EXCLUSIVE: Dialogue; BATN Foundation Makes Case For Small Holder Farmers

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The Executive Director, BATN Foundation, Mrs. Halimat Shuaibu, has said more room should be open for investors to take interest in financing small holder farmers in the country.

Underscoring the Foundation’s mission during its 2025 Agribusiness Dialogue Session, she said: “Our task is to ensure that smallholder farmers are not only financeable but also resilient, thriving, and recognised as critical to Nigeria’s growth story.

“Agriculture must move from being seen as a survivalist venture to a strategic driver of national wealth.” The Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to empowering smallholder farmers and strengthening Nigeria’s agricultural ecosystem.

The Dialogue Session, held biennially since 2015, has become one of Nigeria’s most influential platforms for shaping policy, sparking innovation, and mobilising stakeholders in the agrifood system. This year’s edition focused on the urgent theme:“Is the Smallholder Farmer Really Finance-able?” One of the key myths tackled head-on during the session was the widespread belief that smallholder farming is not profitable enough to justify investment.

Speakers and panelists dismissed this narrative, pointing instead to the untapped potential of smallholder farmers as engines of food security, job creation, and national economic growth.

Also, in the bid to ensure smallholder farmers are not only financeable but also become resilient and recognized as critical to Nigeria’s growth story, experts also stressed that while agribusinesses are finance-able, financing must be unavoidablycombined with knowledge, innovation, and access to markets to ensure farmers can move from subsistence to commercial viability.

Smallholder farmers, who represent over 40 million people and produce nearly 80 per cent of Nigeria’s food, are the backbone of the country’s food security and rural economy. Yet they face mounting challenges as international aid and donor-driven interventions decline.

The Dialogue brought together farmers, policymakers, financiers, development experts, and private-sector leaders to explore innovative financing models, technology adoption, and market access strategies that can help farmers transition from subsistence to commercial viability.

Adding his perspective to the dialogue, Oludare Odusanya, General Manager of BATN Foundation, emphasised that the real test of financeability was in moving from theory to practice. He noted that smallholder farmers must be seen not as passive recipients of aid but as active partners in Nigeria’s economic transformation.

“For too long, conversations around smallholder farmers have centred on limitations rather than possibilities. At BATNF, we see finance as just one piece of the puzzle. “True empowerment happens when financing is coupled with knowledge, innovation, and access to markets. Our mission is to close these gaps so that smallholder farmers are no longer defined by dependency, but recognised as the true engines of Nigeria’s agribusiness economy,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Ademola Adenle, Senior Special Adviser on Agricultural Innovation to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, debunked the notion that smallholder farmers merely seek grants. Instead, he emphasised the need for innovative financing solutions underpinned by credible farmer data and transparent systems.

“Every kobo invested in smallholder farmers is not charity. It is one of the smartest investments we can make today because agriculture remains the surest driver of jobs, innovation, and resilience,” he said. A dynamic panel discussion moderated by Ms. Jacquelyne Yawa, featured key voices, including Mr. Abiodun Sosanya, General Manager, National Agriculture Development Fund, Mr. Samson Ogbole, CEO of Eupepsia Place Limited, and Mr. Ayo Sotinrin, Managing Director, Bank of Agriculture. Panelists highlighted access to finance as the single greatest barrier for smallholder farmers.

Sosanya noted that because these farmers produce 80 percent of Nigeria’s food, tailored, non-collateral lending must be prioritised by financial institutions. Sotinrin called for robust farmer databases, stronger collaboration between stakeholders, and improved rural infrastructure, while Ogbole stressed that financing without knowledge is futile.

“We can’t finance ignorance. Farmers need knowledge, hubs, and business-minded models that reduce risks and enable shared growth,” he said, pointing to public-private partnerships as key to agricultural transformation. The session also featured a fireside chat with Mr Adetola Oniyelu, Project Manager, BATN Foundation and Mrs. Atinuke Lebile, Co-founder and CEO of Cato Foods, who reinforced the need for capacity building and alignment between policy frameworks and grassroots realities.

Meanwhile, Mrs. FolushoOlaniyan, OON, FCIoD, delivered a goodwill message, encouraging participants to sustain dialogue and collaborative action to achieve national food security goals. In line with its long-standing focus on youth in agriculture, BATNF used the Dialogue to showcase winners of the 2025 Farmers for the Future (F4F) competition.

First place winner Mr. Daniel Akogwu Jacob of Aretecom Limited received ₦3 million in funding support. Ms. Emmanuel Mary of Zibah Foods and Mr. Akinloye John of Geentead Farm NG each received ₦2 million as second place winners, while Mr. Ikhahon Robinson (Heabron Farm Ltd), Ms. Adetuberu Sikeade (Lycos Nutrients Enterprises), and Mr. Haruna Godwin (Yaroson Agro Business) all received N1 million each as third-place winners.

Since its establishment in 2002, the BATN Foundation has executed over 350 community development projects across Nigeria, promoting modern agricultural practices and providing financial support that helps farmers transition from subsistence to commercial farming.

The Foundation continues to position agriculture not only as a tool for rural development but also as a driver of economic diversification and national resilience.

The 2025 Dialogue concluded with a call for urgent, coordinated action to ensure Nigeria’s smallholder farmers are empowered with the financing, tools, and markets they need to thrive. Stakeholders agreed that sustainable agriculture is not just a sectoral priority but a national imperative for food security, employment, and inclusive growth.

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