The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has introduced a digital platform to monitor and evaluate its flagship AgGrow Farm Support Programme, a N19.5 billion initiative aimed at uplifting smallholder farmers.
Unveiled in Abuja, NADF in a statement said that the project would subsidise half the cost of seeds, fertilisers and crop protection materials for 50,000 farmers cultivating maize, rice, cassava and soybeans across the six geopolitical zones.
According to the agency, the tool will also link farmers directly with processors under structured outgrower arrangements, with NADF covering input costs upfront and processors repaying a portion post-harvest.
NADF’s Executive-secretary, Mohammed Ibrahim, hailed the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) platform as a transformative leap.
“We’re ensuring that every item, every naira, and every effort invested is traceable from source to farm, this platform isn’t just about oversight, it’s about learning, adapting and delivering results that align with national food security goals,” he said.
Ibrahim emphasised the system’s transparency features, noting that only farmers registered with a Bank Verification Number (BVN) or National Identity Number(NIN) will participate.
With the software, farmers’ farms will be geo-tagged and monitored using biometric data, while independent audits and weekly reports will deliver accountability.
“You are our eyes and ears in every corner of this country, use this platform not just to monitor but to guide us, alert us, and help us deliver impact that changes lives,”Ibrahim told stakeholders.
The project is designed for 40 percent being women, and 20 percent youth. It also offers crop insurance to protect farmers from weather-related losses and incorporates training and advisory support on best agricultural practices.
We will not hesitate to remove and prosecute anyone who violates our standards of transparency and efficiency, fraud, collusion or negligence won’t be tolerated, ” Ibrahim warned.
Representing the monitoring partners, Olusola Omole commended the unprecedented level of coordination, saying, “This is the first time M&E vendors have been brought together so intentionally. It marks a new era, and we’re ready to deliver real value for farmers.”
Adewale Adegoke, CEO of AgroXchange Technology Services Limited, lauded NADF’s tech-forward approach, saying, “It’s a bold step towards strengthening Nigeria’s food systems.”
Head of Strategy at NADF, Adebanke Fajana, noted that data gathered at local, regional, and national levels will be centrally managed for effective decision-making.
She added that NADF would also enlist independent observers and collaborate with traditional leaders to ensure grassroots-level implementation runs smoothly.
Lanre Wilton-Wadell, Technical Assistant to the Executive Secretary, explained the rationale behind the model, “Most smallholder farmers struggle to access improved seeds and proper agronomic knowledge. Meanwhile, processors can’t get steady supplies at fair prices because of inefficiencies in the supply chain”.
The AgGrow initiative will initially roll out across 12 to 15 states, with plans to expand nationwide.
