Nigeria Can’t Achieve Food Security Without Responsive Extension Services – Minister

ABUJA – Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, has stated that without efficient, impactful and responsive pluralistic agriculture ex­tension services, Nigeria cannot transform her agri­cultural sector and achieve food security.

Kyari stated this on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the National Ag­ricultural Extension Service Impact-sharing Workshop, jointly organised by the US­AID Agricultural Extension Activity and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Secu­rity in Abuja.

Kyari, represented by Dr. Deola -Tayo Lordbanjou, Di­rector, Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services in the Ministry, ex­plained that the Agriculture Extension Service is a stra­tegic vehicle for delivering innovative, effective and in­novative solutions to the door­steps of Nigerian smallholder farmers.

He explained that his Min­istry in the last four years has collaborated with the USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Ag­ricultural Extension Activity to improve extension and ad­visory services for increased food productivity and income generation for over two mil­lion smallholder farmers in Nigeria.

While commending the USAID Extension Activity for enhancing the capacity of the Micro, Small and Me­dium Enterprises (MSMEs) to provide most impactful ag­ricultural practices to small­holder farmers, the Minister pointed out that since 2020, that both parties have col­laborated and promoted the MSME-led extension ser­vices delivery.

According to Kyari, “The parties have jointly identi­fied several most impactful agricultural practices as business solutions for the farmers, trained MSMEs and through coaching, trans­formed them into extension delivery firms.

“The parties also jointly promoted market aligned business solutions through the Agricultural Develop­ment Programmes and the States’ Ministries of Agri­culture, to resolve systematic challenges in extension ser­vices for smallholder farmers.

“This partnership, there­fore, not only identified business solutions for the smallholder farmers, but also integrated innovative private extension delivery approach­es in the National Agricultur­al Extension Policy and Agri­cultural Extension Teaching Manual.

“The impact of this collab­oration spans new business solutions, enhanced business growth, and created jobs for both youth and women while boosting access to market for MSMEs and farmers.