The year
2015 Cropping Scheme and Research Extension Farmer Inputs Linkage System (
REFILs) meetings hosted by the Institute for Agricultural Research(IAR), Samaru
for Researchers, Scientists, Farmers, Technocrats, Extension officials and
other inputs stakeholders has vehemently
advocated for more government intervention and funding of research to more
improved farming technologies towards making available more commercial
productions for business purposes in agriculture.
Although all
the stakeholders also commended the proactiveness of the IAR in the provision
of improved technologies adaptable to the North West Region of the Nigerian
ecologies and beyond the coast which is evident with the release of many crop
varieties and mechanical technology that have been released to the farming
communities.
The occasion
attracted the presence of All Farmers Association of Nigeria with the presence
of the all the states chairmen of the region which include Zamfara, Sokoto,
Katisna, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Kebbi and Jigawa that were led to the venue by
the National President, Architect Kabiru Ibrahimwho promised that his
association will join effort with the Research Institute to advocate for more
funding to agricultural research and extension saying this is what would
enhance commercial production in a competitive ways.
In his
speech at the opening section, the new Executive Director, Prof. M. F Ishiyaku
who took over from late Prof. Mustapha Falaki said that 2015 cropping scheme is
coming at a time when the Institute is battling with financial challenges
occasioned by the Federal government’s 80% budgetary reduction to research
Institutes adding that “despite this shortfall in funding, we have recorded
significant milestone in the period under review. Our scientists in the 2014
growing season conducted a total of two hundred and forty four crops different
researches. The area covered include genetic improvement of our mandate crops,
crop protection, irrigation, farm mechanization, crop production management
practices, economics and extension etc.
Accordingly two new Sorghum hybrids
(CSR-HO4 and CSR-HO3) with high yields of up to 4.03 tons per hectare and good
malting quality were released in 2014. Also in 2014, IAR released two new maize
hybrids, yellow and white (Sammaz41 and Sammaz 42) each with potential yield of
eight tons per hectare. To this day, IAR has developed and released 26
varieties of groundnut, 13 for cotton, 14 for cowpea as well as 41 for sorghum
and 42 for maize. We have also made substantial progress preparatory to the
release of farmer preferred and industry demanded Artemisia, Jatropha,
Sunflower and Castor varieties”
Despite this
recorded achievements, some constraints due to very low funding were also faced
in the year under review as some projects have to be suspended which could have
impacted positively on the agricultural production in the region.
In the face
of the recently signed biotechnology bill by the President Goodluck Jonathan to
law in Nigeria, IAR according to Prof. Ishiyaku has been able to extablish a
laboratory called bio- reactor which has capacity to multiply for farmers’
disease free sugarcane seedling in collaboration with National Sugar
Development Council (NSDC).
“We have
made in routes in modern trends in science especially in biotechnology at the
Institute and National levels through introgression of Bt transgenic into local
cowpea for the control of insect pest-maruca, developed protocols for rapid
micro-propagation of pineapple, cryopreservation of groundnut, micro-
propagation of sugarcane and protocol for large scale production of artemisinine
(the active ingredient for the treatment of malaria) in vitro. I am glad to
inform you that the IAR in conjunction with the National Sugar Development
Council (NSDC) has extablished a biotechnology research laboratory (bio-reactor)
with capacity to multiply for our farmers millions of disease free sugarcane
seedlings in the Institute”
Despite this
recorded achievements, farming systems research faced some challenges due to
very low funding in the year under review as some projects have to be suspended
which could have impacted positively on the agricultural production in the
region. Among these are tillage effect on soil quality and yield of maize in an
Alfisols of the Northern Nigerian and Guinea Savanna of Nigeria.
Others are:
Performance of Rice (Oryza sative L) varieties as Influenced by green manuring
and its combination with NPK fertilizer at
Kadawa, (iii) effect of Tillage, fertilizer and sorghum/desmodium
intercrop in soil quality and yield of sorghum in an Alfisol of Nigerian Guine
svanna of Nigeria, (iv) Productivity of castor/sorghum mixtures as influenced
by row arrangement and mineral fertilizer rates. (v) Soil quality changes
resulting from tillage practices and residue management in Samaru Area. (vi)
Effect of tillage, rhizobium inoculation and cropping system on the
productivity of a savanna Alfisol (student thesis-awaiting external
examination) (vii) On-farm testing of plant arrangement and improved varieties
in cereal/cowpea and cotton/cowpea intercrops.
The funding challenges was also noticeable in
the year under review on the Technology Review Meeting (TRMs) as many of the
states in the region could not hold its meetings that meant to provide
knowledge and skill training programme for extension staff of the ADPs and
select farmers as means of train the trainers. This issue has been a recurring
one which created all of concern to the stakeholders.
Prof. Aba, an Assistant Director IAR stressed that it is
imperative for the ADPs in the region to be inviting the officials of the
Institute to any of their TRM for the purpose of better scientific training and
technologies transfer to the train the trainers saying the invitation would
have no cost implication but rather is a part of the obligation for the
development of the sector on the part of IAR.
Stakeholders however solicited that state governments in the
region should be responsive to funding ADPs so as to enhance the improved
technologies transfer to farmers in each state of the zone just as Non
Governmental Organizations are also called upon in this regards with AFAN
president promising the gathering that his association “as the actual
stakeholder in the use of these improved technologies will assist in talking to
the government of the zone and also solicit fund support for research
development and the ADPs. We believe the new government will do more to
farmers. In time to come farmers will contribute to research funding”
One critical issue on why NASC
should not give certification for crops like yam, sweet potoato and cassava
generated a lot of argument and counter argument from stakeholders as the North
West Regional official Mr Ubandoma Hudu of
the seed council said all effort is ongoing in terms of capacity to ensure this
is done adding that those crops are being certified by IITA in collaboration with
National Root Research Institute, Umudike.
Notable
observation at the meeting
1. There are lots of problems ravaging the agricultural
sector of Nigeria that are preventing the improvement in Nigerian agriculture.
2. The country is in a transition period and a new
government will soon be put in place with new policies which might affect the
agricultural sector of the country.
3. There is gross inadequacy in the number of Extension
Agents (EAs) servicing farmers in the country which is preventing adequate
dissemination of research findings.
4. Poor funding of ADPs is a general problem that
cripples most of the ADPs’ activities especially the Extension Programmes aired
in both electronic and print media in all the States of North-west zone of Nigeria.
5. There is reasonable efficiency in the government’s
Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES)
fertilizer distribution system which greatly reduced the scarcity of
fertilizer as at the time of need by the farmers in the country.
6. There is a need to congratulate the Government of
Kano State for the establishment of five Agricultural Training Institutes on Poultry farming,
Horticulture, Fishery, Mechanization and Irrigation.
7. Participation of AFAN in REFILS will ensure
popularization of IAR activities which will encourage Government to fund
research.
8. The Value chain Approach, involving interaction of
relevant stakeholders in commodity chain has the potential to ‘pull’ Research
for Development (R4D) in the Nigerian Agricultural sector.
RESOLUTIONS
1. Research institutes and farmers should sit together
and come up with all problems affecting agriculture and suggest possible
solutions to these problems for presentation to the government in order to
re-engineer the Nigerian agriculture.
2. Advocacy visits should be embarked upon by the
Federal Department of Agricultural Extension Services (FDAE) along with other
relevant stakeholders including farmers groups to sensitize incoming
administration in various States.
3. Kano State was commended for establishing five Agricultural
Training Institutes, other States in the country were encouraged to emulate
them.
4. The Nigerian Government should support the Extension
Services by increasing the number of Extension Agents to eliminate the gross
inadequacy of the number of EAs.
5. The Government should provide enabling environment
for Private Extension Service Providers.
6. The various State Governments in the zone should be
encouraged to increase funding of ADPs in their States to enhance provision of
effective agricultural extension service to farmers.
7. The workshop also advocates the sustainability of
the GES inputs supply system of the Federal Government to ensure transparency
and timely distribution of inputs to farmers.
Communique Team
1.
Prof C.A. Echekwu (OjokoK’Otukpo) Chairman
2.
Prof S. A. Sanni Member
3.
Onwuemeka A.M. Member
4.
Okunlaya A.M Member
5.
Dodo Y.B Member
6.
Prof Dauda Ishaya Secretary
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