csrreporters 
The BATN Foundation has reaffirmed its dedication to empowering Nigeria’s smallholder farmers as part of efforts to drive food security and strengthen the nation’s agricultural economy.
At its 2025 Agribusiness Dialogue Session in Lagos, the Foundation convened policymakers, financiers, and agricultural innovators to deliberate on the theme, “Is the Smallholder Farmer Really Financeable?”
Executive Director of BATN Foundation, Halimat Shuaibu, said the initiative reflects the Foundation’s mission to position farmers as resilient contributors to national growth. “Agriculture must be seen not just as survival, but as a strategic driver of wealth and food security for Nigeria,” she noted.
General Manager, Oludare Odusanya, emphasized that empowering farmers requires more than financing. “When funding is paired with knowledge, innovation, and access to markets, farmers can thrive as the real engines of Nigeria’s agribusiness economy,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Prof. Ademola Adenle, Senior Special Adviser on Agricultural Innovation to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, described investment in smallholder farmers as “one of the smartest decisions Nigeria can make to ensure food security, job creation, and resilience.”
Panel discussions highlighted the urgent need for non collateral lending, farmer databases, knowledge hubs, and rural infrastructure to enable farmers to scale. The Foundation also spotlighted youth involvement by rewarding winners of its 2025 Farmers for the Future competition with cash grants totaling millions of naira.
Since 2002, the BATN Foundation has executed over 350 community projects nationwide, supporting the transition of farmers from subsistence to commercial agriculture.
The 2025 Dialogue concluded with a collective call for urgent action to equip smallholder farmers with the right tools, finance, and opportunities to safeguard Nigeria’s food future and economic stability.