Nasiru Darma didn’t set out to work in agriculture. He once dreamed of becoming a doctor, then pursued computer science, until a series of unexpected turns, from heartbreak to academic hurdles, redirected his life. What began as a personal detour became a larger mission: transforming how smallholder farmers across Africa access support, markets, and technology.

Today, as Operations Lead at Extension Africa, Nasiru is helping solve one of Nigeria’s biggest agricultural challenges: the broken extension system. In some areas, a single agent serves over 24,000 farmers, far from the FAO’s recommended 1 to 800 ratio. Through a scalable private-sector model, his team is reaching farmers where they are by combining local knowledge, tech tools, and human connection.

In this exclusive AgroCentric interview, Nasiru reflects on his journey, why trust still matters more than tech, and how Extension Africa is already helping over 1 million farmers reshape the future of African agriculture.

Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is Nasiru Darma, and what’s your role at Extension Africa?

Thank you. My name is Nasiru Darma, and I’m an agribusiness strategist and climate-smart agriculture specialist. I currently serve as the Operations Lead for Extension Africa. I’ve used my experience from the public service, development sectors, and now the private sector to create sustainable solutions for smallholder farmers.

At Extension Africa, our main focus is addressing Africa’s agricultural extension challenges. We use a private-sector model that links farmers with inputs, services, and markets, breaking free from the outdated, overstretched government systems.

You studied agricultural economics. Was farming always part of your background?

No, I didn’t grow up thinking I’d be in agriculture. Like many others in this space, I didn’t set out to study agriculture. As a child in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I wanted to be a medical doctor. But life had its way. I was admitted to study computer science at the Kano University of Science and Technology around 2001. I had been doing well in sciences and even attended the College of Arts and Remedial Sciences in Kano, where I took chemistry, physics, and mathematics, all aiming toward engineering.

However, a personal challenge affected my studies, and I was in and out of school at that point. By the time I recovered and returned to school, I was told I had two options: rewrite the JAMB exam or switch faculties: agriculture or geography. I picked agriculture. At the time, it felt like a setback, and, honestly, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Interesting! How did your academic background shape your work now?

I studied agricultural economics and extension. Most Nigerian universities combine the two at the undergraduate level. For my master’s degree, I specialised in agricultural extension.

This combination gave me a strong foundation. The economics side helped me understand agriculture as a business, market, profitability, and value chain. The extension side helped me understand farmers, their realities, challenges, and what kind of support they need. That balance between market thinking and grassroots insight is central to what I do today. 

What exactly does Extension Africa do, and how is it different from the traditional system?

We’re addressing the broken extension system. In some states like Ekiti, one extension agent serves over 24,000 farmers. In a northeastern state, there are only 30 agents, most of whom are about to retire. The national average in Nigeria is one extension agent to 10,000 farmers. Meanwhile, the FAO recommends 1 to 800. That’s a huge gap.

Our model at Extension Africa is private, but deeply inclusive. Instead of depending solely on the government, we partner with agribusinesses, NGOs, digital platforms, and input companies to deliver advisory services. Farmers aren’t directly paying; the value flows through the ecosystem. Unlike the traditional government-led system, our approach is sustainable, scalable, and business-driven.

And you’re leading the operations. What does that role involve?

As Operations Manager, I oversee everything, from planning to field execution. I’m responsible for how Extension Africa operates, how we’re perceived, and how we implement our model. Success for me means the model isn’t just working, but is scalable and sustainable. It means our trained agents are in communities, delivering real-time, practical support to farmers.

How does technology fit into your model?

I’m passionate about this. Next month, I’ll present a paper on using technology for extension service delivery. There’s a misconception that tech will replace extension agents. It won’t. It should enable, not replace. 

We use a hybrid model. Every farmer is linked to a trained, community-based agent using our mobile app, FarmEX. This app delivers timely, customised guidance. We also built the Africa Agribusiness Extension Academy, an online learning platform to train our agents continuously. 

Then there’s our AI-enabled chatbot. Farmers and agents can interact with it via voice. It speaks Hausa, Nupe, Yoruba, English, and we’re working on Igbo. Farmers who can’t read or write can still get advice in their own language. We also have separate apps for vendors, like a rural Amazon, where input sellers can upload products, and agents place orders on behalf of farmers.

Can you talk about the FarmEX platform and how it works?

We have two apps under FarmEX,  one for agents and another for vendors. Vendors upload products (like seed, fertiliser, and tools) to a marketplace within the app. Agents can place orders on behalf of farmers. This way, remote farmers can access quality inputs without middlemen or markup delays.

What kind of impact have you seen so far?

Plenty. We’ve onboarded over 5,000 vendors, trained 5,000+ agents, and currently support over 1 million farmers across 23 Nigerian states. In Kaduna alone, we serve over 300,000 farmers with 1,000 active agents.  These numbers show real demand, but more importantly, real impact.

Expanding into other African countries, our CEO, Tajudeen Yahaya, was recently in Kenya, engaging with stakeholders as we unlock new markets. Africa is the target.

What are the biggest challenges you’re currently facing?

Several. Tech-wise, our first app didn’t work offline, which is a big issue in rural areas with poor connectivity. We had to rebuild and now have a dedicated in-house tech team. Another challenge was resistance from public extension officers. Some Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) felt we were here to replace them. It took a lot of dialogue to show them we’re here to complement, not compete. We also struggle with policy misalignment and the major issue of resource scarcity, not just money, but manpower.

Then there’s the mindset issue. Farmers often expect “freebies”, free fertiliser, seeds, or cash. This stems from past government and donor programmes. Changing that mindset is slow but necessary.

Let’s talk about inclusivity. How do you tailor services for different farmer groups,  especially women and youth? 

We know farmers aren’t one-size-fits-all. That’s why our community agents are trained to engage with women, youth, and older farmers, and our tech tools, like the voice-based chatbot, are designed to reach illiterate users.

We also provide a toll-free line supported by live agents and an IVR system, where farmers can call for advice or leave questions. It’s all about meeting farmers where they are.

What are some misconceptions about agriculture and extension services?

Agriculture is seen as a poor man’s job. I remember that, at university, someone laughed at me for studying agriculture. Also, there’s a belief that technology will replace extension officers. That’s false. Extension is about people. Just like AI won’t replace doctors or teachers, it won’t replace extension agents either. It’ll only make them more effective. Human connection drives change.

What are some personal lessons you’ve learned working with rural communities?

People in rural communities are sceptical, for good reason. Many feel forgotten by the system. When you show up offering help, they wonder, “What’s in it for him?”

Another challenge is expectations. Years of receiving free input from the government or NGOs have made some farmers believe support must always come with handouts. Changing that mindset takes time.

How do you manage these expectations from farmers and funders?

Expectations are hard, even from my kids (my son once asked me to bring him an aeroplane!). We manage donors by co-creating with our funders and setting realistic goals together. It’s better to underpromise and overdeliver. We’re also transparent. We know what we can do and what may require collaboration or policy support.

What trends in agriculture are you most excited about right now?

The growing acceptance of private extension models. Before now, most investments in agriculture ignored extension. Now, donors are asking, “What’s your sustainability plan?” Many now reference our model as a benchmark. This shift gives me hope. We’re still scratching the surface, but it’s a solid start.

 What kind of partnerships are you building? Or looking to scale your work?

We co-create projects with partners like AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa), Heifer International, Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), and National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services(NAERLS). 

We also collaborate with state ADPs, research institutions like the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Purdue University, and local community groups. This ensures our content is relevant, localised, and evidence-based. But we’re always open to more, especially those who share our mission of sustainable impact. 

 What’s next for Extension Africa?

Our goal is to reach 5 million farmers across at least 10 African countries in the next five years. We’re also working to create 2 million youth jobs across the continent. 

We’re building an extension agent directory, a one-stop shop for extension services and access to verified extension support. We want Extension Africa to be the go-to platform for agricultural extension. 

Final advice to young professionals thinking of working in this space? 

Agriculture isn’t for the lazy, but it’s worth it. I tell youth to have these three things: Availability, Relevance, and Reliability. Show up. Know your stuff. Deliver quality work. If you do, the sky is not just your limit; it’s your starting point.

Thank you for your time, Nasiru. 

Are you a farmer, an agribusiness, a development partner, policymaker, or someone passionate about impacting Africa’s food systems? You can learn more about Extension Africa by visiting their official website. Nasiru Darma is open to dialogue as well. You can connect with him on LinkedIn to follow his work.