The Minister of Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has urged farmers to leverage digital technology in order to enhance increased food production and security. Tijani noted that this would transform the agricultural sector and enable precision farming, improving efficiency and enhancing sustainability.
The minister, while stressing Nigeria’s vast population, traditional farming practices, and fertile, arable land, maintained that without technology, the country cannot practise agriculture effectively. He spoke on Thursday during the Ogun Tech Forward Innovation & Startups Roundtable session held with startup founders, tech leaders, and policymakers in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Tijani asserted that with the incessant rise in the cost of food, technology would bring down prices and reduce unnecessary foreign exchange spent on importing food—grains that could easily be grown locally.
He said, “Technology innovation has already contributed 16-18%, we aim for 21%. We also need to introduce our technology in agriculture to make enough food to feed us. Without technology countries like Nigeria cannot do agriculture effectively. The cost of food is on the rise and if we don’t introduce technology into agriculture, we would still be able to cultivate and produce but it will be expensive. We have the vast land and without technology we won’t do it well. Ogun state must prioritise technology use in agriculture.”;
He asserted that tools like mobile apps, sensors, and drones, among others, can greatly increase the nation’s farming productivity by giving farmers timely access to information about crop monitoring, pest control, soil changes, intruders, farming practices, and more—helping them to make well-informed decisions that will result in high-quality yields and profitability.
Meanwhile, the minister, while expressing his willingness to work closely with the community, urged them to utilise their tech hubs and create jobs for youths in the state.
Speaking earlier in his welcome address, the President of the Ogun Tech Community, Durosinmi Adekunle, noted that the gathering is a manifestation of their conviction that cooperation between government, business, academia, and the tech sector is crucial for long-term development. Adekunle maintained that the community is committed to building an inclusive, collaborative, and forward-looking technology ecosystem in Ogun State.
