FG to launch pilot phase of digital farmer ID system in Nasarawa

The federal ministry of agriculture and food security (FMAFS) says it is set to begin the pilot phase of the farmer identity management system in Nasarawa state, using the national identification number (NIN) to verify and document farmers.

Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture and food security, spoke on Thursday at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) digital village initiative (DVI) workshop in Lagos.

The development comes five months after the ministry launched a farmer registry to link farmers to farmlands in January this year.

Speaking at the workshop, Kyari said the system would help improve the planning and implementation of agricultural policies.

“It is indeed noteworthy that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security under my leadership have taken a pragmatic step to leverage technological solutions and available biometric data for the identification, enumeration and documentation of authentic farmers and the available farm lands,” he said.

“We are pioneering the use of the National Identification Number to authenticate Nigeria’s farmers’ registers by working in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

“We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the NIMC on this project and we are moving forward to do a pilot in Nasarawa state.

“I am resolute to deliver a world class farmers identity management system to Nigeria’s agricultural sector as a critical component of the primary data required for planning and implementation of various interventions at national and sub-national levels.”

‘FG COMMITTED TO PARTNERING WITH FAO’

Kyari said the federal government is committed to digital agriculture and working with the FAO for food security, adding that the new identity system fits the goals of the organisation’s DVI.

“The complimentary solution is to use the geo-spatial technologies for the geo-referencing of the farms, construct their virtual fences and do the geo-tagging of the farmers to their farmlands,” Kyari said.

“Digital agriculture holds immense potential for transforming Nigeria’s agricultural sector, improving food security, and boosting economic growth.

“By embracing technological innovations and addressing existing challenges, Nigeria can pave the way for a more sustainable and prosperous agricultural future.

“Let me assure you that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is fully committed to driving this digital transformation agenda in the agricultural and food security space.

“We recognise that technology is not a luxury; it is a necessity if we are to feed our growing population and meet the targets of the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals.”

The minister called for more stakeholder involvement and shared responsibility to make digital farming work.

“We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the FAO for their technical support and leadership in this initiative,” he said.

“We count on your continued partnership as we embark on this journey to build smart, resilient, and productive digital villages across Nigeria.”

Kyari added that with the right collaboration, agriculture in Nigeria can shift from “subsistence to sustainability, from isolation to integration, and from vulnerability to value”.