IFAD and Digital Green deploy smart digital tools to Close Nigeria’s agricultural gap

Digital Green Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to tackle the Nigeria’s long-standing agricultural extension service challenges through innovative digital solutions.

David Edimu, Country Lead for Digital Green Nigeria, highlighted the urgent need for technology-driven interventions to bridge the widening gap between farmers and extension services. He described Nigeria’s current extension agent-to-farmer ratio of one agent to 8,000 farmers as “grossly inadequate”, noting that it falls significantly below the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s recommended benchmark of one agent to no more than 600 farmers.

Edimu said,“We want extension services in the hands of every farmer, so they no longer wait five to seven days without seeing an extension agent.Our intention is to ensure farmers get the right information at the right time through a digital app."

Edimu explained that the partnership with IFAD remains central to Digital Green’s mission of enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across Nigeria. By leveraging digital agriculture, artificial intelligence and mobile technology, the initiative aims to close productivity gaps and modernise extension delivery systems.

“With timely access to information, farmers can improve productivity and close existing gaps. We speak local languages to bridge literacy gaps. Not speaking English should not stop anyone from using the app,” he added.

He further stressed the importance of moving away from conventional extension models and embracing innovative, scalable approaches that reflect the realities of today’s farming communities. A key feature of Digital Green’s solution is its AI-powered, multilingual interface, which ensures inclusivity by overcoming literacy and language barriers.

In one pilot example, an extension agent responsible for 400 farmers installed the application for 100 farmers with Android smartphones, significantly easing his workload. He added that shared phone usage at household level further amplifies the reach of the digital platform, positioning technology as a powerful catalyst for nationwide agricultural development.