that MSMEs play an important role in enhancing extension services.
Rousseau identified some of the challenges faced in designing effective initiatives tailored to small farmers, particularly in states such as Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi, and Niger.
He stressed that achieving food sufficiency remains a daunting task, especially with the current ratio of one extension agent serving approximately 10,000 farmers.