Oredola Adeola

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Foundation has commenced Phase Two of its nationwide agricultural training programme, targeting an additional 3,000 vulnerable farmers to complete the initiative’s goal of empowering 6,000 participants across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

This information was obtained by Advisors Reports from a document obtained fr0m NNPC Foundation document, made available over the weekend.

The foundation confirmed that the maiden edition of the programme (Phase One) was held in Enugu State, South-East zone, in April 2025, where 1,000 smallholder farmers benefited from a multi-day practical training.

This was subsequently extended to the South-South and South-West zones, bringing the total number of trained farmers to 3,000 under the first phase of the initiative.

Meanwhile, Phase Two of the programme will kick off with the North Central Zone (Kogi/Benue/Kwara Cluster), where the Vulnerable Farmers’ Training is scheduled to run from Monday, September 8 to Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at Ijagodo Secondary School Hall, Akpanya, Igalamela Odolu LGA, Kogi State, according to the NNPC Foundation.

The training will then move to the FCT (Abuja)/Niger Cluster from September 12 to 14, 2025, and subsequently to the Nasarawa/Plateau Cluster from September 17 to 19, 2025.

Emmanuella Arukwe, Managing Director of the NNPC Foundation, explained that the programme is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s food security by boosting productivity and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers nationwide.

She noted that many farmers remain trapped in subsistence production due to limited access to modern techniques, quality inputs, and competitive markets, leaving them vulnerable to climate change, supply chain disruptions, and economic shocks.

“Our goal is to equip every participant with the tools, knowledge, and resources needed to transition from subsistence farming to commercial-scale production,” Arukwe said.

According to findings by Advisors Reports, the initiative is expected to train more than 6,000 farmers with hands-on skills in climate-resilient methods, including soil and water management, organic fertilization, post-harvest loss reduction, and other modern practices to support the shift to commercial farming.

Despite the initial target of 1,000 participants for the South-East zone, Arukwe disclosed that over 1,890 farmers were successfully trained, surpassing the projection.