From left,The Director, Department of Information,Dr Joel O.Oruche,the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi delivering his speech and Director,Rural Development Engineer T .Satumari during the workshop in Abuja.
By Victoria Onehi
The Federal Government is set to launch the National Electronic Extension Platform (NEEP) to provide necessary information to farmers across the country to boost food production.
The Director, Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services, Dr Deola Tayo Lordbanjou, disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday at the Workshop for Agriculture Correspondents with the Theme: “Building Partnership with the Media for Food Security”.
Lordbanjoh said: “We want to benefit from the technology on the shelf of our research institutes, agricultural experts and package them into what we now call National Electronic Extension Platform (NEEP) which will be launched by the Minister before the end of March.It’s going to be a one-stop realistic Extension delivery platform.
“The platform is very crucial.There is nothing you are looking for as far as agricultural production in the country is concerned that will not be there.We hope to digitalise extension delivery system in the country and that is why NEEP has been created.If you are looking for information on how to produce soya beans,cow pea or maize for high yield,go to the platform and click on it.You don’t have to travel to meet an expert to be enlightened.There will be weather information there as well.”Lordbanjor said.
He said collaborative efforts through initiatives such as the National Electronic Extension Platform (NEEP) can transform the agricultural sector and enhance food security.
Lordbanjoh noted that because of the level of education of some of the farmers in the country,the information on the platform will be translated into four other languages so farmers can be informed.
He continued: “One thing that is constant is change.Though it is difficult to change farmers perception of doing things but over the years,many have been imbibing new methods. For instance,if you plant local cassava you are not likely to get seven tonnes per hectare, but when you plant the improved seed,you are likely to get 30-40 percent tonnes per hectare.So,one thing we have been doing is teaching our farmers to leave the old unproductive practices and pick up the new findings that can improve their yield and production.”
Similarly,the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi,.said in few weeks,the Ministry is going to embark on ‘Operation Empty the Stores’ across the 36 states of the federation and FCT.
He said ‘Operation Empty the Stores’ is aimed at distributing farm implements,inputs,seedlings to 1,500 farmers in each state across the country.
Ogunbiyi said: “Under my supervision and under the leadership of the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security and the Minister of state,we will distribute every farm input and implement in our stores to farmers across the states and the FCT.
“We are starting this next month and our coverage will be 50,000 farmers in the first phase. We have these implements and inputs all over the state and we are not picking anything from Abuja to the states.
” We are giving out this implements to assist farmers to help them improve their yield and production. We will give them sprayers, improved seeds,organic fertiliser,planter, motorised weeder, harvester and more.We will do massive distribution of these inputs across the country.” He said.
The Director, Department of Information,Dr Joel O.Oruche, said the workshop was organised to help build the capacity of Agriculture Correspondents to enable them report the Ministry and Agriculture sector better.
Oruche said:”Essentially, as we make effort towards ensuring food security in our dear country, it is important that we forge a strong synergy to ensure that this is achieved. Your duty in this regard is to continuously educate the public on the policies, programmes and activities of the ministry that impact on farmers. Small holder farmers indeed depend on your ability to educate them on methodologies, inputs availability and application of implements that can enhance their yield”.
The Technical Advisor, Strategic Communication to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security,Mr Kingsley Osadolar encouraged Agriculture Correspondents to report the Ministry constructively,highlighting the gains and efforts made by the government to boost food production and bring about high agricultural yields.He also urged them to point out areas that the government should improve on to bring about food security in the country.
