By Felicia Imohimi
Stakeholders in agricultural extension have called for wider use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital tools to improve advisory services to farmers across Africa.
Tajudeen Yahaya, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Extension Africa, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the Africa Agribusiness Extension Summit (AAES).
The summit, organised by Extension Africa, has the theme: “Building Sustainable Agricultural Advisory Infrastructure in Africa.”
Yahaya said the summit sought to shift the discussion on extension from service delivery to the infrastructure and partnerships needed to sustain it.
He identified people, technology, data and partnerships as the four pillars required to build effective agricultural advisory infrastructure.
“We identified four pillars which are people, technology, data and partnerships. These are what we feel are needed for the infrastructure to happen,” he said.
Isah Abdulsamad, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Extension Africa, said AI-driven advisory services could support both farmers and businesses.
He said the focus was on developing sustainable solutions that integrate research with farmers’ needs and local conditions.
“This gathering brings businesses and regulators together to create a platform that enhances the integration of research output and ensures that it is tailored to the needs and situations of farmers, irrespective of location,” he said.
Abdulsamad said AI-based advisory services could be accessed by farmers using both basic feature phones and smartphones.
Earlier, Dr Samaila Tehinshe, Director, Federal Department of Agricultural Extension, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said government was working with stakeholders to facilitate passage of the Agricultural Extension Bill.
Represented by Dr Christian Malgwi, Deputy Director, Tehinshe said the bill would help address fragmented extension service delivery.
He said effective extension and advisory services were important to food security, job creation and resilient food systems across Africa.
Tehinshe said mobile advisory platforms, digital learning tools and climate information services were already expanding farmers’ access to timely information.
He said the ministry, in collaboration with the Africa Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), had constituted the board of the Nigeria Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (NIFAAS) to strengthen capacity.
He added that the ministry was working with the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) to advance the extension bill. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
FUA/TAK
Edited by Tosin Kolade
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