The provision of agricultural extension services in Nigeria has lagged since the 1980s, due to challenges such as dwindling national budgets, reduced support from development partners, logistical challenges and insecurity in some parts of the country. Consequently, Nigeria has a ratio of 1: 5000+ of extension workers to rural farmers, far below the recommended FAO ratio of 1:800.
In partnership with the Propcom Maikarfi project, Farm Innovation Nigeria Ltd is leveraging mobile technologies combined with a dedicated call centre to deliver Digital Agricultural Extension & Advisory Services (DAEAS) to smallholder farmers including women and persons living with disabilities in Northeastern Nigeria. This is expected to bridge the inclusion gap, provide access to continuous and timely information on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and improve yields and incomes for farmers.
Chinwe Owhorji-Arowolo comes with over 6 years of experience in the design and implantation of entrepreneurship programs. Her work spans across the private, and non-profits sector. She is the CEO of Farm Innovation Nigeria Ltd – a Nigerian Agtech company that leverages technology to help farmers improve their processes, increase their yield and subsequently their income. She previously held the position of Entrepreneurship Manager for TechnoServe Nigeria, on the Citi Foundation-funded Pan African Youth Entrepreneurship Program. Ms. Arowolo holds a Masters degree in Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship from Kingston University, London. She is a Certified Business Consultant and a 2019 Chevening Alumuna.