The NNPC Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) arm of NNPC Ltd., has commenced a vulnerable farmers training programme in the North-Central Zone.
By Emmanuella Anokam
The NNPC Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) arm of NNPC Ltd., has commenced a vulnerable farmers training programme in the North-Central Zone.
Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director, NNPC Foundation, said this on Friday at the inauguration of the programme for North-Central Zone in Bwari, Abuja.
Arukwe said that the training programme which began in the second quarter of 2025 in the geopolitical zones in the South was designed to uplift the living standards of 6,000 vulnerable farmers across the six geo-political zones of the country.
“This programme is focused mainly on addressing food insecurity, a critical issue in the country,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 700 farmers registered for the three days training holding from Sept. 12 to Sept. 14.
NAN also reports that the training spread across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, targets to equip the farmers with essential skills and knowledge in modern farming techniques.
Arukwe said the training for the northern geopolitical zone commenced with the North-Central, from Sept. 8 to Sept. 10 with the cluster of Kogi, Kwara and Benue States.
“We have taken up this programme because we recognise the challenges faced by our local farming population – ranging from lack of seedlings, poor yields, limited access to resources and tools.
“Others are transportation constraints for marketing their produce, climate change and lack of requisite knowledge to navigate through the challenges – and we want to render essential interventions to bridge them.
“By improving the agricultural practices of Nigeria’s local farmers, we can increase productivity, which directly contributes to better income and livelihoods for their families and launch them from subsistence level to commercial scale farming.
“The programme sets out to help underserved farming communities to understand modern farming techniques and climate change and leverage that understanding to plant all-year round, thereby improving yield, reducing loss and strengthening livelihoods,” she said.
Arukwe added that the programme would also help in reducing reliance on food imports, empowering individuals and communities for food sustenance, and hopefully creating a viable food export market.
“Rather than provide food to feed people in a short term, it is better to teach them how to produce food and achieve lasting impact and sustainability.”
Alhaji Abdullahi Suleiman, Mandate Secretary, Agriculture and Food Security, FCT, lauded the foundation for the intervention, adding that it was a well thought out idea having focused on subsistence farmers.
“Agricultural sector deserves intervention to promote food security and economic development. I encourage the NNPC Ltd. to sustain the programme, food production is improving in the FCT and this complimentary effort is laudable,” he said.
He urged the participants to utilise meaningfully the agricultural starter pack that would be given to them by the foundation.
The Chairman, Bwari Area Council, Mr John Jabaya, represented by the Council Secretary, Mr Eli Kadanya, also expressed gratitude to the NNPC foundation for extending the programme to the area.
Mr Bakoshi Chori, Leader of the farmers association under the auspices of Bwari Ginger Farmers Co-operative Society, expressed satisfaction with the initiative and promised to utilise the knowledge gained.
Also speaking, Dr Dan Ozokwor, one of the training consultants, told NAN that the farmers would be exposed to principles of climate smart agriculture, dwelling on how to adapt to changes in climate and how to access climate smart technologies.
“The training includes soil health and management on view of degradation, water management and irrigation, post harvest management and value addition, market access and co-operative,” he said.
NAN reports that the first phase of the programme, held in the Southern part of the country (South-East, South-South and South-West), empowered more than 4,000 farmers with modern agricultural practices and market-access strategies. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)