Kyari Advocates for Tech in Agriculture at AAES 2026

Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, addressed the Africa Agribusiness Extension Summit (AAES) 2026, warning that Nigeria cannot achieve food security by only expanding farmland. He highlighted the necessity for productivity improvements through knowledge, technology, and robust agricultural extension systems.

With Nigeria's population expected to reach 400 million by 2050, Kyari stressed that most food must come from existing farms rather than new land. He noted that effective extension services are crucial for improving food production, household incomes, and resilience.

Evidence shows that access to extension services correlates with reduced food insecurity and increased household assets. Kyari mentioned the federal government's shift towards digital platforms for agricultural extension, which includes over 100,000 farmers receiving weekly text messages on weather and crop protection.

Additionally, more than 1,000 digital extension agents have been deployed, and a digital platform is being developed to provide advisory services in multiple languages.