The Federal Government has set up a Technical Working Group (TWG) to capture the biometric data of Nigerian farmers towards creating an identity database of the agriculture ecosystem in the country.
The TWG inaugurated through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, focuses on capturing farmers’ data to create a comprehensive and seamless database.
According to Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the initiative which was led by Mr. Temitope Fashedemi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, is a significant step towards ensuring proper identification of farmers, which is essential for the accurate delivery of agricultural inputs and support.
Ministry: Proper identification will shape future of Nigerian farmers
During the inauguration ceremony held recently at the Ministry’s Conference Room in Abuja, Mr. Fashedemi says that “the inauguration of the Committee was a vital initiative that would shape the future of Nigeria’s farmers through proper identification, assist the Ministry to deliver agricultural inputs and support to the right farmer.
He announced that the Ministry would collaborate closely with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to establish a robust database necessary for effective resource distribution.
Mr. Fashedemi also highlights the recent inauguration of the National Executive Committee on the Implementation of the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Card Scheme, reinforcing the administration’s commitment to enhancing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security.
Chaired by the Director of the Department of Planning and Policy Coordination, with input from directors of technical departments and a NIMC representative, the TWG has been tasked with developing effective modalities for collaboration, according to the Ministry. Its responsibilities include creating a comprehensive work plan, designing robust data collection tools, and identifying training programmes for field officers to ensure data accuracy.
NIMC’s Role
Dr. Peter Iwegbu, Director of Card Management Services at NIMC, stated that “NIMC has the mandate to establish, own, operate, maintain and manage the national identity database in Nigeria, register persons covered by the Act, assign a unique National Identification Number (NIN) and issue general Multi-purpose Cards (GMPC) to those who are citizens of Nigeria as well as others legally residing within the country.”
According to him, the partnership with the Ministry would enable the government to manage agricultural interventions more effectively, validate soil health, and accurately target support to the right farmers.
“The Committee’s Terms of Reference (TOR), include to develop a comprehensive work plan with clear timelines, roles, and responsibilities for each phase of the data capture initiative, design robust data collection tools and methodologies to capture essential farmer information, including personal identification, farm size, crop types etc; identify training programmes for field Officers and data collectors to ensure data accuracy and consistency, establish clear terms and conditions for the collaboration between the Ministry and NIMC, fostering a strong partnership and any other relevant work/directives that will facilitate the work of the committee,” the Ministry of Information and National Orientation says in a statement.“
Additionally, the Ministry says that TWG members are drawn from the technical departments of the Ministry and NIMC, and their work is expected to lay the foundation for a more efficient, data-driven approach to agricultural support in Nigeria.
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