The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has launched a digital Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) platform to track the disbursement of its N19.5bn AgGrow Farm Support Programme across 15 states nationwide.
The NADF Executive Secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, who spoke on the digital platform initiative during its launching on Thursday in Abuja, described the platform as a game-changer in the sustained drive toward improved funding of the agricultural sector and food security in the country.
According to him, the programme will provide 50% subsidies on seeds, fertilisers, and crop protection products (CPPs) to 50,000 smallholder farmers in the maize, rice, cassava, and soybeans value chains across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Ibrahim explained: “This platform ensures that every seed, every input, and every naira invested is properly tracked from distribution to usage, so that we can keep learning, improving, and delivering results aligned with national priorities.”
The NAFD’s boss pointed out that the AgGrow scheme would connect farmers directly to processors through structured out-grower arrangements, adding that while NADF will fully finance the inputs, processors will repay half the value after harvest of their crops.
The Fund’s Executive Secretary explained that this approach would help to close the gap between farmers and processors, reduce reliance on middlemen, and improve raw material sourcing for the agro-processing sector.
Ibrahim further clarified: “We have gone to great lengths to create a framework and a software to enhance the quality of our M&E, knowing that end-to-end supervision of the project is crucial for us as a Fund.
“You will be our eyes and ears in all the corners of the nation you’re posted to. You will play a vital role in implementing this scheme, leveraging the NADF M&E Platform to track progress, identify areas for improvement, and inform decision-making.
“We want to build farmers’ capacities so they get better yields and bigger returns,” Ibrahim said, noting that the digital platform will also support advisory services and extension training on best farming practices.
“We will not hesitate to de-board and prosecute any consultant falling short of the standards of efficiency, honesty, and integrity. As such, we urge all to eschew fraud and collusion with other stakeholders. Let’s work together to make a lasting impact in our nation”, he added.
