The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), has launched a groundbreaking data-capturing initiative aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and providing targeted support to Nigerian farmers.

The initiative, unveiled by Mr. Temitope Fashedemi, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, seeks to create a comprehensive database of farmers across the country.

This move is expected to significantly improve agricultural planning and intervention by ensuring that accurate and up-to-date information is available to policymakers and stakeholders.“This is a crucial step towards transforming the agricultural sector.

By capturing accurate data on our farmers, we can better understand their needs and allocate resources accordingly,” Fashedemi stated during the launch.

The collaboration will leverage NIMC’s expertise in identity management to develop a robust and reliable database.

“NIMC’s role in this initiative is indispensable; their expertise will ensure that we have a comprehensive and accurate dataset,” Fashedemi added.

To ensure the successful implementation of this scheme, a Technical Working Group (TWG) has been established. The TWG, led by the Director of the Department of Planning and Policy Coordination, includes directors from various technical departments within the ministry and a representative from NIMC.

Their primary task is to develop effective strategies for data capture and management.

“Our goal is to ensure proper identification and support for farmers across Nigeria,” Fashedemi emphasized.

The TWG will be responsible for building a detailed work plan with clear timelines, roles, and responsibilities, as well as designing robust data collection tools to gather essential information about farmers, including personal identification, farm size, and crop types.

Additionally, the group will identify and implement training programs for field officers and data collectors to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the data collected.

Dr. Peter Iwegbu, Director of Card Management Services at NIMC, reiterated the commission’s commitment to the initiative.

“We are committed to ensuring that the data we collect is accurate, reliable, and secure. This information will be used to improve the lives of Nigerian farmers,” he said.

Fashedemi also highlighted the broader impact of using data in agriculture, stating, “By investing in data-driven agriculture, we are taking a significant step towards achieving food security and empowering our farmers.”

This initiative follows the federal government’s announcement in July of the development of a web application designed to train farmers on best practices for different crops.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, explained that the app, which will be available in major languages, aims to address the low ratio of extension workers to farmers, thereby improving access to up-to-date farming information.

In addition, the Minister assured the public that commodity prices are expected to decrease soon due to several federal government programs and interventions.

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The federal government has said that it is working on a web application to train farmers on the best farming practices for different crops

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi said this during an interview on Channels Television, Sunrise Daily program.

Hon. Sabi Abdullahi was reacting to questions concerning extension services to train farmers on up-to-date practices in farming.

According to him, the rationale for the app development stems from the low ratio of farmers to extension workers in the country.

He said, “We also realise that the ratio of extension workers to farmers is still something that many extension workers will not have the required information. Right now, we are currently working on an E-extension program. We are going to develop an app to be translated into the major languages so that farmers will be able to access to guide their operation”.

The minister further assured Nigerians that commodity prices will soon decrease due to several programs and interventions by the Federal Government.

He explained that the country has historically relied more on rainy-season farming and emphasized the need to take dry-season farming more seriously.

Speaking on the reaction towards the federal government’s plan to import certain food commodities in the country in the next 150 to 180 days.

He said that it is a short-term strategy to augment supply and in the immediate future, prices will come down.

What you should know
Nigeria is currently witnessing one of the worst food crises in generations with food inflation at 40.87% in June 2024.

Already, international development organisations project that around 32 million Nigerians will face a severe food crisis between June and August 2024.

Last week, the federal government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Sen. Abubakar Kyari announced plans to allow duty-free importation of food items such as maize, rice paddy, and wheat for 150 days as part of measures to stabilize market prices.

This move contradicts the earlier stance of the Presidency on food security, with President Tinubu asserting that Nigeria will produce its food rather than import it.

The decision to import food has sparked criticism, particularly from farmers. The President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) stated that food importation would undermine the progress made in rice, maize, and wheat production.

Also, the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB) and former Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina called the policy depressing and said Nigeria cannot import its way out of food insecurity.

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