NITDA, IFAD collaborate to boost food productivity
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have joined forces to enhance food productivity among small-scale farmers in Nigeria.
NITDA confirmed the collaboration in a statement after its Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, hosted the Country Director of IFAD, Ms Ekoue Dede and her team at the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
The partnership aims to amplify the use of Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D) to bolster food productivity among small farmers, as confirmed by the statement released by NITDA.
Inuwa highlighted the transformative potential of technology in revolutionizing farming practices and attracting Nigerian youths to the agricultural sector. He stressed the importance of leveraging existing ecosystems to foster expansion within the country.
Ms. Dede expressed gratitude for the past support received from NITDA and sought continued collaboration, while also inviting the agency to engage in policy dialogue.
She went on to explain that the Dialogue helped the team undertake several activities, including capacity building and the exchange of visits, among others.
The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), @KashifuInuwa, received in his office, Country Director of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Ms Ekoue Dede and her team at the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters, Abuja.
Ms. Dede… pic.twitter.com/njZ7XzmPsS
— NITDA Nigeria (@NITDANigeria) November 23, 2023
“Now, we are going to have another policy dialogue to strengthen collaborations among all the institutions involved in extending all the digital solutions to smallholder farmers.”
“It is a very important meeting that demonstrates once again the leadership of NITDA in scaling up ICT4D and we are very pleased to be having this discussion because it will aid us to straighten out some pillars and strategies for the benefit of smallholder farmers in Nigeria,” she said.
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ICT4D
Kashifu restated the Agency’s commitment to ensuring sustainable solutions for smallholder farmers in the country through the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for development (ICT4D) in the Agricultural Sector and to also make access to digital technologies more equitable.
“It is part of our mandate to improve National Food Security through Information Technology (I.T) because globally today, I.T is regarded as one of, if not the best tool(s) when it comes to enhancing productivity in Agriculture, as it is evident, how Smart Agriculture is really increasing food production around the world,” he said.
Beyond utilising ICT to improve food productivity for subsistence farmers, the DG was also assertive that it would attract the youthful population to take up farming as a business.
“With technology, you can have a farm at the backyard of your house in the city, you can even explore vertical farming, in developed countries, some do theirs on the rooftop or indoors. So, the technology is available and with the strong belief in our ingenuities, we can do something similar if not better,” Inuwa said.
While briefing his guests on some of NITDA’s collaborations and efforts in the sector, Inuwa recalled that the Agency had since started a relationship with the Ministry of Agriculture which took off with the development of “Smart Agric Strategy” for them, followed by some initiatives like NAVSA, e.t.c.
“We also collaborate with private sectors, multinational companies and high institutions like Universities, where we leverage on their research centres to create clusters and the ecosystem as well, as we always urge them to come for proof of concept on different technologies”.
“Suffice it to say that we strongly believe in collaboration because we know that the success of digital transformation does not rest on the individual but the collective approach of the ecosystem, and that explains why we always insist on carrying everyone along with us,” the Director-General stated.
