The Federal Government, in collaboration with international development partners, has launched a master trainer program in Dutse, Jigawa State, to train 100 agricultural extension specialists who will, in turn, train frontline agents to reach 500,000 farmers nationwide.
The initiative, organised by Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and the Jigawa Agricultural Transformation Agency (JATA), targets long-standing extension gaps, including manpower shortages, funding deficits, logistical limits, and poor access to digital advisory tools.
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Target Coverage: 100 master trainers across Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.
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Core Curriculum: Climate-smart agriculture, soil health, seed systems, digital advisory platforms, GIS mapping, and pest management.
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Broader Support: Linked to the African Development Bank’s $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production Facility and Nigeria’s National Agricultural Growth Scheme–Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP).
Dr. Saifullahi Umar, Director-General of JATA, emphasised that while Nigeria has developed high-yielding hybrid seeds, stress-tolerant crop varieties, and modern post-harvest technologies, a weak extension system has historically prevented these innovations from reaching smallholder farmers.
To complement the extension push, Jigawa State has recruited and equipped 1,700 extension personnel, set up local Farm Service Centres, established a mechanisation fleet of 400 tractors and harvesters, and deployed 6,000 solar-powered irrigation units to expand dry-season production.
Dr. Solomon Gizaw, Head of the TAAT Clearinghouse, stated that moving agricultural research off the shelf and directly into farm operations remains essential to raising national agricultural productivity and strengthening rural livelihoods.
