NADF DRIVES AGRI-TECH SKILLS TO ENHANCE FOOD SECURITY, EMPOWER YOUTH
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The National Agricultural Development Fund has called for a stronger emphasis on skills acquisition in the Agri-Tech sector to enhance agricultural productivity and create employment opportunities for Nigerian youth.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ roundtable on Nigerian Youth Development, organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Abuja, NADF’s Executive Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, underscored the importance of merging agricultural knowledge with emerging technologies to prepare the youth for the future workforce and address food security challenges.
In a statement released on Monday in Kaduna, the Director-General of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Abubakar Umar, commended NADF for its dedication to fostering Agri-Tech skill development in Nigeria.
“We are pleased to support NADF in its efforts to advance Agri-Tech skill development in Nigeria,” Umar said.
Ibrahim highlighted the vast opportunities available to Nigerian youth in agriculture, particularly within the growing Agri-Tech sector, where technology intersects with farming.
He noted that while technological advancements in agriculture are evolving rapidly, the sector has yet to fully harness these innovations.
“The major opportunity for youth within the agricultural landscape lies at the nexus of technology and agriculture, often referred to as Agri-Tech. While technology continues to advance rapidly, Agri-Tech remains underexplored and underutilised,” Ibrahim said.
Drawing from his experience in the field, Ibrahim shared insights from founding two successful Agri-Tech companies.
He explained that NADF is actively working to bridge the skills gap in agriculture by developing training frameworks aligned with global standards.
“This effort includes a partnership between NADF and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to implement a National Agricultural Technical, Vocational, and Educational Training Programme. This initiative focuses on addressing critical skills gaps in areas such as soil science, veterinary medicine, and digital mapping—skills essential for modern farming,” he said.
Ibrahim announced that NADF plans to launch a pilot scheme across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. “This initiative will span six days and will provide agricultural skills tailored to the specific agro-ecological needs of each region,” he stated.
Recognising the financial challenges faced by young Nigerians entering the agricultural sector, Ibrahim emphasised the importance of NADF’s balanced approach to commercial and social funding models.
“This approach aims to ease the financial burden on smallholder farmers and youth entrepreneurs, fostering sustainable agricultural growth and job creation,” he added.
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