FFF explores transformative synergy with farms, others

A branch of Jubaili Agrotec Limited; a leading agricultural warehouse in Nigeria, offering a large supply of veterinary products, agro-chemicals and fertilizers for sale and distribution, located in Podo village, along Odo-Ona Kekere, Old Lagos Road, Ibadan, Oyo State

In an era marked by technological advancements and rapid changes in the agricultural sector, the role of agricultural news outlets goes beyond reporting; it extends to fostering connections and driving positive impacts with key stakeholders such as agricultural establishments, institutions, investors, farmers and farms, among others. Hence, why FarmingFarmersFarms recently conducted series of official visits by our result-oriented reporters/researcher; which not only enriched our directory, but also redefined the way farms and agricultural establishments operate.

During these insightful trips, we did not just distribute corporate letters and flyers about our upcoming National Conference on Agricultural Journalism (NCAJ 2023), holding at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; we also sought for collaborations, further engagements, contacts, report resources, and embark on revenue drives, among others, within our immediate constituency. The connections formed during these visits have been fostered an environment of mutual support, resource sharing, and partnership-building. Our team of reporters embarked on a journey that took them through the heart of agricultural landscapes in Ibadan and environs, visiting places like Zartech Nigeria, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), SARO agro sciences, Survival Agricultural Hub Limited, Jubaili Agro Tech, Indorama Limited, Priority Poultry, Farm Help Agro, Bimabel Farm and Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), to name few.

Our Reporter/Researcher, Olamide Tejuoso, at an agric establishment, visited in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The exercise was impactful in terms of how it gave FFF, an agro-news outlet; a firsthand understanding of the challenges that firms face, such as the reasons behind change of location of farm sites, innovations, and nuances that farmers and other agric establishments face almost on a daily basis. These visits further led to the accumulation of wealth of data, contacts, farm routes, site directions; and insights that have enhanced the depth and breadth of our agricultural directory and Yellow Pages. By hosting our reporters, farms and agricultural establishments had the opportunity to showcase their products, innovative practices, unique approaches, and their success stories. This robust platform, for knowledge-sharing, has afforded a contributory position for these agricultural establishments in our growing our community.

For instance; upon visits, we were able to connect many consumer-agric produce depots, which many residents of Ibadan may not be aware of; examples are egg depots discovered at the Survival Agricultural Hub Limited, Bimabel Farms and Olabanji Farms. We now have a database for egg depots, and consumer farm produce plugs in Ibadan, amid other findings. This knowledge has consequently opened other channels of revenue generation for our news platform through advertisement sourcing, where potential buyers can go, and real-time information for investors in agribusiness. In a similar vein, the visits also had a significant impact on the morale of some of the farmers visited. Such was the case of Rom Rom Farms, a livestock farm located in the Egbeda Local Government and Jafokins Fish Farm, based in Apata, where it was the cat fish market day on their farm, on the day of our visit.

Egg depot at Survival Agricultural Hub Limited, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The recognition and attention garnered from the visits have boosted the spirits of those working tirelessly on the fields and in the waters. These farmers were elated that we could locate and recognise them for what they are doing. The trips in fact, afforded the parties – FFF and agric-based establishments – networking opportunities for farmers and agri-business owners. By connecting with us, these audience are now being added to a Whatsapp group in addition to our active LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter social media platforms plus the FarmingFarmersFarms Community of our specialised, online agricultural newspaper outfit, which includes experts, farmers, lawyers, information technologists, academics, students, development partners, researchers and potential partners, who could offer valuable insights, collaborations, and solutions to boosting agricultural production and a safe and healthy environment.

In our virtual community, members would now have the rare opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions by sharing insights on crop and animal cultivation techniques, pest management strategies, veterinary medicine, advanced poultry medication products, as found at Agricare Limited, and the adoption of modern technology in farming, as obtainable in Survival Poultry Farms Services (SPFS). This anticipated exchange of ideas would indeed spark a renewed enthusiasm among farmers as they would be daily updated and equipped with fresh knowledge to enhance their productivity and efficiency. Furthermore, this visits have enabled us generate more accurate and credible contents in terms of soliciting interview sessions, and subsequent farm-round visits.

Hence, our write-ups would carry greater authenticity that is backed by personal experiences, making them more engaging for our readers and target audience. By interacting directly with farmers and agricultural experts and institutions; our reporters are better equipped to report on emerging trends and issues promptly. This has positioned us as a trusted source of up-to-date information on agriculture and trendy matters on the environment, as they affect farming. Similarly, the face-to-face interactions have afforded us firsthand exposure when it comes to diversifying our content. Consequently, we now cover a broader range of topics, from sustainable farming practices and precision agriculture, to marketing, to insurance, to legal practices in farming, to rural development, and to agri-tech innovations without leaving our useful cultural practices in farming.

Egg depot at Survival Agricultural Hub Limited, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Through the interviews, which would be conducted for many of these agric spaces, FFF would be doing more spotlights on farms and organisations through such published articles, which would in turn, provide them with increased visibility and recognition. This modest form of appreciation, not only boosts their reputation within the industry, but also helps attract potential customers, investors, and collaborators. On the other hand, for FFF as an organisation, the farm visits resonate deeply with our audience, leading to increased readership and engagement for the people are ever eager to learn about real-life experiences and challenges faced by those working in the various fields of agriculture.

No doubt, it can be concluded that from the impacts highlighted above, our experience has underscored a symbiotic relationship, between a progressive agricultural news outlet, farms and agricultural establishments. As we continue to evolve as a valuable resource for the agric community, these interactions underline the power of firsthand experiences and collaborative efforts in driving positive change within the sector and the nation at large. Through enriched content and mutual benefits, our agriculture-focused newspaper is not just a powerful source of information, but a catalyst for innovation, research, tool to encourage more young people to go into agriculture, channels for reducing youth unemployment, veritable platform for national development and promotion of food security, made possible through the communication media and agricultural journalism.