Abuja: The Federal Government, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and various stakeholders are harnessing Artificial Intelligence (AI) to revolutionize agricultural extension services in Nigeria, aiming to bridge the current gap in advisory support for farmers.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, stakeholders have highlighted the potential of AI-enabled digital extension to significantly enhance the reach of agricultural advisory services, enabling a single extension worker to assist more farmers than ever before. Dr. Kabir Yusuf, National Project Coordinator of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), noted that Nigeria’s current extension service ratio stands at one extension agent per 5,000 to 10,000 farmers, a stark contrast to the recommended ratio of one agent per 800 to 1,000 farmers.
Yusuf, speaking at a workshop focused on ‘Leveraging Artificial Intelligence in Digital Extension Across Agricultural Value Chains in Nigeria,’ emphasized the detrimental effects of this shortage, which often results in farmers missing out on crucial advice that could prevent yield and income losses. The workshop was part of the UN Joint Programme on Agri-Food System Transformation and Innovation in Nigeria (AFTI).
The collaboration includes several stakeholders such as the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS), IFAD-assisted SAPZ, Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises in the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), and Digital Green Nigeria. IFAD Country Director, Dede Ekoue, asserted that AI-enabled digital extension could effectively translate Nigeria’s agricultural policies into tangible farmer-level services and outcomes, improving the timeliness and relevance of advisory messages by tailoring information to specific locations, crops, and conditions.
AI-enabled digital extension, while promising, is intended to complement existing public extension systems rather than replace human advisory services. ‘AI-enabled digital extension is strategically important for accelerating Nigeria’s agrifood systems transformation,’ Ekoue said, pointing to its potential for improving food security, climate resilience, and inclusive agro-industrialization.
Dr. Yusuf shared insights from SAPZ’s experience with Digital Green, highlighting the success of the FarmerChat AI advisory platform in Kano and Ogun for farmer registration and monitoring. FarmerChat provides crucial updates in local languages, benefiting approximately 20,899 farmers, 37% of whom are women. This initiative has reduced waiting times for technical advice and demonstrated that AI works best alongside extension agents.
Yusuf stressed the importance of validating advisory content through reputable institutions to ensure accurate and locally relevant information. He also called for intentional efforts to include women farmers and identified challenges such as smartphone ownership, internet connectivity, and language barriers that need addressing to expand AI-enabled extension services.
The initiative aligns with national efforts, including the National Electronic Extension Platform and National Digital Farmers Registry, to enhance agricultural extension and bolster national food security strategies.