In its ongoing efforts to support food security, drive economic empowerment, and contribute to national development, the NNPC Foundation the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of NNPC Limited has launched the second phase of its Vulnerable Farmers Training Programme, this time targeting farmers across Northern Nigeria.
The initiative, which aims to transition smallholder farmers from subsistence to commercial agriculture, is designed to deliver practical training in areas such as climate-smart agriculture, organic fertiliser application, post-harvest loss prevention, and market access strategies, according to a statement issued by Andy Odeh, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd.
Following the success of the first phase conducted in the Southern region covering the South-East, South-South, and South-West geopolitical zones, the second phase is now set to reach farmers in North-East, North-West, and North-Central zones, including six states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of Nigeria’s rural economy, yet millions of farmers are still operating at subsistence levels due to lack of access to modern tools, inputs, and markets,” said Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director of the NNPC Foundation, during the programme’s initial flag-off in Nsukka, Enugu State.
Arukwe emphasized that the training is fully aligned with the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation agenda, aimed at improving food security, boosting productivity, and enhancing the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across the country.
“This programme is tailored to empower vulnerable farmers with practical knowledge and skills to improve yields, reduce losses, and tap into wider markets,” she added. “Our goal is to equip them with the capacity to scale their operations sustainably.”
More than 4,000 farmers benefited from the first phase, gaining access to updated farming techniques and improved post-harvest strategies — results that the Foundation hopes to replicate and expand upon in the northern rollout.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with food inflation and supply challenges, initiatives like the NNPC Foundation’s training programme are seen as critical to building resilience within the agricultural sector and improving national food output.
