Imo State farmers, cooperatives, and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector have been impacted with modern technological skills to enhance their output as well as enable them to combat the effects of climate change on food production.
This was the outcome of a one-day Digital Financial Solutions Training for farmers and cooperatives, organized by the European Union (EU) and funded by the DIGISOL PROJECT, held over the weekend at the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (UAES), Umuagwo, Imo State.
According to the organizers, the training was designed to equip farmers in three states of Imo, Ogun, and Kwara with improved digital skills and awareness on better ways of advancing agricultural practices as a critical sector of the nation’s economy.
UAES, among other partner institutions, including Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Kwara State, and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, participated in the training.
Declaring the workshop open, the Project Manager and the Vice-Chancellor of UAES, Prof. Christopher Eze, noted that the training was to build on the previous efforts of the DIGISOL PROJECT towards securing more impact-driven farming activities that benefit the players and the nation.
Eze, Professor of Agricultural Economics, while appreciating the EU for the intervention and for making the institution the lead partner, described the training as a timely and relevant intervention to assist farmers in overcoming challenges.
He said, “Agriculture has continued to play a vital position in the economic development of Nigeria, but the farmers who are the crucial players in this sector are unfortunately very susceptible to variations of the climate change, leading to losses.
“By adopting digital financial solutions in modern-day farming practices, the farmers would be able to access financial services and platforms more easily, conduct their financial transactions more efficiently, and make informed decisions capable of promoting their farming operations.”
Prof. Eze urged participants to leverage knowledge from digital financial solutions experts, stressing that the training would help them achieve greater output even in the face of climatic issues.
He appreciated Governor Hope Uzodimma for his administration’s unwavering support towards the advancement of the university, noting that through the state government’s enhanced funding, the operations and commitments of the UAES had been sustained effectively.
Also speaking, the DIGISOL PROJECT National Coordinator, Chinasaokwu Onyemauwa, disclosed that the workshop was one of the strategies adopted by the group to strengthen the beneficiaries in agricultural productivity and combat readiness against the menace of the current climate challenges.
He highlighted the contributions of farmers towards the common good, adding that the training was the third in the series.
“This initiative is in consonance with the theme of the project: ‘Promoting Digital Solutions for Farmers in Remote Communities to Adapt to Climate Change’ with the aim of supporting agricultural development and enhancing the sustainable livelihood of farmers, especially those in rural communities,” Onyemauwa said.
Onyemauwa, while calling for further collaboration to harness the opportunities provided by digital devices to effectively utilize digital financial solutions, revealed that partners in the project were working towards creating a system that supports farmers in sustainable food production through digital financial applications.
The workshop drew many participants, while resource persons, including Mr. Johnson Bayengunhi (MTN MoMo), Mr. Izuchukwu Onuofinba (Moniepoint), and Mr. Bassey Michael Emmanuel (OPAY), imparted beneficiaries with skills on ways of applying digital financial solutions to boost their farming operations.
Photo caption: A cross-section of participants and officials during the DIGISOL PROJECT one-day Digital Financial Solutions Training for farmers and cooperatives in Imo State, held in Owerri, over the weekend.
