In Nigeria, smallholder farmers responsible for nearly 80% of the nation’s food supply are already battling the twin challenges of climate change and resource scarcity. Yet, despite the existence of locally available climate-smart practices that could protect their livelihoods and bolster food security, many farmers still struggle to adopt them.
The barrier is not just about resources it’s about communication. Specifically, the absence of clear, localised messaging that resonates with rural communities.
If Nigeria truly hopes to increase food production while protecting its environment and building farmer resilience against climate shocks, the country must embrace social marketing: a strategy that has proven powerful in shaping behaviour change across industries worldwide.
Beyond merely promoting sustainable agricultural practices, social marketing can transform the attitudes of farmers, agribusinesses, and policymakers alike. It can help reposition practices such as crop rotation, organic fertilisation, and water conservation not as burdens, but as essential tools for survival and prosperity in a changing climate.
International organisations like the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) already deploy social marketing techniques—through research publications and high-level workshops—to influence policy directions for sustainable agriculture in Nigeria. However, these efforts often fall short at the grassroots level, failing to reach the farmers whose lives are most directly affected.
As every farmer knows, trust is built within the community, through what people see, hear, and experience daily. To truly drive adoption of climate-smart farming, Nigeria must move beyond policy briefs and invest in culturally relevant storytelling, community radio programs and farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing.
“Supporting smallholder farmers with climate-smart techniques, efficient irrigation systems, and access to sustainable markets is crucial, says Otto Cannon, a member of the Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) and the Waste Management Association of Nigeria.
“Not only does this approach combat hunger, it also preserves Nigeria’s rich biodiversity, reduces food imports, strengthens the economy, and protects foreign exchange reserves.”
Cannon emphasises that ensuring clean water access must also be seen not just as an environmental obligation but as a moral duty. Prioritising community-led water solutions could break cycles of poverty and disease, enabling rural families to live with dignity and hope.
Also, adopting circular economy principles would integrate sustainability with innovation, offering Nigeria a path to a greener and more resilient future.
But communication remains the linchpin. If farmers cannot see the benefits of sustainable solutions through relatable and credible channels, adoption will remain low, and Nigeria’s ambitions for climate-resilient food systems will remain out of reach.
Moreover, if Nigeria is serious about diversifying its food systems and enhancing nutritional security, the country must stop treating indigenous crops as relics of the past and start treating them as economic assets.
This transformation will require action on several fronts:
– Scientific validation: Rigorous research must document the nutritional, medicinal, and agronomic value of Nigeria’s indigenous crops. Anecdotal claims are not enough; hard evidence is needed to win both markets and policymakers.
– Agroecological trials: Indigenous crops must be tested systematically across Nigeria’s diverse agro-ecological zones—not just for yield but for resilience under degraded soils, drought conditions, and marginal environments where conventional crops often fail.
– Policy and infrastructure support: Agricultural policies must shift to prioritise indigenous crops at every level—from production to processing to market access. Investment in technologies, like mechanised postharvest processing for fonio, can help scale up their production and profitability.
Nigeria’s food security future hinges not just on innovation or investment alone, but on bridging the communication gap between high-level policy and everyday farming practice.
If we truly want to feed our growing population and protect our planet at the same time, we must start speaking the language of those who feed us.
