FG, USAID empower 311 farmers for food productivity

The Federal Government ( FG) of Nigeria in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Feed the Future program have successfully empowered 311 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) over the past four years.

This support through the feed the nation program  is aims to enhance agricultural productivity among smallholder farmers across the country as revealed by the Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security ( FMAFS) Sen. Abubakar Kyari.

The Minister said  this during the National Agricultural Extension Service Impact-Sharing Workshop held in Abuja last week Wednesday through his representative, Mr. Deola Lordbanjour, Director of Agricultural Extension, FMAFS.

 Kyari said that the partnership has fostered innovative business solutions, stimulated growth, and created job opportunities for youth and women, while simultaneously improving market access for MSMEs and farmers. 

" The initiative has successfully reached numerous farmers, providing them with improved production techniques and supporting MSMEs in delivering advisory services in cooperation with State Agricultural Development Programs" said the Minister.

Jean-Pierre Rousseau, Director of Winrock International, praised the role of MSMEs as catalysts for change within the agricultural sector.

He remarked that " Today, we have over 311 MSMEs delivering innovation and productivity-enhancing solutions to 2 million smallholder farmers underscoring the entrepreneurial spirit of Nigerians as crucial to the nation’s agricultural transformation"

Garba Salifu shared his success story, stating that  "In the 2023 planting season, I earned an average of N1.52 million, compared to N487,000 from planting maize previously."

Dr. Ben Odoemena, Chief of Party for USAID’s Feed the Future program, reaffirmed the initiative’s commitment to sustainability, stating that the introduction of 39 impactful agricultural practices, including the Plantis app, a digital tool had empowered farmers to diagnose crop issues independently. 

"With Plantis, farmers can evaluate soil conditions and identify crop problems without needing external inspections" he explained.

This comprehensive initiative reflects a strong commitment to improving agricultural productivity, supporting smallholder farmers, and fostering sustainable development in Nigeria’s agricultural landscape.