The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have partnered to issue identification cards to farmers and create a farmers’ registry
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said the National Identity Number (NIN) enabled farmers registry and Government-to-People (G2P) card initiative would assist the government in reaching out to farmers directly without middlemen.
Naijaonpoint reports that the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry and NIMC was signed on Thursday at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
The NIN-Enabled Farmer Registry would involve capturing each farmer’s biometrics through NIMC, including details of their farmland and its location.
The G2P card would enable farmers to access input support, agricultural financing, extension services, and other government interventions.
The card, equipped with two outlets and 32 wallets, can be used for conventional banking services and to receive information about various programs.
The card’s multiple wallets also allow for the programming of various services simultaneously across different ministries, departments, and agencies, facilitating comprehensive support to farmers and their households.
On the implementation plan, Kyari said the pilot phase (initial three months) of the program aimed to register two million farmers.
Following the pilot, the program would scale up to register an additional four million farmers, targeting a total of six million registered farmers.
“This collaboration aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on food security, aiming to support genuine farmers, increase agricultural productivity, and ensure successful and bountiful harvests.
“The integration of NIN into the farmer registry and the issuance of the G2P card will streamline the delivery of government services, promote financial inclusion, and provide a robust platform for future interventions,” the Minister said.