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| farmers |
The workshop, which was organized
by Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), as part of
the support by UNDP and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, brought together 246
key stakeholders from Farmers’ groups, FMARD, other relevant Ministries,
Departments and Agencies (MDAs), State Ministries of Agriculture, Development
Partners, Association of Deans of Faculties/Colleges of Agriculture in Nigerian
Universities, Agricultural Research Institutes, Private Sector/Nigerian
Agri-Business Group (NABG), Civil Society Organizations (CSO), Community Based
Organizations (CBOs), women and youths and experts on Knowledge Management
(KM).
Objectives:
The Workshop had the following objectives, among others, to:
-
Detail and shape the critical
components of the KM agenda to enrich and validate the KM Framework document,
including roles and responsibilities for governance and management support
structures, incentive systems for knowledge sharing, budgeting, and capacity
development,
-
Agree on a schedule and timeline for
priority actions and get senior management endorsement for proposed actions for
sustainable implementation at all levels.
Workshop approach:
The workshop used a combination of interactive
methods that included presentations, group work, panel discussions and
interactive exchanges.
Observations:
The workshop noted:
1.
The role of agriculture in
diversification of Nigerian economy from over dependence on oil.
2.
The dearth of reliable and
dependable agricultural data and information in the country.
3.
That information in the
agricultural sector is not easily accessible to the stakeholders thereby
hampering the rapid development of the sector.
4.
The need for the establishment of
a functional, effective and efficient knowledge management institutional
mechanism and system in order to enhance proper development of the Nigerian Agricultural
Sector to bring it at par with international standard.
5.
That effective collaboration
among all stakeholders will ensure the promotion of collective buy-in, joint ownership, credibility and
sustainability of the KM framework.
6.
The need for a high level
Government support (Federal, State and Local Government) for the implementation
of the KM framework.
7.
That funding the implementation
of the KM framework should be a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement in
order to ensure sustainability.
Resolution:
The
Workshop therefore resolved and recommended as follows:
That,
as a matter of urgency,
1. A
Multi-stakeholder Agricultural Knowledge Management mechanism should be
established at the Federal, State and Local Government levels.
2. The
implementation of the KM framework should be achieved through the setting up of
relevant Multi-Stakeholder Committees which includes:
·
National Knowledge Management
Steering Committee
·
National Knowledge Management
Technical Committee to be supported by a National KM Implementation Team.
3. A
Knowledge Management Implementation and Coordination Centre to serve as the
operational base for the implementation of the KM system should be established
and domiciled in FMARD.
4. An
Action Plan and Operational Guideline should be developed to facilitate the
implementation of the KM framework.
5. Appropriate
machineries should be put in place to immediately mop up and make more
systematically accessible existing information from various stakeholders in
order to enrich the KM system (National Agricultural Information System). This
includes profile of agricultural experts, manuals on good practices for farmers
and processors, compendium of agribusinesses, etc.
6.
That existing KM / ICT Platform should be upgraded and
migrated from existing domain to a new domain to accommodate Multi-stakeholder
interest.
7. Sensitization,
training and capacity building for experts and relevant stakeholders including
the farmers should commence immediately.
8. KM system
should be included in the curriculum of Nigerian Agricultural Institutions.
9. A
Knowledge Management Development Fund should be created with contributions from
various stakeholders including Government establishments ( Federal, State,
Local Government, National Communication Commission, TETFund, etc.). Other
sources of funding maybe derived from the income generated on the ICT platform
through commercialization of some aspects of its operation, donations/grants
from development partners, donor agencies, private sector and other relevant
stakeholders such as agribusiness group, farmers associations, internet/GSM
service providers, etc.
10. The
process of revitalisation and strengthening of Agricultural Extension Service
Delivery should be fast tracked.
11. Recognising
that the current funding for the scheme expires in March, 2016, the workshop
hereby solicits the urgent intervention of the Honourable Minister FMARD,
development partners and other funding agencies in order to ensure continued
availability of technical support for the proper establishment of the KM
framework.
12. That
funding proposals be developed within the next three months for implementation
of the system at multi-stakeholder levels.
The organizers and participants hereby appreciate the
efforts of the management of FMARD and the sponsorship support of the UNDP-Bill
and Melinda Gates Foundation (UNDP-BMGF) for the conduct of this important
workshop and pray that its recommendations and outcome be approved for
implementation.
Communiqué
Drafting Committee Members:
- Dr Peter F Umanah, State Director, FMARD, Uyo. (Chairman)
- Prof. Mrs Folusho David-Abraham, Chair ADAN (Member)
- Olutade S. Gbolahan, ARCN - Abuja (Member)
- Odey Martin O., FMARD Regional Director, South South (Member)
- Prof. Mrs N. I. Odiaka , ADAN,Univ. of Agric, Makurdi (Member)
- Amaefule Clifford Okay, FMARD (Member)
- Pastor Bello Joseph, Farmers Group (Member)
- Dr. Uche Nwafor, FMARD Regional Director, South East (Member)
Secretariat:
- Abdurazaq A. A., FMARD
2. Onyenze Bright, FMARD
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