By Mahdi Waziri Isa
The General Manager of the Kaduna State Agricultural Development Agency (KADA), Malam Muhammad A. Rili, has emphasized the critical need for integrating digital tools to enhance agricultural extension services.
Delivering the keynote address at the IAR Zonal REFILS Workshop, themed “Enhancing Agricultural Outreach with Digital Tools and Technologies,” on Thursday, 24th April, 2025, Malam Rili highlighted that 40% of Nigeria’s population lives below the poverty line as the nation grapples with food insecurity.
He stressed the urgent need for increased participation in agriculture, noting that improved farming techniques must be widely disseminated through effective extension services.
“Despite technological advancements, extension workers face challenges in reaching farmers due to a lack of access to essential digital tools,” Rili stated.
“In Kaduna State alone, the current ratio stands at one extension agent to seventy farmers, making it imperative to leverage digital and technological solutions for effective outreach,” he added.
Rili underscored the importance of integrating digital extension services, particularly through social media platforms, to disseminate information and raise agricultural awareness, describing it as a “game-changer.”
He further emphasized the need to prioritize local languages in extension services and advocated for a shift in community perceptions regarding smartphones.
“Smartphones should not be limited to social media interactions but recognized as vital tools for accessing modern agricultural knowledge through specialized applications and online platforms,” he said.
Rili called on the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) and other agricultural research institutions to strengthen capacity-building programs for farmers and extension workers in digital literacy.
Concluding his address, he urged collaboration in developing scalable digital content and establishing data-sharing protocols among Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs), relevant ministries, and research institutes.
In his remarks, Muhammad Aliyu Bamalli, Policy Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the National Agricultural Development Fund, assured increased financial and infrastructural support for agricultural research institutions, including provisions for power supply, solar systems, and improved irrigation infrastructure.
