Nasir Yammama is a creative technologist and entrepreneur. He is the founder of Verdant, an Agri-Tech startup and value chain establishment that offers innovative solutions to farmers and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector. They drive for improved food production using innovative technologies.
He works with Oxfam and GIZ to help 25,000 agriculturalists double or triple their yields using simple, low-cost technology to transform Nigeria’s agriculture sector.
Nasir Yammama is a northern Nigerian raised as a farmer’s child, with a knack for technology. He is a creative technologist and entrepreneur with interests in agriculture, technology, enterprise, design and renewable energy.
Once Nasir became old enough he ventured out from the fields and into Institute and Creative Technology at Middlesex University, London. This is where he began his technology interest which would later develop into something very distinct and close to home.
He attended the Institute of Creative Technology at Middlesex University London. This is where he began his interest in technology.
Nasir Yammama is recognized by The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme for his work in AgricTech. He is positioning himself to be a catalyst in the rebirthing of the African farm industry.
Nasir developed the company Verdant. Verdant is an AgriTech value chain company that offers solutions to support farmers and other stakeholders for improved food production using novel technologies. They aim at providing agricultural extension market information, managerial support, and access to markets & financial services to rural farmers with unique mobile technologies. For farmers in Nigeria, this technology is game-changing.
It offers them a way to receive the most productivity out of their land and resources. Many farmers who are more skeptical about relying on technological sources for their products seem to lack the full potential that their crops could produce.
Using their access to scientific data and a partnership with financial institutions and even governments, Verdant intends to turn information into insights for the farmers and present it to them in a convenient manner that will enable precise decision making on the farm and also offer them unique services like access to market, agricultural credit, index insurance and warehousing so as to get more productivity and value out of their farming and thereby guarantee food security and improve living standards.
Verdant brings together all the stakeholders and major players in the agricultural value chain as well as the overall industry under one platform. This involves the farmer, buyers & agro-industries, research agencies, governments and financial institutions.
Nasir recognized the necessity of this business once he looked at the trends with farmers in Africa. Nigerian farmers and most farmers across the African continent are not seeing the bountiful surplus in their fields as much as they could.
As a result of this, Africa had to import $40 Billion worth of food last year to make up for the lack of production. This is an issue that needs great attention. Not to mention, most of these farmers are living off of their produce financially and personally. Yet, farmers still suffer in abject poverty. If Africa is going to become self-sufficient in this area it needs the resources to thrive.
Nasir is fueled by the ability to help people, who would otherwise struggle, find themselves in better and more stable positions by introducing them to more productive methods. Growing up in a farm based family, he knows first hand the struggles of the market he is working to change. He knows the needs and the practices of the people.
This in itself, gives Nasir a great advantage when speaking to the clientele. He also gets to see the unique innovations that Africans are producing for Africa, which will solve the problems of the continent specifically and efficiently. His connection to his homeland gives him a sense of responsibility and purpose to fulfill the mission of creating better living conditions for those who are under these social and economic afflictions.