NITDA’s novel agricultural initiative

Diversifying Nigeria’s economy which has historically relied majorly on revenue from oil has always been a mantra of successive governments, especially since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

But none appears to be more committed to this mission than the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is not just because it is one administration that is severely hit by a revenue shortfall as a result of the drastic slump in global oil price, but it is because it is one that has amply demonstrated the will to truly diversify.

But it has to be pointed out that in the face of the growing digitization of the global economy, there’s need to respond appropriately to economic diversification in a manner that will yield better dividends for the country.

One man that has demonstrated the right acumen for engaging this challenge is Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy.

Pantami found a worthy partner in Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and together they have sought to take the issue of advancing digital economy beyond just another buzz term.

Diversifying Nigeria’s economy which has historically relied majorly on revenue from oil has always been a mantra of successive governments, especially since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999.

But none appears to be more committed to this mission than the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. This is not just because it is one administration that is severely hit by a revenue shortfall as a result of the drastic slump in global oil price, but it is because it is one that has amply demonstrated the will to truly diversify.

But it has to be pointed out that in the face of the growing digitization of the global economy, there’s need to respond appropriately to economic diversification in a manner that will yield better dividends for the country.

One man that has demonstrated the right acumen for engaging this challenge is Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy.

Pantami found a worthy partner in Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and together they have sought to take the issue of advancing digital economy beyond just another buzz term.

For a start, NAVSA kicked off in Jigawa State with 130 farmers drawn from 27 local governments of the state. They have undergone training and were provided with smart devices, internet connectivity, seed fund of N100,000 each and certified seed.

For a country blessed with a large fertile landmass, nothing can be more important than coming up with innovative ideas that will promote smart agriculture as a means of diversifying the economy.

There is no doubt that the best way to improve Nigeria’s agricultural output is through the adoption of new technologies as is the case with most advanced economies around the world.

Consequently, it is important for farmers to join hands with Pantami in his efforts to digitize Nigeria, a lofty objective that accords with President Buhari’s promise to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty within the shortest possible time.

Clearly, this cannot be achieved without technology, which is a key tool for creating jobs and alleviating poverty.

There can never be enough commendation for both the leaderships of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, and NITDA for this inventive scheme which has significantly met President Buhari’s expectation as expressed in his Democracy Day speech which highlighted the role of digital economy in the country’s development agenda.

NAVSA is already primed to enhance digital agriculture strategy, while supporting federal government policy by taking advantage of the growing youth population which is more than 50% of the estimated 200 million population.

Consider also the fact that just about 40% of the estimated 82 million hectares of arable land is being utilized, and there are about 126 million active internet users, 72 million broadband subscription and 37.8% broadband penetration with 70% target by 2025.

But the ultimate goal of NAVSA is to make Nigeria a world leader in digital farming. With a digital platform that enables key players in agriculture access important information that will help them scale up their productivity, reduce the cost of production and facilitate access to local and international markets, this noble cannot be far-fetched.

Little wonder the governor of Jigawa State, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, was ecstatic as the project kicked off in his domain. Surely, in not too distant time, he should be celebrating much more than just rice millionaires in his domain, thanks to NAVSA.

But like all laudable initiatives, success takes more than government’s effort and commitment. It is hoped that beneficiaries of this initiative will work assiduously in tandem with the government’s plans and together attain the lofty dreams of the NAVSA initiative. At the end it is envisaged as a win-win for all.

https://thenationonlineng.net/nitdas-novel-agricultural-initiative/source: