A new survey conducted by the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERS), an agency domiciled in the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) has revealed that the country still produce far below average contrary to claims on increased local food production.
The study, unveiled by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Heineken Lokpobiri, yesterday in Abuja identified challenges such as climate change, poor input support as well as insecurity especially kidnapping.
Lokpobiri blamed the agency for withholding the research results, conducted annually for the past 29 years, stressing that it ought to serve as planning measure for farmers, investors among other relevant stakeholders.
According to the 2017 Wet Season Agricultural Performance Survey read by NAERLS Executive Director, Prof. Mohammed Othman, the numerous constraints ‘affected all subsectors of agriculture such as crops, livestock, fisheries, aquaculture and agroforestry along the entire value chains’.
“These challenges, notwithstanding noted increased land area for production. These forecast production increase of at least 35 per cent above that of 2016 in all areas of agriculture. However, this is expected to be marginal for livestock and aquaculture.
“Nevertheless, overall farm yields would remain below global and African averages for all the subsectors.”
The report identified maize as the most cultivated crop in the country, accounting for 5, 960, 920 hectares, producing 10, 813,980 metric tons compared to 12,107,580 metric tons in 2017. This represented 11.96 per cent increase in national total output.
It also lamented low farm mechanization stating that eight states have only 653 functional tractors and 245 non-functional farm machines.
But the Minister described the survey as one-sided due to its concentration on only wet season farming.
He explained that the country did so well in its dry season farming, stressing need for NAERLS to ensure annual public presentation of the report.
He noted that investors had trooped to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to establish farms and production facilities but were discouraged due to lack of data.
Lokpobiri decried over-dependence on data generated by foreign organisations which according to him, might not represent through situation of the country.