…Three-day training begins in Oyo State
The NNPC Foundation has commenced a three-day agricultural training programme aimed at equipping 1,000 vulnerable farmers in Nigeria’s south-west with knowledge on climate-resilient farming practices.
The training, which began on Monday in Oyo State, is designed to introduce farmers to modern techniques that support climate adaptation, food security, and commercial-scale production.
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Programme targets low-yield farming
Speaking during the launch, Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director of the NNPC Foundation, described the initiative as a “strategic response to climate change, supply chain disruptions, and economic instability.”
Arukwe, who was represented by Bala David, said the training will help address poor access to modern agricultural methods, which has kept many farmers in low-yield, subsistence-level operations.
“There are opportunities trapped in low-yield farming due to poor access to modern techniques,” she noted.
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State government seeks more collaboration
Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, was represented by Olusegun Ezekiel at the event. He commended the programme but highlighted a need for improved collaboration between federal initiatives and state institutions.
“The state ministry wasn’t fully involved in its planning,” Ezekiel stated. He added that greater cooperation would help align efforts with local agricultural goals and reduce the risk of duplication.
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Part of national plan to train 6,000 farmers
The south-west training is one phase of a wider initiative launched by the NNPC Foundation in April, aimed at training 6,000 farmers across the country.
The first phase has covered the southern zones. The second phase is expected to focus on farmers in the north-central, north-west, and north-east regions.
The NNPC Foundation says the goal is to help farmers build resilience against environmental and economic pressures while expanding their capacity to produce food at commercial levels.
