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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
To boost food production, the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has kick-started a four-day training scheme for agricultural extension personnel and food specialists from the North Central states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The government also rolled out its Grassroots Digital Extension Corps (GDEC) initiative across the country, stressing that the Lafia training was the first in a nationwide series that will be replicated in the country’s five other geopolitical zones.
NADF Executive Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, in a statement yesterday, explained that participants are to undergo intensive sessions on digital extension services, climate-smart agriculture, data collection, farmer advisory services and modern communication techniques before receiving professional certification at the end of the programme.
Also, NADF Head of Policy and Advocacy, Yejide Olarinde, said strengthening the capacity of extension workers remains central to improving agricultural productivity.
“Agricultural extension remains the critical link between research institutions, government interventions and farming communities.
“Strengthening the capacity of extension personnel is essential to improving technology adoption, increasing productivity and achieving sustainable food security,” she said.
According to Olarinde, the nationwide exercise will train 1,110 extension agents and 774 food security specialists, creating a pool of professionals equipped to support farmers and improve food security planning.
She said each participant who completes the scheme would receive a digital tablet loaded with the approved training curriculum and extension materials.
“These digital tools will ensure that extension personnel have easy access to training materials and can effectively deliver knowledge and advisory services to farmers wherever they are deployed,” she added.
Also speaking, a representative of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension (FDAE), Amao Oluwakemi, described the programme as a timely intervention, noting that a stronger extension system is critical to getting improved technologies into the hands of farmers.
“This training comes at a critical time when strengthening extension services is essential for increasing agricultural productivity and ensuring that innovations developed through research effectively reach farmers at the grassroots.
“The Lafia exercise is expected to end on Thursday, after which the training will move to other centres across the country as NADF continues the nationwide rollout of the Grassroots Digital Extension Corps programme,” she said.
