Digital Green Nigeria has pledged to strengthen collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to deploy digital solutions addressing Nigeria’s agricultural extension service gaps.
David Edimu, Country Lead for Digital Green Nigeria, made the pledge during an interview with reporters on Friday in Abuja.
Edimu highlighted the country’s extension service deficit, noting that there is only one extension agent for every 8,000 farmers—far below the Food and Agriculture Organization’s recommended ratio of one agent per 600 farmers.
“We want extension services in the hands of every farmer, so they no longer have to wait five to seven days to meet an extension agent,” he said.
He explained that farmers would access timely and relevant information through a digital application designed to boost productivity. “Our intention is to ensure farmers get the right information at the right time through a digital app,” Edimu added.
According to him, Digital Green maintains a strong partnership with IFAD, focusing on improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. “With timely access to information, farmers can increase productivity and close existing gaps,” he said, stressing the need to shift from conventional approaches to innovative methods to enhance agricultural output.
Edimu also highlighted that the organizations AI-driven solutions provide information in local languages to bridge literacy gaps. “Not speaking English should not prevent anyone from using the app,” he said, noting that Hausa has been integrated, while Igbo and Yoruba are currently being added.
He cited Kano State as a key example, where one extension agent supporting 400 farmers installed the app for 100 farmers with Android phones. “This reduced his workload to 300 farmers without smartphones, effectively bridging the extension gap,” Edimu explained.
He added that households can share information via one or two phones, significantly narrowing the extension service gap nationwide.
