By Victoria Onehi
The NNPC Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of NNPC Ltd. has extended its Vulnerable Farmers Training Programme to Northern Nigeria, marking the second phase of the initiative.
The programme is in continuation of the Federal Governments drive to strengthen Nigeria’s food security, stimulate economic empowerment, and promote national development,
A statement signed by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer NNPC Ltd,Andy Odey, disclosed that the programme is designed to equip farmers with modern agricultural techniques, covering areas such as climate-smart farming, organic fertilisation, post-harvest loss reduction, and enhanced market access strategies.
It would be recalled that the first phase of the programme, held across the Southern region (South-East, South-South, and South-West), empowered over 4,000 farmers with modern agricultural practices and market-access strategies, recording significant success.
This second phase will cover North East, North West, and North Central geopolitical zones, with training sessions scheduled to hold in six designated States across the three zones, and one in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Highlighting the importance of the programme during the official flag-off of the first phase at Nsukka, Enugu State, Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation agenda, which seeks to boost food security, increase productivity and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across the country.
”At NNPC Ltd, we recognise that agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood for over 70% of Nigeria’s population. Yet, many farmers remain trapped in subsistence-level production due to limited access to modern techniques, quality inputs, and competitive markets. This training is designed to change that narrative,” Arukwe stated.
She emphasised that the goal of the training is to equip participants with the tools, knowledge, and resources required to move from subsistence farming to sustainable, commercial-scale agricultural production.
