In a move to ensure food security in Nigeria, the Federal Government has taken a significant step by incorporating emerging technologies into the agricultural sector. This initiative is marked by the collaboration between the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the National Agriculture Development Fund (NADF), resulting in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at boosting agricultural productivity.
The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, highlighted the importance of technology in modern agriculture during the MoU signing event held at NITDA’s headquarters in Abuja. Inuwa noted, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to advancing agriculture for food security, and today, it is impossible to discuss agricultural progress without considering digital technology. This MoU allows us to integrate emerging technologies into the agricultural sector to enhance productivity.”
Inuwa also shared that the Minister of Agriculture, a farmer himself, played a key role in initiating this partnership. He mentioned that both teams had worked diligently to finalize the MoU, which is now set for immediate implementation.
NITDA has already launched initiatives like the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) and has established a demo farm in Abuja. Inuwa explained, “We are collaborating with universities and startups to develop and test innovative technologies on farmlands. This year, we provided grants to startups with ideas on using technology to improve agriculture, and we’re currently testing these solutions on farms across the country.”
The Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Abu Ibrahim, emphasized the vital link between agriculture and technology. He acknowledged the challenges facing the agricultural sector, such as inadequate funding, climate change, and insecurity, and stressed that technology offers promising solutions.
“We’ve seen the positive impact of technological advancements like AI, IoT, and others in the agricultural sector. Without adopting these evidence-based approaches, our progress may be limited. Data-backed strategies allow us to optimize our resources, and that is why we are fully invested in this collaboration,” Ibrahim said.
He expressed optimism that this partnership would be the first of many similar collaborations aimed at improving agricultural productivity in Nigeria.
The post FG Aims to Enhance Agricultural Productivity with Emerging Technologies appeared first on News Diary Online.
