NNPC Foundation Extends Farmers’ Empowerment Programme To Northern Nigeria
THE NNPC Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of NNPC Ltd. has extended its Vulnerable Farmers Training Programme to Northern Nigeria, marking the second phase of the initiative.
Mr. Andy Odeh, Chief Corporate Communications Officer, NNPC Ltd., in a statement on Thursday said the programme was in continuation of its drive to strengthen Nigeria’s food security, stimulate economic empowerment and promote national development.
The programme is designed to equip farmers with modern agricultural techniques, covering areas such as climate-smart farming, organic fertilisation, post-harvest loss reduction and enhanced market access strategies.
It would be recalled that the first phase of the programme, held across the Southern zone (South-East, South-South and South-West), empowered more than 4,000 farmers with modern agricultural practices and market-access strategies, recording significant success.
Odeh said this second phase would cover North-East, North-West and North-Central geo-political zones, with training sessions scheduled to hold in six designated states across the three zones and one in the FCT, Abuja.
Highlighting the importance of the programme during the official flag-off of the first phase at Nsukka, Enugu State, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director, NNPC Foundation, said it aligned with the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation agenda.
This, she said sought to boost food security, increase productivity and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across the country.
“At NNPC Ltd., we recognise that agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood for more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population.
“Yet many farmers remain trapped in subsistence-level production due to limited access to modern techniques, quality inputs and competitive markets. This training is designed to change that narrative,” Arukwe said.
She emphasised that the goal of the training is to equip participants with the tools, knowledge, and resources required to move from subsistence farming to sustainable, commercial-scale agricultural production.
(NAN)
