Moh Bello Habib, Zaria
Mohammed Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), has called for a data-driven transformation of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, urging stakeholders to embrace innovation, technology, and evidence-based policymaking as tools for achieving food security.
Speaking at the 25th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Association of Agricultural Economists (NAAE) held at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Ibrahim described the conference theme, “Rethinking Nigerian Agricultural Systems through Innovation, ICT and Food Systems,” as timely and critical to repositioning the country’s agriculture for global competitiveness.
According to him, despite Nigeria’s vast land resources and human capital, the country’s agricultural progress is being slowed by the lack of reliable, timely, and coordinated data, which affects planning, resource allocation, and impact measurement across the value chain.
“This gap affects every link in our value chain — from identifying genuine farmers and mapping farmlands to tracking yields, forecasting demand, and evaluating impact,” Ibrahim noted.
Citing examples from Kenya, Ghana, and Rwanda, he highlighted how digital agriculture strategies have improved transparency, accountability, and efficiency in those countries — lessons, he said, that Nigeria must urgently adapt.
“Innovation is not an abstract concept — it is a matter of survival through creativity and collaboration,” he stated.
At the NADF, Ibrahim revealed that the agency had built an integrated digital platform to enhance agricultural financing and program delivery. The system, developed in partnership with private sector innovators, will enable the Fund to track beneficiaries, monitor performance, and align interventions with national data systems.
“Our goal is simple — to ensure that every naira spent by the Fund translates into measurable, evidence-based impact,” he said.
He also emphasized the critical role of startups and small enterprises in driving agricultural transformation, noting that NADF is designing funding models to support agritech ventures that connect farmers to markets, finance, and information.
However, Ibrahim cautioned that technology and data must be complemented by strong intellectual support from agricultural economists and researchers.
He stressed that data must be translated into actionable insights that can inform sound policies and investment decisions.
“Without reliable data, we can not design effective subsidies, forecast yields, or evaluate impact. A government with funds but without credible statistics risks investing in shadows,” he warned.
“If we can unite innovation with insight and ICT with integrity, we can build agricultural systems that are inclusive, efficient, and sustainable,” he concluded.
The NAAE conference, attended by academics, policymakers, and development partners, focuses on exploring new pathways forP integrating innovation and digital technology into Nigeria’s food systems to enhance productivity and sustainability.
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