Abuja:Stakeholders in agricultural extension are advocating for the widespread use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital tools to enhance advisory services for farmers across Africa.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Tajudeen Yahaya, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Extension Africa, emphasized the need for this technological shift during the Africa Agribusiness Extension Summit (AAES) held in Abuja. The summit, organized by Extension Africa, focused on ‘Building Sustainable Agricultural Advisory Infrastructure in Africa.’
Yahaya outlined the four pillars essential for effective agricultural advisory infrastructure: people, technology, data, and partnerships. He highlighted that the summit aimed to transition discussions from merely delivering services to establishing the necessary infrastructure and partnerships to sustain them.
Isah Abdulsamad, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Extension Africa, explained that AI-driven advisory services could assist both farmers and businesses by integrating research with farmers’ needs and local conditions. These services are accessible to farmers via both basic feature phones and smartphones, creating a platform for collaboration between businesses and regulators.
Dr. Samaila Tehinshe, Director of the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, mentioned ongoing government efforts with stakeholders to pass the Agricultural Extension Bill. Represented by Dr. Christian Malgwi, Tehinshe noted the bill’s potential to streamline fragmented extension service delivery.
Dr. Tehinshe also stressed the importance of effective extension and advisory services for food security, job creation, and resilient food systems across Africa. He highlighted the expansion of mobile advisory platforms, digital learning tools, and climate information services to provide farmers with timely information.
Furthermore, the ministry, in collaboration with the Africa Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), has established the board of the Nigeria Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (NIFAAS) to enhance capacity. Additionally, efforts are being made with the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) to advance the passage of the extension bill.