James Emejo in Abuja
The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has commenced a nationwide training of 1,884 agricultural extension personnel and food security specialists under a new digital extension programme aimed at accelerating technology adoption, improving farm productivity and strengthening food security architecture in the country.
The four-day training, which commenced in Lafia, Nasarawa State, marked the first phase of the Grassroots Digital Extension Corps (GDEC) initiative and will be replicated across the remaining five geopolitical zones.
Speaking at the opening, Executive Secretary/Chief of NADF, Mr. Mohammed Ibrahim, said rebuilding Nigeria’s extension system had become imperative to raising agricultural productivity and connecting farmers with modern innovations.
Represented by the fund’s Head of Policy and Advocacy, Mrs. Yejide Olarinde, he said the nationwide programme would train 1,110 Agricultural Extension Agents and 774 Food Security Specialists, creating a new cadre of professionals equipped with digital skills to support farmers and improve food security planning.
According to him, every participant who successfully completes the programme will receive a digital tablet preloaded with approved extension manuals, training materials and advisory resources to facilitate field operations.
He noted that the initiative is expected to improve farmers’ access to timely information, modern production techniques and climate-smart agricultural practices.
Ibrahim said, “Agricultural extension remains the bridge between research institutions, government interventions and farming communities. Strengthening extension services is essential to increasing technology adoption, improving productivity and delivering sustainable food security.”
Also speaking, a representative of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension (FDAE), Mrs. Amao Oluwakemi, described the initiative as timely, stressing that an effective extension system remains critical to ensuring research findings translate into improved farm yields across the country.
Beneficiaries at the trainin are undergoing intensive classroom and practical sessions covering digital extension systems, climate-smart agriculture, agricultural communication, farmer advisory services, data management and field engagement techniques.
Successful participants will receive professional certification at the end of the programme before deployment to support farmers across their respective states.
The Lafia exercise is expected to conclude later in the week after which the training will move to other geopolitical zones as NADF scales up the Grassroots Digital Extension Corps nationwide.
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