By Blessing Bature
In a bid to boost agricultural productivity and promote sustainable farming practices, FCT Agricultural Development Programme (FCT-ADP) on Tuesday trained its extension agents, Subject Matter Specialists and Technical officers across six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory on Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM).
The Program Manager, FCT-ADP, Mr Godfrey Ugwoke disclosed this in Gwagwalada area council during the Monthly Technology Review Meeting (MTRM) and Fortnightly Training (FNT) aimed to equip ADP staff with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote ISFM practices among farmers.
Ugwoke disclosed that the training is a capacity-building exercise and monthly review session where we train and equip our extension workers and other Technical officers. We typically conduct these sessions at the zonal levels to ensure that our agents are well-trained and equipped to support farmers effectively.
He explained, "the capacity building is to review our monthly progress, address challenges, and discuss best practices to improve agricultural productivity and farmer support.
"We train Zonal Extension Officers and Zonal Managers, who in turn train and support the end-users our farmers. This cascading training approach ensures that critical knowledge and skills are transferred to those who need it most, ultimately enhancing agricultural productivity and improving the livelihoods of our farmers".
He informed that extension workers database has also be designed by the federal government to synchronize and track the activities of our extension agents and farmers, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals. This helps to: monitor progress, Identify areas for improvement, enhance collaboration and coordination and provide real-time support and guidance.
"By synchronizing our efforts, we can maximize impact, increase efficiency, and ultimately improve agricultural productivity and farmer livelihoods, he noted.
Also, the Head of Extension Services, FCT Agricultural Development Program, Dr. Omole Olateju said the goal of the training is to equip the FCT-ADP workers with knowledge on integrated soil fertility management, enhancing agricultural production and productivity.
He said over 150 participants have been trained, urging the participants to take the training seriously, as soil management is critical to agricultural production. "This training will enrich their knowledge and improve farmers' production and productivity.
He hinted that National Electronic Extension Platform has newly been established which is designed to make extension work easier and provide farmers with easy access to information on their production and farming activities.
According to him, all extension agents across the 36 states of Nigeria have been profiled and captured in the database. Farmers can now link up directly with extension agents closest to them for guidance and support.
He explained that this was done as many farmers lack access to extension services due to a limited extension-to-farmer ratio. The platform addresses this issue by providing farmers with contact information for extension agents in their area.
"The platform is a commendable initiative by the federal government, promoting agricultural productivity and food security. We have 131 extension cells across the six area councils in FCT, each manned by an extension agent".
"With this platform and training, we're working towards ensuring that farmers have access to credible information, improving their production activities and contributing to national food security."
Speaking, the Head of Technical Services, FCT Agricultural Development Project, Gwagwalada, Mr Sunday Solomon Idowu said the meeting is a monthly Technology Review, "where we discuss proven technologies with experts from research institutes, universities, and extension services to identify the best solutions for our farmers.
He said the goal is to improve productivity, income, and living standards, ultimately ensuring national food security.
According to him, "The FCT-ADP operates in all six area councils and is replicated in all 36 states of Nigeria. We work together to enhance farmer productivity and income, contributing to national food security.
He said. "FCT-ADP is poised to promote ISFM practices among farmers, contributing to improved agricultural productivity, sustainability, and environmental conservation in Nigeria, adding this training will enable them to provide better guidance and support to farmers on ISFM practices."
Idowu however expressed worry over insecurity in Nigeria, saying In some FCT areas, kidnapping prevents farmers from accessing their farmlands, threatening food production.
He urged the government to address this issue, recognizing that security is a collective responsibility.
Also, The training was facilitated by expert, Dr Nafiu Adewale Kehinde from the Nigeria institute of soil science (NISS), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security who emphasized the importance of ISFM in improving crop yields, reducing soil degradation, and promoting environmental sustainability.
He concluded that ISFM is a holistic approach to managing soil fertility, which involves the use of organic and inorganic amendments to improve soil health and fertility.
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