The NNPC Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of NNPC Ltd., has flagged off the second phase of its Vulnerable Farmers Training Programme in Northern Nigeria as part of efforts to strengthen food security, boost economic empowerment, and support national development.
The initiative, which began earlier this year with its first phase in the Southern region, provides smallholder farmers with practical knowledge of modern agricultural techniques. These include climate-smart farming, organic fertilization, post-harvest loss reduction, and improved market access strategies designed to help farmers scale up from subsistence to commercial production.
Over 4,000 farmers were trained during the first phase in the South-East, South-South, and South-West zones. Building on that success, the second phase will now cover the North-East, North-West, and North-Central regions, with training scheduled in six states across these zones and one in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Speaking at the earlier flag-off of the programme in Nsukka, Enugu State, the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, said the intervention aligns with the Federal Government’s agricultural transformation agenda, which seeks to boost food security, increase productivity, and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
She noted that agriculture remains the main source of livelihood for more than 70 per cent of Nigerians, yet many farmers are unable to advance beyond subsistence-level production due to poor access to modern techniques, quality inputs, and competitive markets.
“The training is designed to change that narrative by equipping farmers with the tools, knowledge, and resources they need to move into sustainable, commercial-scale farming,” she said.
With this new phase, the NNPC Foundation is reinforcing its commitment to empowering vulnerable farmers and positioning agriculture as a driver of economic growth across the country.
