Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) Nigeria recently organised a demonstration workshop to showcase digital platforms capable of transforming Nigeria’s agricultural extension system and driving agricultural development in the country.
The event attracted key stakeholders, including private and public sector industries reliant on farmers for raw materials, as well as manufacturers and investors in digital products. Among them were Olam Agri, Nasarawa Sugar Company, Dangote Industries, the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), commercial farms and others. Following the demonstrations, stakeholders provided perspectives and insights into the potential digital platforms that could be adapted or scaled up for further investment.
The workshop, themed “Showcasing Digital Agricultural Extension Service Platforms in Nigeria”, was held at Bon Hotel Octagon, Abuja. It was organised under the framework of a project led by the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS). This project, “A Consultative Engagement Exercise for a Product Profile Design for Nigeria’s public-private partnership digital extension delivery system,” is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The initiative, which includes an engagement exercise and scoping study, is being conducted in Oyo, Gombe, and Kaduna states. Its goal is to identify and design a digital extension delivery solution tailored to the specific needs of small-scale farmers, promoting gender equality and enhancing climate resilience in Nigeria’s agriculture sector. The focus is on value chains for maize, cowpea, cassava, soybean and livestock. The project is being implemented by AFAAS in collaboration with SAA, Sahel Consulting and Africa Practice.
Speaking at the workshop’s opening, the country director of SAA Nigeria, Dr. Godwin Atser explained that the event aimed to showcase and assess digital platforms currently used by small-scale agricultural producers.
“This event is not standing on its own,” he said. “It is part of a study being implemented by AFAAS and partners, including Sasakawa, Sahel Consulting and Africa Practice. Overall, we’re studying the digital agricultural landscape in the country to determine how these digital platforms can be scaled up through public-private partnerships with the backing of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Today, we have the makers, developers, and promoters of some of these platforms demonstrating how their tools are helping farmers in this digital era and creating opportunities for further investments.”
In his remarks, the director of agricultural extension service at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Deola Lordbanjou highlighted the need for innovative approaches to address challenges in Nigeria’s agricultural extension system, which digitisation could help resolve.
“The low number of extension agents available to reach farmers in Nigeria is greatly hindering the dissemination of new technologies, contributing to low yields, reduced productivity, and poor incomes. We need to think outside the box and adopt modern, innovative approaches. That is why this workshop is important and why the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is prioritising digital extension services,” he stated.
Digital platforms showcased at the workshop included Akilimo, Agroinfotech, Farmer.chat, RiceAdvice, Crop2Cash, Extension Africa and the International Finance Infrastructure (IFI). Also featured was Agroponto, a digital platform developed under the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs-funded Revitalisation of Rice Cooperatives and Decarbonisation of Rice Production and Processing Project implemented by SAA in Nasarawa State. Originally designed to strengthen rice production and processing cooperatives, Agroponto ensures the availability and affordability of rice produced by these cooperatives while eliminating middlemen’s activities.
A representative of the Japanese Embassy in Nigeria, Ms. Yuka Fukutani commended SAA for advancing the digitisation of the agricultural extension space. She described Agroponto as “a game-changer for smallholder farmers.”
She said: “The success of Agroponto is a testament to the power of digital tools in transforming agricultural practices and creating market opportunities for smallholder farmers. We are grateful to Sasakawa Africa Association for promoting this tool, and we hope to see it deployed nationwide to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.”
A representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Nigeria, Ms. Akiko Aikawa lauded the workshop organisers, noting that it aligns with the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach championed by JICA in Nigeria.
“A key component of the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach is integrating digital solutions into agricultural practices to enhance market access, improve efficiency and increase income for small-scale farmers,” she stated.
