GIZ urges stronger Nigerian education capacity for farm innovations
German agency calls for embedding agricultural innovations into training systems beyond just boosting output.
The German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) has called for stronger institutional capacity to embed agricultural innovations in Nigeria’s education, training, and extension systems. Alexis Brakhan, Project Manager of GIZ’s AgSys programme, stated on Wednesday in Abuja that lasting transformation requires more than increased farm productivity.
Brakhan made the call at the close-out workshop of the Strengthening Institutional Frameworks for Transformative Agricultural Systems (SIFTAS) project, implemented by the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) with GIZ funding. He explained that the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) sees transforming agricultural and food systems as a strategic priority, requiring interventions beyond output increases to address food insecurity and climate change.
The SIFTAS project incorporated sustainable agricultural practices into institutional structures, developing crop-specific agroforestry curricula for cassava, potato, and rice. Preparations for the next phase include a post-project Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Transition Framework and signing MoUs to ensure continued progress monitoring and learning.
Why it mattersNigerian farmers and agricultural students will benefit from improved training and access to sustainable farming innovations.