In furtherance of its strategic plans to support the federal government’s food security drive, NNPC Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of NNPC Ltd., has extended its Vulnerable Farmers Training Programme to Northern Nigeria, marking the second phase of the initiative.
The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the NNPC Ltd., Andy Odeh, who disclosed the development in a statement on Wednesday said, the programme was designed to equip farmers with modern agricultural techniques, covering areas such as climate-smart farming, organic fertilization, post-harvest loss reduction, and enhanced market access strategies.
Odeh recalled that the first phase of the programme, held across the Southern region (South-East, South-South, and South-West), empowered over 4,000 farmers with modern agricultural practices and market-access strategies, recording significant success.
He explained that the second phase would cover North East, North West, and North-Central geopolitical zones, with training sessions scheduled to hold in six designated States across the three zones, and one in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The statement said while highlighting the importance of the programme during the official flag-off of the first phase at Nsukka, Enugu State, Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella Arukwe, said the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation agenda, which seeks to boost food security, increase productivity and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across the country.
”At NNPC Ltd, we recognize that agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood for over 70% of Nigeria’s population. Yet, many farmers remain trapped in subsistence-level production due to limited access to modern techniques, quality inputs, and competitive markets. This training is designed to change that narrative,” Arukwe stated.
She emphasized that the goal of the training is to equip participants with the tools, knowledge, and resources required to move from subsistence farming to sustainable, commercial-scale agricultural production.
