The Director-General and Chief Executive, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Dr. Matthew Adepoju, has reiterated the Agency’s resolve to deploy satellite technology in enhancing irrigation farming and advancing Nigeria’s food security.
He made this statement during the opening ceremony of a three-day Irrigation Earth Observation, IrrEO workshop titled “Advancing Satellite-Based Tools to Map Irrigated Croplands in Nigeria,” held in Abuja.
The NASRDA boss explained that through satellite-based tools, irrigated croplands can be mapped at scale, seasonal dynamics monitored, cropping intensity assessed, and early warning insights generated to support inform decision-making.
He stated that these capabilities will enhance water resource management, improve agricultural productivity, guide infrastructure investments, and strengthen national food security.
Dr Adepoju added that the outcome of the workshop is expected to deepen inter-agency collaboration, build national technical capacity, and establish a clear roadmap for integrating Earth observation tools into Nigeria’s agriculture and irrigation development strategies.
According to him, Nigeria will be contributing not only to food security but also economic diversification, job creation, and sustainable national development.
In his remarks, NASRDA’s Director of Strategic Space Applications, SSA, Dr. Godstime James, said that due to very low levels of irrigation across the country, most Nigerian farmers are only productive during the rainy season.
He stressed that it is essential to invest in irrigation farming to enable year-round crop production and overcome the current food insecurity in Nigeria.
Dr Godstime explained that the purpose of the workshop is to mark a significant step in implementing the Irrigation Earth Observation project, with a focus on the irrigation area mapping tool developed and funded by stakeholders, with NASRDA serving as the national link partner.
In his address, Dr. Kyle Davis of the University of Delaware shared the vision of IrrEO, which according to him is to co-develop open-source and low-cost data infrastructure and capacity to support comprehensive, spatially explicit, and up-to-date agricultural statistics and data products for Nigeria.
He said that achieving this vision would ensure that Nigeria is accurately represented in global agricultural assessments and solution-building initiatives.
In his presentation, Dr. Timothy Foster of the University of Manchester said NASRDA plays a central and strategic role in the implementation of the IrrEO project.
He added that as the national authority on Space Science and Earth Observation, NASRDA is positioned to support national agricultural and food security priorities.
Dr Foster stated that the Agency provides technical leadership in satellite data acquisition, geospatial analysis, and the integration of Earth Observation products with ground-based data collected across multiple agro-ecological zones.
In their goodwill messages, Kabiyesi Oloni of Eti Oni Kingdom, Oba Oladokun; the representative of the Army War College, Col. Olumese Efeovbokhan; the IITA representative, Dr. Turayo Alabi; and the representative of Space in Africa, Dr. Temidayo Oniosun, all agreed that Nigeria has progressed from traditional agriculture to good practices, then to best practices, and now to smart agriculture.
They emphasized that one of Africa’s greatest challenges remains data, its acquisition, ownership, and effective utilization, which can be significantly addressed through the adoption of Space Technology.
Speaking earlier on the overview of the workshop, the Nigerian Lead for IrrEO, Dr. Seun Adeluyi, said the workshop is not just about technology, but about aligning data with decision-making, strengthening partnerships, and advancing food security and national development through innovation.
He pointed that the workshop will feature technical presentations showcasing recent findings on irrigation and food system mapping in Nigeria, as well as an overview of the IrrEO project and its implementation strategy.
Below are some pictures from the event.
Reporter: Chado Joel
Editor: Ninma Yacim
Media and Corporate Communication
