The Sasakawa Africa Association has organised an integrated training for farmer groups on financial literacy and digital tools in Niger State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training is supported by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)-funded project.
It is titled, “Enhancing the Productivity and Competitiveness of Smallholder Farmers in the Maize-Soybean Farming System in Niger and Kaduna States.”
The training was being conducted in collaboration with Afex Commodities Exchange Limited and Extension Africa.
Mr Isaac Eni, Project Coordinator, said the initiative was aimed at strengthening farmer groups and improving their participation in modern agricultural value chains.
He said the training brought together chairmen and secretaries of farmer groups to equip them with skills in group management, including conflict resolution and group dynamics.
“We are also exposing them to financial and digital literacy so they can see agriculture as a business, access working capital and manage funds effectively,” he said.
Eni noted that smallholder farmers in Nigeria largely operate within informal or semi-structured groups, which serve as entry points for coordination, learning and access to opportunities.
He, however, said farmers were increasingly under pressure to engage with structured agricultural systems, where access to finance, contract farming and digital platforms had become essential.
Also speaking, Ms Hilda Garba of Afex Commodities Exchange Limited, said financial inclusion remained a critical driver for enhancing maize and soybean value chains.
She said improving farmers’ financial knowledge would enable them to better manage resources, boost productivity and participate effectively in structured markets. (NAN)
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