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Corporate farmers launch initiatives to boost agribusiness

By Gbenga Akinfenwa
30 May 2021   |   4:04 am
The Corporate Farmers International has unveiled three initiatives —Agricultural e-learning Academy, Eko School Agric and Farm Support Service, to uplift agriculture in the country and close major gaps within the sector.

agriculture

Corporate Farmers International has unveiled three initiatives —Agricultural e-learning Academy, Eko School Agric and Farm Support Service, to uplift agriculture in the country and close major gaps within the sector.

The initiatives, in partnership with Lagos, Kebbi state and Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), is designed to provide relevant information about agriculture, its value chain and also to expose opportunities for other players across other economic sector in the country.

Co-founder of the firm, Mr. Akin Alabi, explained that the agric e-learning academy platform was designed to close the gap in agric education through digitisation, by educating Nigerians on innovative agro-practices.

He added that the academy is also a complete hub for Lagos and Kebbi states’ several agricultural programmes, trainings across specific value chain, which Nigerians in diaspora will find useful to learn more about.
 
“The second platform— Eko School Agric is a comic book series for children, teenagers and lovers of comics in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture. It’s designed to instill knowledge in our children, catch them young and know where their food comes from.

“On the third platform— it is established to add value to the Nigerian Extension Service sector by providing a weekly digital service for farmers and agro-starters through some dedicated mobile numbers that is accessible anywhere in Nigeria.

Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Abisola Olusanya, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Hakeem Adeniji, described the partnership as strategic, as Lagos is the most populous in Nigeria.
 
With the need for food security and large-scale agro production, Adeniji believed the platforms of CFI would support the Lagos five-year roadmap for the state’s agriculture sector.
 
He said the time had come for tech-savvy farmers in the country to become principal actors in the sector and commended CFI for introducing innovative products.

The Kebbi State Lagos Liaison Officer, Mr. Tukur Mohammed, who said Kebbi has committed large resources under the administration of Governor Atiku Bagudu to boosting agro-production in the area of rice and tomato, said the state is ready to partner the firm.

He commended the efforts of CFI and believed that the innovative platforms will increase awareness for farmers in Kebbi and improve their techniques and practices.
 
Earlier in his welcome address, Prince Ade Ajayi, Co-founder of the organisation, said the COVID-19 pandemic opened opportunities for digitisation in the sector, lamenting that farmers and investors incurred losses during the period because of the dearth of knowledge in investments and agro-practices.

He said the launch of the platforms would rebrand agriculture as an attractive and innovative sector in Nigeria.

 

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