The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) says it has developed innovation packages for cassava, potato and rice to strengthen agricultural education, extension services and technology transfer to Nigerian farmers.
Dr Godwin Atser, SAA Nigeria’s country director, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at the close-out workshop for the two-year Strengthening Institutional Framework for Transformative Agricultural Systems in Nigeria (SIFTAS) project.
The project was implemented by SAA with funding from German Cooperation (GIZ).
Atser said the innovation packages were part of efforts to strengthen institutional capacity and better integrate agricultural technologies into existing education and extension systems.
He said agricultural transformation required more than introducing new technologies, emphasising the need for strong institutions, effective policies, skilled personnel and functional extension services.
“Agricultural transformation cannot be achieved through technologies and innovations alone. It requires strong institutions.
“These institutional foundations enable innovations to move from research laboratories and demonstration plots into the hands of millions of farmers,” he said.
According to Atser, building a resilient, competitive, market-oriented and nutrition-sensitive agricultural sector requires sustained collaboration among government agencies, research institutions, universities, development partners and the private sector.
“Transformative agricultural systems require transformative institutions.
“If Nigeria is to achieve a resilient, competitive, market-oriented and nutrition-sensitive agricultural sector, we must continue to invest in institutional capacity, innovation, effective coordination and strategic partnerships,” he said.
Atser said SIFTAS was designed to strengthen institutions, improve coordination among agricultural stakeholders, promote knowledge exchange and establish mechanisms to sustain agricultural innovations.
He said the project also enabled stakeholders to identify institutional gaps, exchange experiences and develop practical responses to challenges affecting agricultural development.
He added that SAA’s approach focused on strengthening existing systems, empowering local actors and building partnerships that could sustain results beyond individual projects.
Atser urged participating institutions to assess the project’s impact beyond its activities and immediate outputs, focusing instead on institutional changes, capacity developed, partnerships established and opportunities to sustain the gains.
He said institutional strengthening should be measured by organisations’ ability to continue delivering results after externally funded projects end.
He urged participating institutions to incorporate relevant approaches into their programmes and budgets, take ownership of the outcomes and sustain partnerships established through the project.
Atser said the close-out workshop was organised to review the project’s achievements, share lessons and identify ways to sustain its outcomes.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to examine innovations, institutional partnerships and frameworks developed to incorporate transformative agricultural practices into curricula, teaching and extension services, he said.
He commended universities and green colleges for their commitment to incorporating the innovation packages into their curricula.
Atser also thanked GIZ for its financial and technical support, government ministries and agencies for their collaboration, participating institutions for their commitment and the project team for its dedication.
He said the completion of SIFTAS should lay the foundation for stronger collaboration to consolidate the project’s gains and translate its lessons into broader agricultural development outcomes.
