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The Senate took another positive step towards improving the country’s agricultural sector as the Agricultural Extension Service Bill, 2024 (SB. 646), sponsored by Senator Saliu Mustapha, passed its first reading.
The (WOFAN-ICON-2) and agricultural extension stakeholders sponsored Agricultural Extension Service Bill, (SB.646) has passed the first reading at the floor of the Nigerian Senate.
The bill aims to strengthen agricultural extension services that will support smallholder farmers to improve productivity and ensure food security in the Nation.
Furthermore, the bill targets to strengthen the capacity of extension workers to deliver advanced, technology-driven, and demand-oriented services.
Senator Saliu Mustapha, who represents Kwara Central at the National Assembly while speaking with journalists on the objectives of the bill,
said it aims to ensure the effective implementation of the National Agricultural Extension Policy and Strategy and to establish a legal framework for sustainable agricultural extension services in Nigeria.
The Lawmaker further noted that the bill will further create a sustainable, harmonized, pluralistic, and demand-driven e-agricultural extension system that will ensure efficient service delivery across the agricultural value chain.
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Recall that the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi during a technical update meeting held in Abuja recently, commended the efforts of WOFAN-ICON2 project, NAERLS and other stakeholders in putting the draft bill together.
Senator Abdullahi who contributed effectively during the meeting also noted that with about 70 per cent of the population are involved in agriculture and further emphasized that it is important to ensure they receive the kind of technical support they need to be able to achieve optimal outputs and good income.
“Extension Agents don’t just show farmers Good Agronomic Practices, they step down successful research results and new innovative techniques to farmers for improved outputs. “So, Extension Agents are very positive additions to how farmers are supposed to operate. And so, to me the proposed bill will be a game changer.’’
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