By Ajuma Edwina Ameh
The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc) says it has carried out community sensitization for the NIRSAL Farmers’ Business School (NFBS) and NIRSAL Agro Geo-Cooperative (AGC) model in some States across the country.
Nirsal Farmers Business School is a mobile learning platform designed to deliver remote training on Good Agronomic Practices (GAP) to Smallholder Farmers (SGF) nationwide.
“To register farmers on NFBS, we conducted enrollment drives in Jigawa and Akwa Ibom State. During the exercise, farmers were sensitized on NFBS’ various modules and guided on how to subscribe using the NFBS shortcode.
“The NFBS is currently available to MTN customers and can be accessed by dialling 7116.
“We carried out community sensitization for the NIRSAL Farmers’ Business School (NFBS) and NIRSAL Agro Geo-Cooperative (AGC) model in Ogun and Osun States respectively.
“In Ogun State, we sensitized and registered farmers in Ogbo and Kila Communities on the NFBS platform to enable them to access lessons on Good Agronomic Practices (GAP) via their mobile phones.
“In Wasimi, Irewole LGA of Osun State meanwhile, we sensitized Olufunmilayo Cooperative Society on AGC formation modalities. The sensitization exercise was followed up by the verification and measurement of the maize farmer group’s farmland,” NIRSAL disclosed on its official Facebook page.
Persecondnews.com recalls that NIRSAL had launched the NFBS in August, 2021 to provide training on GAP to Smallholder Farmers (SHFs), who crave improved access to vital information critical to the success of primary production cycles.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive, NIRSAL, Mr. Aliyu Abdulhameed, at the launch in Abuja, described the solution as a conduit through which its interactions with farmers and other agricultural value chain stakeholders could be carried on seamlessly and cost-effective, and ensure prompt dissemination of vital weather information to farmers in the fields as they become available.
According to the MD, the school will address the lack of access to information which is critical to the success of production cycles, particularly in the face of changing weather and climatic conditions.
“This will improve farm yields, lessen the risk of loan defaults and transition Nigerians farmers from an era of agriculture to the new era of agribusiness.”
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