In a renewed effort to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector, key research institutes have begun a strategic collaboration with the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWFON) to improve productivity and combat pest and disease challenges across multiple agricultural value chains.
This initiative, unveiled during a national workshop held in Abuja, aims to enhance the adoption of good farming practices by linking research outputs directly to the farmers who need them most.
The event, themed “Together We Grow Sustainable Food Systems for a Resilient Future,” brought together stakeholders from across the agricultural ecosystem, including farmer organisations, research institutions, and representatives from the ministries of agriculture in Niger, Oyo, and Abuja.
Eze Onyekpere, Lead Director at the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), emphasized the need to close the disconnect between agricultural research and real-time field application.
“We identified ten farmer groups along with key research institutes to bridge the gap between what is being developed in labs and what is being implemented on the farm,” he explained. “This engagement ensures that research findings are channelled to the right actors, enabling nationwide adoption of best practices.”
Onyekpere underscored the untapped potential of Nigeria’s agricultural value chains, noting that cassava alone, which accounts for 20% of global production, has the capacity to generate more revenue than oil if properly harnessed.
“Take gari for instance a staple across Nigeria, it reflects only a fraction of what cassava can offer when value-added processes are introduced,” he said. While acknowledging that agricultural research institutes receive considerable funding, he stressed the need for even greater government support.
In his remarks, Honourable Kelechi Nworgu of the House Committee on Agriculture described the initiative as a timely intervention. “This is a call to action,” he said. “Farmers are currently grappling with low productivity and weak financial structures. Stakeholders must step up to support them and scale up their activities for long-term food security.”
The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen linkages between research, extension services, and smallholder farmers, particularly women to drive sustainable and inclusive agricultural growth.
