The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon.Bolu Owotomo gave the charge on Wednesday in Abeokuta, during the official launching of AgriConnect initiative by Governor Dapo Abiodun, powered by Huawei and MTN Foundation to empower farmers with mobile-enabled devices designed to provide the needed information in agriculture to enhance the practice of farming and boost food production
Owotomo who described the launching of the initiative as a journey towards modernizing agriculture for sustainable economic growth in the state, urged farmers to fully leverage the advantage of the mobile devices by harnessing the power of innovation, communication and collaboration to elevate agriculture to a new height
"I urge our farmers to fully leverage these devices, embracing the opportunities they present and you can be assured of commitment of the Ogun State to walk alongside you as partner in progress, ensuring that technology serves as catalyst for your prosperity"
"Let us embrace this opportunity to harness the power of innovation, communication and collaboration to elevate agriculture to a new height. Together, we will sow the seeds of progress, harvest the fruits of prosperity and build a sustainable future for generations to come",, he stated
The Commissioner who commended the Federal Military of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy for its foresight and unwavering support, said farmers were being empowered not just as food producers but entrepreneurs equipped for digital age
He expressed confidence in the initiative capacity to unlock the enormous potential of agriculture through digital innovation, saying it is designed to revolutionize agriculture by equipping 1,000 farmers with mobile-enabled devices and provide access to cutting edge digital tools
The initiative according to him, is in tandem with the aspiration of Governor Abiodun whose administration demonstrated its unwavering commitment to agricultural development and food security
The Commissioner recalled the previous efforts made by his ministry to drive agricultural growth through digital adoption collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in the development of Ogun Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS) , a comprehensive digital system for the registration of farmers and agric sector value chain players
Similarly, the Minister of Communication Innovation and Digital Economy,Dr. Bosun Tijani who lauded Governor Abiodun and the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security for the administration's commitment to agriculture, encouraged farmers to make good use of the mobile enabled devices given to them, to get the relevant information and plan adequately for the farming seasons , so as to ensure bumper harvest in their farms
The Minister particularly commended the MTN Foundation and Huawei for providing the needed technical support to actualize the initiative inline with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to.reposition agriculture as a major means of diversification of Nigeria's economy
Also Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu representing Ogun Central who is the Senate Committee Chairman on ICT and Ogun State House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Agriculture, Hon .Waliu Owode promised the needed legislative support at both National and State Assemblies
Huawei Director , Mr. Femi Gao and MTN Foundation Director, Odunayo Sanya in their separate goodwill messages, expressed their commitment to the success of the initiative, urging the farmers to make good use of power of technological innovations to drive agricultural businesses in the state
Spokesman of the Ogun State chapter of All Farmers Associations of Nigeria (AFAN), Rotimi Sogunle promised that farmers would leverage the advantage of mobile enabled devices to enhance farming practices and businesses
He showered encomium on Governor Abiodun for various interventions in agriculture and ongoing transformation at farm settlements across the state, saying farmers have never had so good in the state
High points of the event was the formal launching and presentation of mobile enabled devices designed and programmed by Huawei to provide the needed information for farmers on how to plan properly for the farming seasons
The benefiting farmers will also enjoy free data courtesy of MTN Foundation on the mobile enabled devices to access and download useful information for their farming businesses
Background
Agriculture contributes significantly to Nigeria’s GDP and employment, yet
smallholder farmers face persistent challenges such as limited access to real-time
weather data, market prices, and modern farming techniques. In Ogun State, where
farming is a primary livelihood, these gaps hinder productivity and income growth.
Mobile penetration in Nigeria exceeds 80%, presenting a unique opportunity to
leverage technology for agricultural development. Studies indicate that farmers using mobile-based agricultural advisory services experience up to 30% higher yields.
However, many smallholder farmers remain underserved due to a lack of awareness,digital literacy, and/or infrastructure.
This project seeks to bridge this gap by deploying mobile-enabled agricultural
intelligence services to over 1,000 farmers in Ogun State.
2. Project Goal and Objectives
Goal: Enhance farm productivity and livelihoods through mobile-enabled
agricultural intelligence.
Objectives:
● Evaluate the impact of mobile phone usage on farm productivity, focusing on
access to weather forecasts, market prices, and agricultural best practices.
● Provide 1000 farmers with SMS/voice-based agricultural advisories tailored to
Ogun State’s key crops (e.g., cassava, maize), leveraging low-tech solutions for
inclusivity.
● To promote sustainable agricultural practices, foster partnerships between
government, technology providers, and farmers.
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