NADF Trains 1,884 Personnel for Nationwide Digital Agricultural Extension Programme

The National Agricultural Development Fund, NADF, has launched a grassroots digital agricultural extension programme, with 1,884 personnel trained to improve farmers' access to agricultural information and modern production techniques.

The Grassroots Digital Extension Corps, GDEC, consists of 1,110 agricultural extension agents and 774 food security specialists trained across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the initiative would help address low farm yields and improve the application of agricultural research at the grassroots.

He noted that Nigeria's crop yields remain below their potential, citing cassava production as an example. Although the country produces about 63 million metric tonnes annually, average yields remain between six and seven tonnes per hectare.

The minister said stronger extension services would help farmers adopt improved production methods, reduce costs and connect their output to processing industries and markets.

NADF Executive Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, said the programme would combine trained personnel, digital tools and field data to improve agricultural advisory services.

The Director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension, Taiye Tehinse, added that digital platforms would support existing extension methods and improve communication between farmers and agricultural experts.