Synergos aims to integrate agriculture, technology in Nigeria – Country Rep.
Synergos Nigeria, an agriculture transformation support group, says it aims to integrate agriculture and technology in Nigeria, in collaboration with the Civil Innovation Lab.
The Country Representative of Synergos, Mr Adewale Ajadi, said this in Abuja at the Hackthon Marathon, organised by Synergos Nigeria in partnership with Civic Hub.
Ajadi, who was represented by Ms Victoria Fajemilehin, the Synergos Coordinator, said that Synergos did not have answers to all the problems facing the country’s agricultural sector.
He, therefore, underscored the need to adopt a collaborative approach in efforts to know and tackle the challenges facing the sector.
“We want to know why what we produced now goes into waste. We are bringing all the stakeholders together under same roof to know what is missing and how we can proffer solutions.
“I believe this new innovation will progress because when you find value in a platform, you keep going back to it. You discover that you can apply the things you saw there.
“In the same way, if this platform turns out to be useful to farmers and they are aware that they can get solutions to their problems in the platform; they will keep visiting the platform and it will be sustainable over time,’’ Ajadi said.
In his remark, Mr Edward Esene, Senior Consultant, Kinetic Nigeria, said that the easier way to relate technology to agriculture was via the creation of a marketplace.
Esene, who is also a Synergos Consultant, said that efforts should be made to look at what farmers were doing, with a view to helping them to use “PR’’, “USSD’’ code in managing their farms.
“Some people are having issues with access to market, investors and data in order to get the right value for their money but technology can help to mitigate or resolve such challenges.
“This Hackthon Marathon organised by Synergos and Civic hub is a noble initiative.
“In the information we give to farmers, the ones drawn from technical experts and Agricultural Development Project (ADP) officials will help them know the kind of solutions to create,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Mr James Ker, Programme Manager, Benue State Agricultural Rural Development Authority, said that Synergos had been assisting agricultural systems on how to operate better, while educating farmers on the benefits of technology in agriculture.
Ker said that Synergos had placed considerable emphasis on agriculture in strategies to access its products across the world.
“The organisation is opening a window for our farmers to have access to markets so as to boost their income and production.
“The farmers will sustain the initiative when they see its benefit. Although, they may not be able see the benefit initially but as soon as they see it, they will surely key into the programme,’’ he said. (NAN)
