Category: Agriculture

Experts have put their full weight behind the move to revamp the extension system to make agriculture a larger engine of inclusive economic growth, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

A farmer in the North, Musa Galingo,  knew that the fertility of his land was exhausted. Crops produced less and less yields. He could not find enough manure to rejuvenate his plot. So, he decided to make his own compost. But this didn’t yield good result because he was not taught how to start a composting system with a small quantity of manure.

He did all he could to accelerate the composting process. At the end of the day, he couldn’t record a bigger harvests and, as a result, he lost a lot of money. Three months later, he met an extension officer that opened his eyes to the proper application of fertiliser to his farm land. His first harvest after applying fertiliser yielded so much that he was able to save enough to expand his farm land. Galingo is not alone. There are several farmers across the country who neither know what fertiliser is nor the method of applying it.

A lot of small-scale farmers use compost instead of fertiliser to restore soil fertility but, they don’t have access to extension workers.

There are farmers who planted high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties, yet they are affected by a new strain of disease called stem rust.  Instead of a valuable harvest, their land produce only shrivelled grains.

Most farmers facing this problem could  afford to spray their crops and attack the fungus.

But they don’t know what kind of pesticide to use to control stem rust, a strain of a dangerous fungus that causes severe losses. This is because there is no access to knowledgeable extension workers to explain things to them. These experiences are still prevalent in many parts of the country.

While some farmers still have access to extension officers, the concern nationwide is that the  level of agricultural extension service delivery has fallen. This has been linked to the decline in foreign donors’ intervention.

Since the World Bank withdrew  from  funding the extension system directly, the Federal Government and state governments have not been doing enough to support the service to perform to optimum.

In view of this, some stakeholders believe  the long-awaited “green revolution” may not be achieved if the government and the private  sector are not ready to pull resources to revamp the extension system.

One of those who share this view is  the National Project Coordinator, West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) Nigeria, Prof Damian Chikwendu.

Chikwendu is of the opinion that achieving national food sufficiency will require better planning, including building a responsive agric extension system that will take  research results and new technologies to the door steps of farmers.

At the workshop organised by   WAAPP Nigeria on revitalising the agricultural extension in Enugu, Chikwendu said WAAPP recognised the deplorable state of the subsector and support the campaign to reform the system.

As a result, a committee was set up to develop a strategy document. A study of experiences and lessons from the agricultural extension and advisory  services of selected donor agencies and private advisory service providers in Nigeria was commissioned.

He told the forum that the project sponsored a team to Cote ‘d Ivore  to look at how they fund agricultural research and extension which has been on a sustainable basis.

It   was to enable WAAPP Nigeria present a  position on how to revitalise agric extension.

Consequently, using the best practices and emerging trends locally and elsewhere, the committee developed a report advising WAAPP on agricultural extension strategies that will promote technology adoption.

The study took cognisance of activities of  donor agencies  such  as  United States Agency  for International Development(USAID) and  private companies such as Shell Petroleum  Development Company (SPDC) with  existing extension services that  have been acclaimed  in some quarters to be effective.

His words: “The experiences of donor agencies have been documented and are to be brought to bear in the revitalisation of the agricultural extension in Nigeria.”

With the experts invited to the forum, Chikwendu  said a synthesised document and roadmap  towards revitalisation of agricultural extension in the country is expected.

Chairman, WAAPP-Nigeria Agricultural  Extension Strategy Committee, Dr Oyesola Oyebanji, said the committee to develop agricultural extension strategy document for WAAPP)-Nigeria was inaugurated in 2013.

The Terms of Reference (ToR), he listed, included  developing  strategies for effective research-extension linkage, suggesting different institutional framework for extension delivery at state and local government levels, preparing a road-map for revitalisation of agricultural extension delivery among others. He said the committee in carrying out its assignment focused on the review of past extension methods in Nigeria and other countries.

Oyebanji said the committee also went on study visits to Songhai Centre at Porto-Novo, Benin Republic, India Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and  Funds Interprofessionnel pour la Recherche et le ConseilAgricoles (FIRCA) at Cote d’Ivoire.

According to him, the committee’s report was submitted to WAAPP-Nigeria in July last year.

In its recommendation, the committee said efforts should be made to put in place a legislated policy on agricultural extension that is pluralistic, farmer-oriented, demand-driven, participatory, well-funded and performance-oriented.

For effective coordination of agricultural extension service delivery, the committee proposed that at the national level, there should  be a Federal Department of Agricultural Extension (FDAE), well-staffed with experienced agriculturists, and extension specialists to formulate policy and coordinate extension service delivery in the country.

At the state level, the committee said Agriculture Development Programme (ADP) should   serves as the agricultural extension service delivery arm of the State Ministry of Agriculture.

On funding, the committee observed that public sector funding of extension service delivery by state and local government councils has been on the decline.

As  a result, some farmers have no access to extension service delivery, which is largely responsible for the low productivity of farmers. The committee  noted  that there is no funding arrangement between the federal and state governments, local government councils and communities to support grass-root extension service delivery. The committee recommended that in order to revitalise the extension service delivery, there is need for cost sharing between federal, state, local government areas (LGAs) and communities.

The  committee urged WAAPP to  support the study of the ADP system with a view to assessing their current status, activities, strengths and weaknesses, and their relationship with state, LGAs, farmers and end-users of research result.

As regard e–extension, the committee  said  a lot can be achieved using e-extension, using mobile and computer applicationsthat run on mobile devices, such as smartphones.

According to the Committee, National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Zaria has established farmers’ helpline and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development  is expanding this to cover the entire country.

Some universities, the committee observed,   have also established localised e-extension network to support farmers in their areas of coverage.

WAAPP-Nigeria,the committee noted has  established e-extension network covering the West African sub-region using customised smart phones.

While bringing the private sector into extension was not seen as quick fix for agricultural development: the committee said if the   sector can develop capacity  and  incentives  aligned with the government’s strategy , the system will benefit.

A consultant to the Ministry on Extension, Prof Tunji Arokoyo said one approach that  will  help the proposed reforms of the extension system to work is channeling efforts through the ministry of agriculture.

According to him, the approach should use existing institutions under the ministry of agriculture without undermining them.

He advocated strong linkages with  partnering research Institutes to ensure that  small-scale producers have the latest packages of improved technologies and practices to significantly increase their farm outputs.

Director, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ilorin, University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Prof Emmanuel Oyedipe urged the forum to develop an agricultural extension system that is indigenous to the country.

Given the capacity constraints, Oyedipe, said  agric  extension  will  come to life when government, working with all interested parties, pursues selected initiatives that  will help  the system.

As an immediate measure, Enugu State’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Mike Eneh, said that various Colleges of Agriculture across the country should commence crash programmes on extension services.

He said there  is a clear need for the extension system to be revitalised. This is because agricultural extension, which in the past was a mean to help alleviate poverty and improve food security, by promoting the transfer and exchange of information  was failing in its responsibility.

A former Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Oloche Edache,  noted that agricultural extension services has been destroyed completely, resulting in a decline in agricultural productivity.

As most of the newly emerging farmers are ignorant of farming practices and crop production mechanisms, he stressed urgent need to revive the extension systems to ensure future food security.

For the services to be sustainable, he said  they should be coordinated with the Federal and state-owned extension service organisations.

Director, Federal  Department of Extension, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Aminu Babandi, said existing institutes should be further strengthened, reformed while their roles should be redefined.

According to him, creation of new institutions will be complex as they will need much more capital and effort to ensure long-term sustainability.

Value chain innovation platforms are networks of farmers and other actors interested in producing crops and livestocks efficiently and profitably. Experts believe establishing and deploying such platforms across the country will help to build a productive and innovative agri-food sector, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

For economic statisticians,Nigeria may have to feed a population of more  than  200 million by 2020, going by its astonishing  rate of growth.

While this seems like a burgeoning market for farmers and food producers, meeting production targets to feed  such a large  number  of  people requires the right strategies. In addition, the government is battling increasing food import bill.

However, analysts believe the case for investing in agriculture livelihoods is clear given that the level of commercialisation and the size of investment are low nationwide.

One  way to address these is  through  the creation of  value chain innovation platforms – clusters and networks where  members work  to promote sustainable food production.

These formed the thrust of a workshop in Abuja last week.  With Organising and managing agricultural Commodity value chain Innovation platform as its theme, the forum was organised  by the West African  Agricultural Productivity  Programme  (WAAPP) in partnership with  Klaus Icheson Consulting.

Its purpose was to explore  the  prospect of using  value chains and innovation platform approach to unlock the potential of agriculture and the food industry.

Going by their contributions, experts  agreed that Nigeria  has a huge potential for growth and development in agriculture but needed  the right policies and investment to harness this potential. They also agreed that  innovation  is key to helping the nation  realise  the potential of the  agricultural and food industries.

Addressing  the  joint training  workshop, the National Coordinator, WAAPP Nigeria, Prof  Damian Chikwendu  said it was important that  farmers  are  empowered to increase food security if the nation is to achieve  economic growth.

To  accomplish this, he explained required  a tested  system  capable of   creating   opportunities   for  small farmers  to become  commercial growers, moving from informal production to formal value chains and markets where economies of scale can be achieved.

Canvassing the importance of   value chain innovation  platforms, the expert said  globally, the  approach  has   become  a strategy  for stimulating increased investment and capital formation for more intensive production in  agriculture.

In support  of this, Chikwendu said   WAAPP  is promoting  a sub-regional  framework  for members  of the Economic  Community of West African States(ECOWAS)  to  explore new innovations and   technologies to boost food  production.

In Nigeria,  specifically, he  said  WAAPP is  supporting  integrated agricultural research to generate innovations  to  improve  yields across its   priority  agricultural commodity value chains which  include aquaculture,rice,poultry,maize, sorghum,cassava ,yam  and mango.

The  suport, he added also  covers all activities in the  value chain,from seed breeding to production,postharvest processing and marketing.

WAAPP interventional approach, he  listed,  has four components which include creating  enabling  condition for sub-regional cooperation in technology generation, dissemination, and adoption, adding that supporting the national centre of specialisation in aquaculture, funding of demand driven technology generation, monitoring  and evaluation  of  projects.

Under component three, he said part of WAAPP’s mandate  involves establishing and supporting the formation and nurturing of private sector channels for enhanced and effective “Accelerated Agricultural Technology Adoption.”

To achieve this,  he said various WAAPP –assisted commodity value chain innovation platforms (VCIPs) are used for the diffusion of agricultural innovations.

He  recalled that last  year, the  programme commissioned a technical support team which facilitated an  organisational structure for  aquaculture,cassava, mazie,rice sorghum and yam VCIPs  in states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Since the  country is on the march towards attaining food security, he  said  WAAPP  has   contributed towards this aim through innumerable innovations and interventions, adding that the   system is changing as  farmers now have access to agricultural technology.

Technical consultant, Dr Utiang Ugbe identified   fundamental constraints to  agricultural growth to include  the  peasant nature of the production system, poor response to technology adoption strategies, and poor returns on investment.

He  noted  that while  subsistence farming  is  prevalent, agricultural commercialisation and investment are the key strategies for promoting accelerated modernisation, sustainable growth and development and, hence, poverty reduction in the sector.

In a functional value chain, he  said  the  goals  include increasing agricultural productivity, reducing post-harvest losses, promoting a database for early warning systems, and building the capacity of farmers. This, he  explained cannot be achieved  without  a strong innovation component.

With  efforts  to boost  green revolution, he   said the whole food production value chain should see a lot of innovation, which  will impact on value added foods, employment generation and its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) and export revenue earnings.

According to him, value chains and innovation platforms have  a role to play in helping the nation  meet the challenge of feeding a growing population, adding  that  the organisation  of  these  systems  help  farmers and other  actors  to deliver value, while shaping the agricultural and food system for all stakeholders.

He  said  a functional  value chain and  innovation  platform  involves  all actors from farmers, to agri-businesses, traders, financiers and government, adding  that  such  arrangements  offers new alternatives for doing business more efficiently.

On why people are   accepting   value chains  approach,  he   said it encourages  producers to  shift from primary production toward more processing and supply chain services.

He stressed that innovation platforms encourage replication of  technologies nationwide,  improved agriculture practices, technology transfers and professionalisation of farmers, while value chain development will   encourage more private sector engagement and institutional capacity development.

He urged the government to ensure public  private partnership and adopt innovative approach to disseminate extension service messages.

A development consultant, Prof. Alphonse Emechebe said  being an active member of  an innovation  platform brings many benefits.

Membership, according to him, enable access to financial, processing and business services, all of which are key to empowering farmers  and   producers.

From a development perspective, he said value chains benefit not just producers but wage earners, service providers and others.

He    stressed the  need   to strengthen the capacity of researchers and stakeholders on  Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D), a multi-stakeholder approach that engage stakeholders beyond the rural communities to ensure their intellectual contribution to innovation and also secure their sense of ownership of the research products.

Emechebe said IAR4D is vital for  development as it fits within the agricultural  transformation framework, adding that it delivers benefits through its unique partnership and easily achieves change in mind-sets of the stakeholders.

IAR4D, according  to him, involves the policy makers at different levels of governance in research, to diagnose problems, generate solutions, facilitate implementation and appreciate the need for policy and infrastructural development.

The IAR4D, he said targets vulnerable groups  and as  such it’s going to reduce income inequality.

In summary,  he said IAR4D has made beneficiaries to realise significant increases in income.

He described IAR4D  as participatory and capable of promoting natural research management and market relationship, adding that it is in conformity with the global paradigm shift in agricultural research for development.

He charged agricultural researchers and scientists from universities of agriculture, research institutes and colleges of agriculture as well as other key stakeholders in attendance to review the way things are being done in the research system and change those things that are not working the way they should.

Speaking  with  The Nation, a lecturer at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma,Dr Tony  Osawe, said agric  sector remains crucial in improving  livelihoods and stimulating growth in the economy. He lamented that  it’s characterised by serious challenges such as traditional modes of production, limited attention and insufficient investment.

He said the sector  still  lacks a coherent and practical agenda for growth and development. With a country such as Nigeria , so rich with fertile soils and a promising population , he  said not  much has been  done  to attain the  needed effort and yet the  economy is largely dominated by the agricultural sector.

He believes the country needs to urgently embrace appropriate technologies that can move the sector forward.

To  address  the  challenges facing Nigeria in attempt to eradicate poverty and attain food security and  agricultural competitiveness, Osawe  said  the sector  requires an   approach that is market-oriented,adding  that value chain innovation platforms offer opportunities for small farmers to play a part in fulfilling demand for higher value products.

Through value chain approach, he said  farmers can be linked to markets, finance, inputs, equipment and information.