Stakeholders rally support to bridge missing link , fast track passage of agricultural extension revitalisation bill

Agriculture stakeholders on Thursday converged in Abuja, brainstorming on efforts to ensure the passage of the Agricultural Extension Service Delivery Revatilaization Bill before the National Assembly.

The one-day advocacy planning meeting held in Abuja was organised by the promoter of the Bill, WOFAN, through the WOFAN-ICON2 Project supported by the Mastercard Foundation.

Speaking at the event, Country Director for the WOFAN ICON2 Project and Founder of Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN), Dr. Salamatu Garba said the meeting aimed at addressing gaps observed in carrying all stakeholders along to ensure speedy passage of the bill so as to support and develop the agricultural sector.

Dr Garba said it was identified that there was a paucity of awareness on the procedure towards the passage of the bill, which has passed first reading at the National Assembly.

‘’We realised that we need to bring together the legislative body, the farmers, researchers, policy makers, media, CSOs and others so that all of us will be on one page and we would all be concerned with the success of the bill, ‘’Salamatu Garba said.

“At the moment, there’s a huge gap between extension workers and farmers. Without proper advisory support, farmers cannot adapt to climate change or meet national food security needs,” she said.

Furthermore, she said the bill, derived from Nigeria’s agricultural policy, will help improve services and create better conditions for extension workers and research institutions.

Speaking on the importance of the bill, Dr Salamatu Garba, who is also a UN Peace Ambassador, said the pains of the farmers will be reduced when the gap in the numbers of extension workers is addressed and the advice they give to support farmers.

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‘’If farmers don’t get the appropriate advice, how can we adapt to climatic changes, how do we meet the food security needs of the country? So with the passage of this bill, it will lead to improving the condition of services of extension workers and research institutes, which means that better services will be provided to farmers and they will be able to use the right quantities of inputs and seedlings.’’

In a remark, a Former Minister of Environment, Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Halima Tayo Alao commended WOFAN for its consistent commitment to agricultural empowerment, innovation, and inclusivity.

Arc. Halima, who is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Global Support for Clean Energy, said the Agricultural Extension Service Delivery Revatilaization Bill presents a strategic opportunity to standaize and modernise extension services across Nigeria in line with global best practices.

‘’To fully realise this vision, stakeholders must work collaboratively to ensure the bill strengthens linkages among research institutions, extension services, encourages greater participation of women and youth in agriculture, integrates ICT and digital extension tools for wider and timely knowledge dissemination and ensures stable financing.’’

She underscored the urgency of expanding and professionalising the extension workforce, noting that with only about 7,000 public extension agents serving over 40 million farm households, the service coverage deficit exceeds 98 percent.

“Strengthening extension services is essential to bridge knowledge gaps, boost productivity, and enhance national food security,” she said.

Also speaking, Director of Strategies, Innovation and Sustainability at WOFAN, Hajia Maimuna Lawal, said the proposed legislation aims to modernise extension services through digital innovation and inclusivity.

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“Only 15 percent of Nigeria’s extension workers are women, yet 70 percent of the agricultural labor force is provided by women,” Lawal noted.

“We’re using this opportunity to drive gender and youth inclusion into the bill. When passed, we will change the narrative from the groundnut pyramids of the 1960s to new pyramids of rice, maize, and ginger, powered by modernised extension services.”

On his part, Director of Extension, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Olawumi Ayodele,  said the ministry is collaborating with WOFAN to ensure seamless legislative passage.

“Policies without legal backing often face challenges in implementation. Legalizing parts of the national extension policy will ensure that all stakeholders adhere to clear timelines and responsibilities.”

The Executive Director of the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Prof. Sani Ahmed, decried Nigeria’s poor funding of agriculture despite commitments under the Maputo (2003) and Malabo (2014) Declarations, which recommend at least 10 percent of national budgets for agriculture.

“In over two decades, Nigeria met that target only once,” he said. “Recent surveys show one extension agent serves an average of 6,466 farm families, compared to the FAO-recommended ratio of one agent to 500–800 families. In some states, the ratio is as high as one to 24,000.”

Prof Sani blamed the poor agricultural system on inadequate funding and poor state-level commitment following the withdrawal of World Bank support in the early 1990s.

“With the passage of this bill, funding, staffing, and extension capacity will improve at both national and sub-national levels,” he added.