About Nigeria's Agriculture Policies: Programmes, Gaps, and Future Reforms
Welcome to Daily Reality NG, where we break down real-life issues with honesty and clarity. Today, we're examining Nigeria's agriculture sector — not with political talking points, but with the truth about what's actually happening in our farms, fields, and food systems.
I'm Samson Ese, the founder of Daily Reality NG. I launched this platform in 2026 as a home for clear, experience-driven writing focused on how people actually live, work, and interact with the digital world.
My approach is simple: observe carefully, research responsibly, and explain things honestly. Rather than chasing trends or inflated promises, I focus on practical insight — breaking down complex topics in technology, online business, money, and everyday life into ideas people can truly understand and use.
Daily Reality NG is built as a long-term publishing project, guided by transparency, accuracy, and respect for readers. Everything here is written with the intention to inform, not mislead — and to reflect real experiences, not manufactured success stories.
September 2025. I'm sitting in Asaba, Delta State, talking with my uncle Ese who farms cassava on about 15 hectares of land near Agbor. He's been farming for 23 years — long before "agriculture" became a political buzzword.
"You know wetin pain me pass?" he said, looking tired in a way that had nothing to do with physical labor. "Government dey announce programme, we go apply, dem go approve am for paper, but when you reach office to collect the loan or fertilizer... na story dey there."
He told me about the CBN Anchor Borrowers' Programme. On paper, brilliant idea — give farmers low-interest loans to boost production. In reality? He applied in 2023. Got "approved" in early 2024. By September 2025 when we spoke, he still hadn't received a single kobo.
"Meanwhile," he continued, "the planting season don pass. If I get that money now, wetin I go use am do? The rain don dey go finish."
This is the story of Nigerian agriculture in 2026. Not the story you hear in government press releases. Not the version painted in colourful infographics. The real story — the one farmers like my uncle live every single day.
We have policies. God knows we have plenty policies. Agriculture Development Programmes. National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA). Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL). Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS). Anchor Borrowers' Programme (ABP). The list goes on and on.
But if you ask the average farmer — the person actually putting hands in soil, planting seeds, dealing with rain and sun and pests — most of these programmes are just names. Beautiful names that sound impressive in boardrooms but disappear when you reach the village.
Today, I'm going to break down Nigeria's agriculture policies the way nobody else will. No political correctness. No diplomatic language. Just the truth about what works, what doesn't, why it doesn't, and what desperately needs to change.
Table of Contents
- → The Current State of Nigerian Agriculture in 2026
- → Major Government Agriculture Programmes (What They Claim vs. Reality)
- → The 7 Critical Implementation Gaps Nobody Talks About
- → Why Nigerian Agriculture Policies Keep Failing
- → Rare Success Stories and What We Can Learn
- → 10 Urgent Reforms Nigeria Needs Now
- → What Actual Farmers Are Saying (Not Politicians)
- → Frequently Asked Questions
🌾 The Current State of Nigerian Agriculture in 2026
Let me paint you the real picture. Not what you read in newspapers. Not what politicians announce at campaign rallies. The actual reality on ground as of early 2026.
Nigeria has over 70 million hectares of arable land. We use less than 40 percent of it. We're blessed with diverse climate zones — from the wet tropical south to the sahel north — meaning we can grow almost anything. Yet we import food worth over $10 billion annually.
Think about that for a moment. We have the land. We have the people. We have the weather. But we still buy rice from Thailand, tomatoes from China (yes, China!), and wheat from the United States.
📊 Did You Know? (Nigerian Agriculture Statistics 2026)
- Nigeria contributes only about 24 percent to Africa's agricultural output despite being the continent's most populous country
- Over 60 million Nigerians are currently engaged in agriculture, yet productivity per farmer is among the lowest in West Africa
- The average Nigerian farmer operates on less than 2 hectares of land using predominantly manual labor
- Nigeria spent approximately ₦2.8 trillion on food imports in 2025, even as local farmers struggled to sell their harvest
- Less than 5 percent of Nigerian farmers have access to formal agricultural credit as of January 2026
The agriculture sector contributes about 23 percent to Nigeria's GDP currently. Sounds decent, right? But here's what that number hides — most of that contribution comes from subsistence farming. Small-scale farmers growing crops primarily to feed their families, with whatever little remains sold at local markets.
Large-scale commercial agriculture? Almost non-existent. And the few commercial farms that exist face obstacles that would make you cry.
The Three Categories of Nigerian Farmers
Category 1: Subsistence Farmers (About 85 Percent of Total)
These are people like my uncle. Small plots of land. Family labor. Simple tools — cutlass, hoe, maybe a small tractor if they're lucky. They farm mainly to eat. Whatever they sell barely covers the cost of farming the next season.
Government programmes claim to target these farmers. But ask yourself — when last you see a subsistence farmer in a remote Ebonyi village actually benefit from these fancy programmes with their long names?
Category 2: Small-Scale Commercial Farmers (About 12 Percent)
These farmers produce primarily for sale. Maybe 5-20 hectares. They hire some labor. Use fertilizers. Maybe have access to a tractor through a cooperative. They're trying to make farming an actual business, not just survival.
This category should be our focus. These are the farmers who, with proper support, could actually transform Nigerian agriculture. But ironically, they're often too "successful" for programmes targeting poor farmers, yet too small to attract serious private investment.
Category 3: Large Commercial Farms (Less Than 3 Percent)
These are the few mechanized, modern farms. Hundreds or thousands of hectares. Modern equipment. Processing facilities. These farms actually work. They produce food efficiently. They create jobs. They contribute significantly to food security.
But there are so few of them. Why? Because starting a large commercial farm in Nigeria requires navigating land acquisition nightmares, dealing with multiple security issues, paying unofficial "levies" to various groups, and battling infrastructure problems that make operations expensive and unpredictable.
"A nation that cannot feed itself cannot claim to be truly independent. Our agriculture policies must move from political announcements to farmers' fields — or we'll continue importing what we should be exporting." — Samson Ese, Daily Reality NG
📋 Major Government Agriculture Programmes (What They Claim vs. Reality)
Alright, let's go through the big programmes. And I mean really go through them — not the glossy brochure version, but what's actually happening.
Programme #1: Anchor Borrowers' Programme (ABP)
What They Say: The Central Bank of Nigeria introduced this programme to create linkages between smallholder farmers and reputable large-scale processors (anchors). Farmers get loans to buy inputs. They grow the crops. The anchor company buys their harvest at agreed prices. The loan is deducted from payment. Everyone wins!
The Reality: My friend Chiamaka in Ebonyi State applied for ABP in 2024 for rice farming. The application process required her to travel to Abakaliki three different times (each trip cost about ₦12,000 in transport and accommodation). She submitted forms, biometric data, BVN, NIN, cooperative membership certificate, land documents, you name it.
Eight months later, she got "approved." But the inputs arrived after planting season had started. The fertilizer quantity was less than promised. The rice seedlings? Half of them were already dying. The anchor company that was supposed to buy her harvest? Changed their purchase price two weeks before harvest because "market conditions changed." She ended up selling at local market prices, which barely covered the loan. Now she's stuck repaying money for a programme that didn't deliver what it promised.
Programme #2: Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS)
The Concept: Electronic wallet system where registered farmers get vouchers on their phones to buy subsidized fertilizers and seeds from approved dealers. Brilliant use of technology to cut out middlemen, right?
What Actually Happens: Registration requires smartphone access and digital literacy that many rural farmers simply don't have. My uncle in Agbor had to pay a young person ₦5,000 to help him register. Even after registration, "approved dealers" in his area were scarce. The nearest one was 45 kilometers away. By the time he got there, subsidized fertilizer was sold out.
And here's the kicker — some dealers were selling the same "subsidized" fertilizer at market prices because they knew farmers had no other options. The subsidy went into dealers' pockets, not farmers' farms.
Programme #3: Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL)
The Theory: NIRSAL was created to reduce banks' risk in lending to agriculture. It provides guarantees and technical support so that banks feel comfortable giving farmers loans.
The Practice: According to the Central Bank of Nigeria, agricultural lending has increased under NIRSAL. But most of that lending goes to large commercial operations, not smallholder farmers. The average village farmer still can't walk into a bank and get a farm loan without collateral they don't have. NIRSAL's risk-sharing might help banks, but it hasn't translated to more accessible credit for the farmers who need it most.
Programme #4: National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA)
Stated Goal: Make land available for farming. Clear land. Provide infrastructure. Create integrated farm estates where young people can farm profitably.
Ground Reality: NALDA announces new farm estates regularly. Press releases with photos of cleared land and smiling officials. But follow up six months later — many of these estates are abandoned or operating at a fraction of capacity. Why? No access roads. No electricity. No water. No storage facilities. Just cleared land in the middle of nowhere with a sign saying "NALDA Integrated Farm Estate."
I spoke with Olumide, a young graduate who was allocated land in a NALDA estate in Kwara State in 2024. He was excited initially. Went there with capital to start poultry farming. The reality? No electricity meant he'd have to run a generator 24 hours for his birds. The access road was so bad that transporting feed and taking birds to market doubled his costs. After three months, he abandoned the project. The land is still there. His name is still on paper. But the farm? Dead.
⚠️ The 7 Critical Implementation Gaps Nobody Talks About
Here's where we get real. The programmes sound good on paper. Some are even genuinely well-designed. So why don't they work? Let me break down the actual problems.
Gap #1: Timing Mismatches That Kill Programmes Before They Start
Agriculture is seasonal. Farmers need inputs before planting season. Not during. Not after. BEFORE.
But government programmes run on bureaucratic time. Applications take months to process. Approvals need multiple signatures. Procurement has to follow proper channels. By the time everything is "properly done," the rains have come and gone. Farmers are left holding vouchers for seeds they can no longer plant.
Gap #2: The Last Mile Problem
Programmes are designed in Abuja. Maybe some pilot testing happens in state capitals. But the actual farmers? They're in villages 60 kilometers from the nearest tarred road. Villages where there's no bank branch. No internet. Sometimes not even steady phone network.
How do you implement an e-wallet programme in a village where half the farmers don't have smartphones? How do you distribute inputs to a community that's a 3-hour drive on terrible roads from the nearest distribution center?
Nobody solves the last mile. We create beautiful systems that work perfectly in cities and state capitals, then wonder why adoption is low in the villages where 70 percent of farmers actually are.
Gap #3: Corruption and Diversion of Resources
I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Too many resources never reach farmers. Fertilizers meant for subsidized distribution end up in private shops sold at full price. Tractors allocated to cooperatives mysteriously appear on private farms. Loans approved for 500 farmers somehow only reach 200.
And it's not always big corruption. Sometimes it's small — an official who demands ₦10,000 "processing fee" to move your file forward. A local chairman who gives fertilizer allocation to his political supporters first. These small corruptions add up to massive programme failures.
Gap #4: Zero Accountability or Monitoring
Programmes get announced with fanfare. Budgets get allocated. Money gets spent. Then... silence.
Nobody checks if the programme actually worked. Did farmers get the inputs? Did yields increase? Did incomes improve? We don't know because we don't measure. And when the next administration comes, they create their own programmes with new names instead of fixing the ones that already exist.
Gap #5: Ignoring Entire Value Chains
We focus on production. Grow more crops! Increase yield! But then what?
You help farmers produce 10 tons of tomatoes. Great. Now the tomatoes are rotting because there's no storage facility. Or there's storage but no transport to get them to market. Or there's transport but no processing facility to turn them into paste before they spoil.
According to FAO estimates, Nigeria loses about 40 percent of harvested crops to post-harvest losses. That's billions of naira worth of food wasted every single year. Yet our programmes focus almost entirely on growing more, not on preserving what we already grow.
Gap #6: Excluding Women and Youth
Women do most of the actual farming work in Nigeria. But land ownership? Credit access? Programme benefits? These disproportionately go to men.
Many programmes require land title documents to qualify. But in most Nigerian communities, women can't own land in their own names. So they're automatically excluded from programmes meant to "help farmers."
And youths? We tell them agriculture is the future. Then we make it almost impossible for a young person without family land or capital to actually start farming profitably. The average age of Nigerian farmers is rising because we're not creating pathways for young people to enter the sector.
Gap #7: Political Interference and Policy Inconsistency
Every new government wants its own agricultural programme with its own name. So programmes that might have started working get abandoned. Staff get reassigned. Budgets get redirected. Farmers who invested based on previous policies are left stranded.
Agriculture needs consistency. A farmer who plants cocoa needs 3-4 years before harvest. Palm trees take 5 years. You can't change policies every election cycle and expect farmers to plan long-term.
"The gap between agricultural policy and agricultural reality in Nigeria is not just wide — it's a canyon. And farmers are the ones falling into it every planting season." — Samson Ese, Daily Reality NG
🔍 Why Nigerian Agriculture Policies Keep Failing (The Brutal Truth)
After looking at all these programmes and gaps, you might wonder: why do we keep making the same mistakes? Let me give you the uncomfortable answer.
Reason #1: Policies Are Designed by People Who Don't Farm
Sit in any agricultural policy meeting in Abuja. You'll find economists, lawyers, politicians, consultants. Very educated people. Well-intentioned people. But how many of them have actually planted cassava? Harvested rice? Dealt with the daily reality of farming in rural Nigeria?
When policies are designed in air-conditioned offices by people whose only encounter with farming is theoretical, you get theoretical solutions that collapse when they meet real dirt and real rain.
Reason #2: Agriculture Is Used as Political Tool, Not Economic Priority
Be honest. When do agricultural programmes get the most attention? During election campaigns. Suddenly every politician becomes a champion of farmers. Tractors get distributed with campaign posters. Fertilizers come with party logos. Loans get approved in swing states.
After elections? Crickets. The agricultural budget gets slashed first when revenue drops. Promised programmes get "delayed." The tractors break down and there's no budget for repairs.
We treat agriculture like a vote-gathering exercise, not like the foundation of national food security that it actually is.
Reason #3: We Focus on Inputs, Not Outcomes
Read any government agriculture report. They'll tell you how many bags of fertilizer were distributed. How many farmers were registered. How much money was disbursed.
But nobody asks: did farm yields actually increase? Are farmers making more money? Is food more available and affordable?
We measure activity, not impact. As long as money is being spent and press releases are being issued, we consider the programme successful. Whether farmers are actually better off? That's secondary.
Reason #4: Infrastructure Deficit Makes Everything Harder
Even the best agricultural policy can't overcome terrible roads, unreliable electricity, and lack of water. You can give a farmer all the inputs in the world, but if he can't get his produce to market because the road is impassable during rainy season, what's the point?
We keep trying to fix agriculture in isolation, ignoring that it depends on infrastructure that doesn't exist. It's like trying to build the roof of a house when you haven't laid the foundation.
✨ Rare Success Stories and What We Can Learn From Them
It's not all doom and gloom. There are pockets of success. Small victories that show what's possible when things are done right. Let me share some.
Example 1: The Kebbi Rice Revolution
Kebbi State became a rice production powerhouse through a combination of state government commitment and federal support. What made it work?
- Consistent policy over multiple years (not changing direction every election)
- Actual infrastructure — irrigation systems, access roads, storage facilities
- Partnership with private mills that guaranteed purchase
- Training programs that actually reached farmers in their villages
Rice production in Kebbi increased from about 300,000 metric tons in 2015 to over 900,000 metric tons by 2024. That's real, measurable success. And it shows what's possible with sustained effort.
Example 2: Cassava Processing in Ogun State
Several communities in Ogun focused on the entire cassava value chain — not just growing it, but processing it into garri, fufu flour, and even cassava chips for export.
Key success factor? They didn't wait for government. Farmers formed cooperatives, pooled resources, bought processing equipment together, and created their own market linkages. Government programmes that did support them (like providing access roads and electricity) were supplementary, not primary.
Lesson: farmers organizing themselves and taking initiative, with government providing enabling infrastructure, works better than top-down programmes.
Example 3: Tomato Outgrower Schemes in Kaduna
Some processing companies in Kaduna created direct relationships with smallholder tomato farmers. The company provided seeds, technical advice, and guaranteed purchase prices. Farmers focused on growing quality tomatoes.
When it works (and it doesn't always), both sides win. Farmers have a guaranteed market. Company has a reliable supply. This is what the Anchor Borrowers' Programme was supposed to do everywhere, but these private arrangements often work better because there's no bureaucratic delay.
Example 4: Poultry Integration in Lagos/Ogun Corridor
The poultry sector in the Lagos-Ogun corridor has grown significantly with minimal government intervention. Why does it work?
- Proximity to major markets (Lagos and Ogun have massive populations)
- Relatively better infrastructure compared to rural areas
- Strong private sector involvement in feed production and distribution
- Access to credit through informal networks and savings groups
The lesson? When market forces work properly and basic infrastructure exists, agriculture thrives with or without government programmes. The role of government should be creating the conditions for success, not trying to control every aspect of production.
Example 5: Youth-Led Agritech Startups
Some young Nigerians are using technology to solve agriculture problems from fresh angles. Companies providing tractor-sharing services via mobile apps. Platforms connecting farmers directly to buyers. Drones for crop monitoring and precision agriculture.
These innovations work because they're solving real problems that farmers actually face, not problems that policymakers think farmers should have. And they're scaling faster than government programmes because they're driven by market demand, not bureaucratic process.
"Success in Nigerian agriculture doesn't come from more programmes — it comes from fixing the few programmes we have, building real infrastructure, and letting farmers lead while government supports." — Samson Ese, Daily Reality NG
🔧 10 Urgent Reforms Nigeria Needs Right Now
Enough analysis. What actually needs to change? Here are ten reforms that would transform Nigerian agriculture if implemented honestly.
Reform #1: Consolidate and Simplify Programmes
We don't need 47 different agricultural programmes with overlapping mandates. Pick the 5-7 that work best. Fund them properly. Make them simple enough that a farmer with basic education can understand and access them without needing a consultant.
Reform #2: Fix the Timing
Create agricultural calendars. Rice planting season in the north starts in May. That means inputs MUST reach farmers by April. Not July. Not "when the budget is released." APRIL. Build the entire programme timeline backwards from when farmers actually need things.
Reform #3: Invest in Post-Harvest Infrastructure
Build storage facilities in farming communities. Not in state capitals — in the actual villages where food is grown. Cold storage for perishables. Silos for grains. Processing facilities to add value before transport.
According to experts, reducing post-harvest losses from 40 percent to 20 percent would be equivalent to increasing total production by 25 percent. That's massive gains without planting a single extra seed.
Reform #4: Make Land Accessible
The Land Use Act of 1978 makes it nearly impossible for farmers to use their land as collateral for loans. It creates a bureaucratic nightmare for anyone trying to acquire land formally. It excludes women from land ownership in many communities.
Reform or replace this law. Create clear, simple processes for land acquisition and title registration. Make it possible for a young person to actually acquire farmland without family connections or huge capital.
Reform #5: Build Rural Infrastructure
You can't have modern agriculture without roads, electricity, and water. Period. Allocate serious budget to rural infrastructure. Not as an afterthought, but as THE foundation of agricultural development.
A farmer in Benue with 20 hectares of yam but no way to transport it to market is poorer than a farmer in Oyo with 5 hectares and good road access. Infrastructure multiplies the value of everything else we do in agriculture.
Reform #6: Create Real Extension Services
Agricultural extension workers are supposed to teach farmers better techniques. In reality, most rural areas haven't seen an extension worker in years. The extension service is understaffed, underfunded, and disconnected from farmers.
Rebuild this system. Use technology — WhatsApp groups, SMS alerts, radio programmes in local languages. Combine traditional extension workers with digital tools to actually reach the millions of farmers who need help.
Reform #7: Fix Agricultural Credit
Less than 5 percent of Nigerian farmers can access formal credit. Banks see agriculture as too risky. Farmers can't provide the collateral banks demand.
Solution: Create specialized agricultural banks with different risk models. Use group lending where cooperatives guarantee each other. Accept farm assets (land, equipment, even livestock) as collateral. Make interest rates and repayment terms align with agricultural cycles, not banking calendars.
Reform #8: Support Cooperatives and Farmer Organizations
Individual smallholder farmers have no bargaining power. But organized cooperatives can negotiate better prices, bulk-buy inputs, share equipment, and access credit.
Government should support the formation and strengthening of genuine farmer cooperatives (not the fake ones created just to access government programmes). Provide training in cooperative management. Help them formalize and get legal recognition. Channel support through these organizations rather than trying to reach individual farmers.
Reform #9: Embrace Technology and Innovation
Stop viewing agriculture as low-tech. Modern farming uses drones, sensors, weather forecasting, soil analysis, precision irrigation. Nigeria has brilliant young people creating agricultural technology. Support them.
Create incentives for agritech innovation. Make rural internet connectivity a priority. Help farmers adopt appropriate technology — not necessarily the most advanced, but what actually works in Nigerian conditions.
Reform #10: Measure and Report Real Outcomes
Create independent monitoring of agricultural programmes. Not "we distributed X bags of fertilizer" but "did farm yields increase? Did farmer incomes rise? Is food more affordable?"
Publish this data publicly. When programmes fail, acknowledge it and fix them. When they succeed, scale them up. Stop pretending every programme is successful just because money was spent.
🗣️ What Actual Farmers Are Saying (Not Politicians)
I reached out to several farmers across Nigeria to hear their unfiltered thoughts on agriculture policies. Here's what they told me:
Ibrahim from Kano (Wheat and Maize Farmer):
"The biggest problem is not money or programme. The problem is they don't listen to us. We tell them we need tractor for land preparation in March. They bring tractor in June when we don already plant with hoe. We tell them fertilizer wey dem dey give us no dey work for our soil type. Dem no hear. They just want to say they gave something. Whether e work or not, that one no concern them."
Joy from Cross River (Cassava and Vegetables):
"As a woman, forget it. Even though I'm the one farming, all the programmes require land documents in your name. My husband land, e no get document. My papa land for village, tradition say woman no fit own am. So all these fine programmes wey dem dey announce, na for men. We women, we just dey farm, dey harvest, dey sell small small for market. Government assistance? We no dey see am."
Chinedu from Enugu (Rice Farmer):
"I get approval for loan under Anchor Borrowers since 2024. Till today, January 2026, nothing. But you know wetin funny me? Government dey say they don disburse billions to farmers. I dey ask myself — which farmers? Because all of us wey I know for this area, we never see one kobo. The money go somewhere, but e no reach us wey dey farm."
These voices matter more than any policy document. These are the people feeding Nigeria. And they're telling us clearly: the problem isn't lack of programmes. It's that programmes don't work for the people they're supposedly designed to help.
"Nigerian agriculture will transform the day we start designing programmes with farmers, not just for farmers. Their wisdom comes from dirt and sweat — that's worth more than all our degrees combined." — Samson Ese, Daily Reality NG
🎯 Key Takeaways
- Nigeria has numerous agriculture programmes including Anchor Borrowers, GESS, NIRSAL, and NALDA, but most fail at implementation stage
- The seven critical gaps include timing mismatches, last-mile delivery failures, corruption, zero accountability, value chain neglect, gender exclusion, and political interference
- Agricultural policies are designed by non-farmers in cities, leading to solutions that don't match rural realities
- Success stories from Kebbi rice production and Ogun cassava processing show what works: consistent policy, real infrastructure, and farmer-led initiatives
- Nigeria loses approximately 40 percent of harvested crops to post-harvest losses due to lack of storage and processing facilities
- Less than 5 percent of Nigerian farmers currently have access to formal agricultural credit despite multiple lending programmes
- Women do most farming work but are systematically excluded from programmes requiring land ownership documents
- Ten urgent reforms needed: programme consolidation, timing fixes, post-harvest infrastructure, land access, rural infrastructure, extension services, credit reform, cooperative support, technology adoption, and outcome measurement
- Infrastructure deficit (roads, electricity, water) undermines even well-designed agricultural programmes in rural areas
- Real transformation requires listening to actual farmers and designing programmes around their lived realities, not political calendars
💬 Final Thoughts: The Agriculture Nigeria Needs Versus the Agriculture We Have
Look, I'm not going to end this with false optimism. Nigerian agriculture is in trouble. Not because we lack potential — we have more than enough. Not because farmers don't work hard — nobody works harder than a Nigerian farmer. We're in trouble because of choices. Policy choices. Priority choices. Resource allocation choices.
Every year, we import food worth billions while our farmers struggle to sell what they grow. Every year, we announce new programmes while old ones collapse from neglect. Every year, we talk about making agriculture attractive to youth while making it nearly impossible for young people to access land or credit.
But here's what keeps me hopeful. When I talk to farmers like my uncle Ese in Agbor, or Ibrahim in Kano, or Joy in Cross River — despite all their frustrations, they keep farming. Because they know Nigeria needs food. Because farming is not just what they do; it's who they are.
What would happen if — and I know this is radical — we actually listened to them? If we took the billions we spend on programmes that don't work and invested in the infrastructure and systems farmers actually need?
What if we stopped using agriculture as a political tool and started treating it as the national security issue it truly is? Because make no mistake — a country that can't feed itself is not secure. Doesn't matter how many weapons you have if your people are hungry.
The solutions aren't complicated. Build roads to farming communities. Provide reliable electricity. Create storage facilities. Make credit accessible. Reform land laws. Support cooperatives. Use technology smartly. Listen to farmers. Measure what matters.
None of this is rocket science. It's just governance. Honest, competent, farmer-focused governance.
Will we get it? That depends on whether enough Nigerians demand it. Whether we stop accepting beautiful programme names and start demanding measurable results. Whether we hold our leaders accountable for the gap between their agricultural policies and agricultural reality.
The land is still there. The farmers are still there. The potential is still there. What we need is leadership that matches the moment. And citizens who refuse to accept anything less.
"The day Nigerian agriculture policies move from Abuja offices to village fields, from political calendars to farming seasons, from announcement ceremonies to harvest festivals — that's the day we'll truly begin feeding ourselves again." — Samson Ese, Daily Reality NG
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the main agriculture programmes in Nigeria currently?
The major programmes include the Anchor Borrowers Programme run by the Central Bank, the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme focusing on input distribution through electronic wallets, the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending to encourage bank financing, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority working on farm estates, and various state-level initiatives. However, implementation effectiveness varies widely across these programmes, with many facing significant challenges in reaching intended beneficiaries.
Why do Nigerian agricultural policies often fail to help farmers?
The main reasons include timing mismatches where inputs arrive after planting seasons, last-mile delivery failures in reaching rural farmers, corruption and resource diversion, lack of accountability and monitoring, focus on production without addressing storage and processing, political interference leading to policy inconsistency, and programmes designed by non-farmers that don't match ground realities. Additionally, poor rural infrastructure undermines even well-designed programmes.
How can Nigerian farmers access agricultural loans and support?
Farmers can apply through the Anchor Borrowers Programme at the Central Bank or partner financial institutions, register for the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme through mobile platforms for subsidized inputs, join recognized farmer cooperatives which often have better access to programmes, approach commercial banks partnering with NIRSAL, or check with state agricultural development authorities. However, access remains challenging for most smallholder farmers due to documentation requirements, collateral demands, and implementation gaps.
What are the biggest challenges facing Nigerian agriculture in 2026?
Key challenges include post-harvest losses of approximately 40 percent due to lack of storage facilities, poor rural infrastructure especially roads and electricity, limited access to formal credit with less than 5 percent of farmers having loans, land tenure issues especially for women and youth, insecurity in some farming regions, climate change impacts, high cost of inputs like fertilizers and seeds, weak extension services, and the gap between announced policies and actual implementation on the ground.
What reforms does Nigerian agriculture urgently need?
Urgent reforms include consolidating overlapping programmes into fewer effective ones, fixing timing to align with agricultural calendars rather than bureaucratic processes, massive investment in post-harvest infrastructure like storage and processing facilities, land reform to make acquisition and titling accessible especially for women and youth, building rural infrastructure including roads and electricity, creating specialized agricultural credit systems, strengthening farmer cooperatives, embracing agricultural technology, and establishing independent monitoring to measure real outcomes not just inputs distributed.>
Are there any successful agricultural programmes in Nigeria?
Yes, some success stories exist. The Kebbi State rice revolution increased production from 300,000 to over 900,000 metric tons through consistent policy and infrastructure investment. Cassava processing cooperatives in Ogun State succeeded by organizing themselves and focusing on the entire value chain. Private outgrower schemes in Kaduna for tomatoes have shown results when companies work directly with farmers. The poultry sector in the Lagos-Ogun corridor thrives due to proximity to markets and better infrastructure. These successes share common factors: sustained commitment, real infrastructure, farmer involvement in design, and focus on complete value chains not just production.
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Share your agricultural experiences and perspectives:
- Are you a farmer or do you know farmers affected by these policies? What has been your experience?
- Have you tried to access any government agricultural programme? What obstacles did you face?
- What do you think is the single most important reform Nigerian agriculture needs right now?
- Do you believe Nigeria can become food self-sufficient? Why or why not?
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Your insights matter — share your thoughts in the comments below or reach out to us directly!
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and represents analysis based on publicly available information, documented reports, and personal interviews with farmers. The views expressed are those of the author and do not constitute professional agricultural, legal, or financial advice. Policy details and programme specifics may change. Readers should verify current programme requirements with relevant government agencies before making decisions based on this information. Daily Reality NG maintains editorial independence and is not affiliated with any government agricultural programme or political organization.
© 2026 Daily Reality NG — Empowering Everyday Nigerians | All posts are independently written and fact-checked by Samson Ese based on real experience and verified sources.
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