DIGITAL AND INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN INNOVATIONS FOR ADOPTION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIAN AGRICULTURE.
This review highlights some digital and ICT driven innovations that can adopted to help develop the Nigerian Agriculture The global population is projected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, with nearly 2 billion of those people living in Africa. Global population growth, particularly in Africa, looks set to boom before there is a food system in place that can support all people at all times.. The idea of Africa feeding itself is not farfetched though; Africa has about 65% of the world’s uncultivated, farmable land; Africa is endowed with a wide diversity of agro-ecological zones, such as heavy rain-forest vegetation and dry-arid vegetation; agriculture provides around 60% of all jobs on the continent; and Africa uses only 2% of its renewable water resources, compared to 5% globally. By 2025, an estimated 330 million young Africans will enter the labour market. Hence, there is a need to match youth unemployment with the enormous potential of African agriculture. Young people picture the druggery of farming and perceive agriculture as low income employment sector in recent years though. Digitalization and agriculture technologies have enhanced the way that food is produced. ICT-enabled agriculture is gradually changing the mindset of young people and creating young entrepreneurs who are willing to take risks and invest in agriculture Literature materials on digital and ICT innovations that can be adopted were assembled from Journals, Conference proceedings, books , magazines , bulletins etc, they were there after reviewed and discussed. The pest risk management system, livestock vaccine digital delivery service in Ghana, climate risk management system, CTA supported climate-livestock project in Kenya, Caribbean soilless solution to boost smart production, , development of crop robotics in Samoa etc The review also listed strategies to upscale agriculture in Nigeria and Africa. The integration of digital technologies and ICT with agricultural extension is essential for modern agricultural development. These concepts work synergistically to address challenges such as food insecurity, climate change, and resource scarcity. By leveraging these tools and approaches, stakeholders can create a more sustainable and resilient agricultural sector., The above innovations are worth while and are capable of boosting agricultural production in Nigeria, if adopted, thus helping to attain food security. As the world continues to face unprecedented challenges, the role of these interconnected concepts in driving agricultural transformation cannot be overstated. Policymakers, researchers, and practitioners must work together to promote the adoption of innovative technologies, The innovations discussed above are recommended for adoption by policy makers and farmers for the development of Nigerian Agriculture. Dissemination mechanisms should be put in place to ensure that these innovations /technologies reaches the nooks and crannies of Nigeria
Keywords: Agricultural, Adoption, Digital, Innovation, Information Communication Technology, Nigeria
