NADF launches data-driven initiative to tackle food insecurity

The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has launched a new data-driven initiative to address food insecurity in Nigeria through the modernisation of agricultural practices.

In partnership with Heifer International Nigeria, NADF is deploying an initial 2,000 John Deere tractors as part of the federal government’s larger agricultural mechanisation strategy.

The strategy aims to deploy 10,000 tractors over the next five years.

At a workshop in Abuja on Monday, public and private sector leaders convened to discuss the pilot phase of the initiative, which focuses on leveraging technology to optimise the use and maintenance of tractors.

The event, titled “Optimising data-driven mechanisation,” emphasised the role of data in improving agricultural productivity and ensuring the long-term success of the project.

Speaking at the workshop, Mohammed Ibrahim, executive secretary of NADF, stressed the importance of collaboration in modernising Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

“As federal and state governments increase their investments in mechanization, it is critical to ensure that youth are at the center of this transformation,” he said.

“With collaboration and partnerships like this workshop, we can address the dual challenges of unemployment and low productivity in agriculture while enhancing food security.”

Mohammed said the NADF is committed to fostering collaborative frameworks that engage youth as drivers of agricultural transformation to promote sustainable food systems.

The workshop’s key recommendations emphasised the need for tailored programs to attract and empower young people, ensuring gender equity in the ecosystem.

“This first phase of the initiative, which aims to assemble and deploy 2,000 John Deere tractors by Q2 2025, is an opportunity to create 2,000 models of mechanization success stories,” he said.

“Youth and women inclusion is essential to building a sustainable mechanization ecosystem that drives agricultural productivity in Nigeria.

“By incorporating Key Performance Indicators and listening to stakeholders today, we are building an inclusive and sustainable path to modernize Nigerian agriculture.”

Speaking on the necessity of mechanising Nigeria’s smallholder farmers, Nneka Enwonwu, country director of Hello Tractor, said most farmers still use rudimentary tools, with only about 10 percent adopting mechanisation.

Enwonwu added that achieving food security requires mechanising smallholder farmers to feed Nigeria’s growing population of over 200 million people.