Nigeria launches Extension Corps to boost agricultural productivity

The Nigerian federal government launched the Grassroots Digital Extension Corps (GDEC) to connect research institutions with local farmers.

The initiative trained 1,884 agricultural personnel, including 1,110 extension agents and 774 food security specialists. These workers will be deployed across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) and the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension developed the program to address a severe shortage of support staff.

Currently, Nigeria has one extension agent for every 10,000 farmers, which is much lower than the ratio of one agent to 1,000 farmers recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation. This shortage prevents farmers from receiving advice on soil management, pest control, and climate-smart practices. Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi stated that the agriculture sector currently contributes about $1 billion to Nigeria's foreign exchange earnings.

He suggested that improving extension services could help the sector reach a potential of $300 billion. This target supports President Bola Tinubu's goal of a $1 trillion economy. The ministry plans to integrate the GDEC with an existing national electronic platform and may form a committee to unify the country's extension delivery system. The program will use digital tools like the FarmEasy platform to help workers collect data and make agricultural decisions.

Officials noted that the success of the initiative will be measured by productivity gains and the number of farmers reached. Separately, the Seyi Tinubu Operation Back to Agriculture Initiative (SOBAI) graduated 837 students from its training program in Abuja as it works toward reaching 20 million youths by 2030.