As Stakeholders Turn To MSMEs-led Agric Extension Model

In a bid to bridge Nigeria’s agricultural extension service gap, stakeholders from the public and private sectors are increasingly turning to a new model led by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The approach, which has garnered support from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, USAID, and Winrock International, seek to address a long-standing deficit in agricultural advisory services which are considered critical to the productivity and sustainability of smallholder farmers.
For decades, Nigeria’s agricultural extension services have struggled to meet demand. With one extension agent often responsible for over 10,000 farmers, the system has been overwhelmed, leaving countless farmers without access to crucial information, resources, and best practices for modern, sustainable agriculture.
This deficit in service delivery has hindered smallholder farmers’ capacity to maximize productivity, which is essential to national food security and economic growth.
Recently, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari opened the National Agricultural Extension Service Impact-sharing Workshop by addressing this critical gap.
Kyari stressed the role of pluralistic agricultural extension—a model that relies on a mix of public and private sector partnerships.
The minister who was represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services, Dr Deola Lordbanjou outlined how MSMEs are pivotal in this approach to transform the extension landscape through on-the-ground, business-oriented services that connect farmers directly with market-aligned solutions.
He said, “The agriculture extension service is a strategic vehicle for delivering innovative, effective and innovative solutions to the doorstep of Nigerian smallholder farmers. Without efficient, impactful and responsive pluralistic agriculture extension we cannot transform agriculture in a way that Nigeria will be food sufficient.
This collaboration with USAID has not only identified effective agricultural practices but also empowered MSMEs to deliver these practices as solutions to farmers, with a special focus on youth and women.
He continued, “The USAID Extension Activity enhances the capacity of the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to provide most impactful agricultural practices to smallholder farmers to improve their productivity and income.
They jointly identified several most impactful agricultural practices as business solutions for the farmers, trained MSMEs and through coaching, transformed them into extension delivery firms.
“The parties also jointly promoted market aligned business solutions through the Agricultural Development Programmes and the states’ ministries of agriculture, to resolve systematic challenges in extension services for smallholder farmers.
This partnership, therefore, not only identified business solutions for the smallholder farmers, but also integrated innovative private extension delivery approaches in the National Agricultural Extension Policy and Agricultural Extension Teaching Manual”.
According to Kyari, the model has the economic potential to bring demand driven services to Nigeria’s rural areas.
Since the model inception in 2020, the partnership between USAID and the Federal Ministry has trained and transformed 311 MSMEs into local extension service providers, reaching over 2 million smallholder farmers across several states.
These MSMEs are providing a range of services—from climate-resilient seed varieties to mechanization options—at the doorstep of Nigeria’s farmers, previously underserved by traditional extension systems.
The programme results have been significant, with farmers adopting modern techniques and inputs, leading to improved yields, increased income, and stronger food security.
On the scale of the impact, Jean Pierre Rousseau, Director at Winrock International, stated, “Today, MSMEs are building the business case for extension by integrating high-demand services with market access, proving that investment in farm service provision can be both profitable and transformative for Nigeria’s agriculture”.
According to Rousseau, the programme has not only driven farmer productivity but has also channeled over 67 billion Naira in financing through MSME-led credit models, which maintain an impressive 95% repayment rate—solidifying the model’s sustainability and appeal to investors.
The gathering of stakeholders in Abuja at a workshop also showcased the critical role of digital tools in modern extension services.
Digital platforms introduced by the partnership allow Agricultural Development Programs (ADPs) and states’ ministries to deliver advisory services more efficiently, and to gather and utilise data on farmers’ needs and progress.
The Federal Department of Extension, which was established in 2012 has continued to integrate these tools, while looking ahead to a future-forward approach to national agricultural extension policy.
As stakeholders turn to this approach the minister reiterated the Federal Ministry’s commitment to the MSME-led model, aligning with the government’s “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which focuses on food security and job creation.
The ministry now seeks to scale this approach nationwide, calling on state governments, local agencies, and private stakeholders to collaborate and replicate the model’s success.
With MSMEs leading the charge, this model represents a transformative opportunity for Nigerian agriculture. By closing the gap in extension services, Nigeria is not only working towards national food sufficiency but also aiming to secure a better economic future for millions of its farmers.