The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is actively advocating for the transformative potential of emerging technologies in revolutionizing the agriculture sector.
During the 2023 International Hybrid Symposium on Smart Agriculture, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa, the Director-General of NITDA, emphasized the importance of leveraging digital technologies to achieve the Federal Government’s objectives of job creation, economic diversification, and growth.
In line with global best practices, NITDA introduced the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) initiative, which aims to address challenges in agriculture and foster sustainable development.
Smart Farming and Digitization
In the era of smart farming, data, and computing technologies play a crucial role in enhancing farming operations’ efficiency and predictability.
Mr. Inuwa highlighted that digital technologies have been recognized as critical enablers for agricultural transformation, boosting food production to meet global challenges such as achieving Zero Hunger (Sustainable Development Goal 2).
The adoption of digitized agricultural practices can increase farmers’ productivity and profitability, attract youth talent into agro-businesses, and contribute to economic diversification.
NAVSA: Accelerating Digitization in Agriculture
To facilitate the digitization of the agriculture sector, NITDA developed the Nigeria Digital Agriculture Strategy (NDAS) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and other key stakeholders.
The vision of NDAS is to utilize digital technologies and innovations to make Nigeria one of the top three most food-secure countries in Africa and among the top 20 largest exporters of agricultural produce by 2030. As part of this effort, NITDA introduced the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) initiative.
NAVSA’s Objectives and Implementation
NAVSA is a technology and innovation-driven agricultural initiative aimed at addressing challenges such as low agriculture productivity, inappropriate financing strategies, and repayment difficulties.
NITDA has partnered with universities to implement NAVSA, shaping and modeling a new generation of agriculturists to become smart farmers who are prepared for the future of agriculture.
The initiative aims to create smart farms that encourage small-scale producers, foster competitiveness in the sector, and leverage digital technologies to optimize resource management, improve market access, and facilitate precise decision-making in farming processes.
Conclusion
The integration of emerging technologies into the agriculture sector holds immense potential for achieving sustainable development goals, including poverty reduction, job creation, and economic growth.
NITDA’s NAVSA initiative, in collaboration with the Nigeria Digital Agriculture Strategy (NDAS), seeks to accelerate the digitization of the agriculture sector, address challenges, exploit opportunities, and transform Nigeria into a leader in food security and agricultural exports.
By embracing digital transformation, Nigeria can harness the power of information technology to revolutionize agriculture, paving the way for a prosperous and sustainable future
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