The Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development’s Feed the Future programme, has empowered 311 micro, small, and medium enterprises over the past four years to enhance agricultural productivity among smallholder farmers.
This initiative was announced by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, during the opening ceremony of the National Agricultural Extension Service Impact-Sharing Workshop held in Abuja on Wednesday.
The minister, represented by the Director of Agricultural Extension at the National Agricultural Extension Service, Deola Lordbanjour, stated, “The impact of this collaboration spans new business solutions, enhanced business growth, and created jobs for both youth and women while boosting access to markets for MSMEs and farmers.”
He emphasised that the partnership not only improved productivity but also contributed to the sustainable development of Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
“Since 2020, we have jointly identified several impactful agricultural practices as business solutions for farmers, transforming MSMEs into key players in agricultural extension services.
“The results are also visible in the number of farmers that were reached with improved production practices, about 311 MSMEs that received different support to provide farmers with advisory services, and State’s Agricultural Development Programme,” Kyari added.
