By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
The Nigerian Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (NIFAAS) is set to transform agriculture that ensures food security and make Nigeria a leading player in the global food markets.
Professor E.A. Tologbonse, President of NIFAAS stated this during a North-West Zonal policy discourse on climate smart agriculture, technologies, innovations and management practice held at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Represented by Prof. C.K. Daudu of NAERLS, he said it is the vision of NIFAAS to power a dynamic, responsive knowledge based and ICT – driven agricultural extension and advisory services.
According to him, NIFAAS will promote a dynamic responsive people-centered, participatory, knowledge based market oriented and ICT driven agricultural sector for sustainable development in Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Director Agricultural Extension Services of Kaduna Agricultural Development Agency (KADA), Alh. Ya’u Kasimu said the policy discourse has come at the right time because farmers have been waiting for the way forward on climate change.
Alh. Ya’u Kasimu said that his agency will take the message of the meeting to the farmers through their respective extension staff and also use of media to reach the farmers.
The Director further said, all the presentations made during the meeting will help farmers to understand their problems particularly as it regards changing of weather that is happening now.
Dr. Godfery Onagwa, Information, Communication and Knowledge Manager NIFAAS said it is important to enlighten farmers on the current climate change which has effects on them.
He said as they witness how the changes happen in the North- West, the normal cold weather in December and January this time it has changed and for that reason, farming techniques, research and technologies must be applied in the system to escape from losing hope in food production.
Dr. Onagwa also expressed worries over the attitude of states government over their unseriousness to support agricultural development projects in their states instead, they starve them of funding to run their programmes, leaving them with intetnational donor agencies.
