NADF pledges all-year farming to boost productivity
The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) says it is working with relevant agencies to transition Nigeria’s agricultural system from rain-fed farming to all-year round production to enhance food security.
Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, disclosed this in Abuja during an interactive session with newsmen on Wednesday.
He said the fund was established to address key challenges facing farmers, with emphasis on increasing productivity, profitability, and resilience.
According to him, rainfall-dependent agriculture remains highly vulnerable to climate change, leading to inconsistent yields, food shortages, and post-harvest losses. He also noted that dry season farming, supported by irrigation and input control, had consistently proven to be more productive and profitable.
“Over the years, dry season farming has shown higher yields because inputs, water, and other variables can be controlled. We have gone further to set up model farms with private partners to demonstrate this transition.
“Beyond that, we are also helping farmers move from peasant methods to more commercial approaches,” he said.
Ibrahim explained that NADF was catalysing finance towards dry season farming, while also ensuring that the right seeds, fertiliser, and equipment were available to farmers.
He added that the Fund was addressing gaps in water management and utilisation, describing them as critical to sustaining year-round agriculture.
On mechanisation, he said the agency was adopting a holistic approach that cuts across crops, livestock, aquaculture, and fisheries.
“The whole mantra is how do we keep optimising dry season farming? How do we keep providing funding support to ensure production is maximised?
“Having an intensive production model within the livestock sector that is mechanised will help us. Providing mechanisation that would also support sustainable land preparation and tree management is another area we are focusing on.
“We are also targeting mechanisation within the aquaculture and fisheries value chains,” Ibrahim said.
He stressed that addressing mechanisation gaps would not only increase productivity but also reduce drudgery for farmers, attract more youth into agriculture, and strengthen value chains.
He added that NADF’s interventions were designed to complement the Federal Government’s broader food security agenda.
“Food and nutrition security is not just about producing more food, but about doing it in a sustainable and commercially viable manner. This is why NADF is focusing on finance, mechanisation, and partnerships to achieve results,” he said.