The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has concluded plan to create a helpline center for farmers across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria in order to boost efficiency and support for farmers across the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Bello Umar, made this known at an orientation program set for farmers in the Northeast region of the country.
Mr. Umar, who was represented by the Ministry’s Director in Charge of Gombe State, Mr. Musa Mohammed, said the helpline center was considered as Agric extension service initiative.
FG Partners UNILORIN on N-Power Agribusiness
According to him, the National Farmers Helpline Centre will help to bridge the shortage of Agric extension agents in the country by making it possible for information to reach farmers timely.
Umar explained that the center, employing ICT tools, will have a larger coverage impact since more people can be reached with an avenue for feedback. He added the helpline center will also be a venue for technology development, market linkage, as well as getting relevant agric information, including consultancy services to farmers.
Ikeazu Vows to Boost Agric Development in Abia State
It can be recalled in 2017, the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) supplied Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) system to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in a bid to enable Nigerians have easy access to more data on agriculture.
The CAPI system was equipped with web-based storage to supply almost a real-time agric data, through researched information from different participants in the agricultural value chain, including the agencies and other agricultural market stakeholders across the country.
