NIRSAL Empowers Over 2,000 Farmers in Bid to Boost Food Security
By Patience Ikpeme
The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc) has concluded a capacity-building programme targeting over 2,000 farmers and extension agents in Imo, Sokoto, Kwara, and Oyo states.
The training is part of the organization’s efforts to de-risk agriculture and promote agribusiness in Nigeria.
The programme, designed as a train-the-trainer model, is expected to impact an additional 40,000 farmers through knowledge transfer. A key component of the training was the introduction of the Agro Geo-Cooperative (AGC) model, which aims to transform smallholder farmers into viable business entities capable of accessing finance, inputs, and markets.
In Imo State, the focus was on aquaculture, with over 500 participants receiving training in Owerri and Aboh-Mbaise. Sokoto State also centered on fish farming, while Oyo and Kwara states focused on cassava production.
Uche Agabige, Chairman of the Imo State House Committee on Agriculture, commended NIRSAL for the initiative, noting its potential to enhance agricultural productivity in the state.
NIRSAL’s Head of Value Chain Capacity Development, Ibrahim Suleiman, disclosed the organization’s ambition to reach 100,000 farmers across the country this year through the AGC model, in alignment with the government’s food security goals.
The trained farmers and extension agents are expected to replicate the knowledge gained to their respective Agro Geo-Cooperatives, contributing to the overall development of the agricultural sector.
