A recent report on Nigeria Farmer-to-Extension Agent ratio currently stands at One Extension Agent to 10,000 farmers – a ratio far below United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recommendations.
Speaking at a training workshop in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Marcus Ogunbiyi, said such a situation is no longer acceptable, as the disparity slows productivity and drags down efforts put in place to achieve sustainable food security.
The country’s agricultural sector is no doubt facing a significant challenge, an overwhelming current Extension – Farmer ratio, a staggering number which is far from the prescribed One-Agent-to-1,000 farmers, by the FAO. This disparity has long been a stumbling block that limits farmers’ access to vital information and advisory services.
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Underscoring the need to improve Extension services in n a country where smallholder farmers contribute up to 90% of food production, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Marcus Ogunbiyi, said that government is on a fast track to implement policies that would tackle inadequate ratio, limited access to real-time information, insufficient resources for widespread coverage, and challenges in reaching remote rural areas.
Other speakers are of the view that understanding major climate risks, adaptation strategies, and factors influencing the choice of those strategies is crucial in reducing farmers’ vulnerability and improve productivity.
Nigeria, a country with immense agriculture potential, faces unique challenges in supporting its vast network of smallholder farmers, hence the training aims to provide farmers with smart farming practices, enhancing non-farm employment options, better institutional support, and adequate extension services.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
