Boosting Agricultural Productivity in Nigeria through Hydroponics-NEARLs FORUM

Samaila Ilu Director Naerls

On Wednesday 13 April 2016, the Executive Director of NAERLS, Dr. Ismaila Y. Ilu, flagged off a 3-day hands-on training on Hydroponic for its extension staff.

The training, which was held at the NAERLS headquarter, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was one of the products of partnership between the Institute and Grandeur Africa, Nairobi Kenya. Before this training, there were series of meetings and pilot studies on the potentials of hydroponics, especially in livestock production and backyard gardening in Nigeria.

In recent years, several challenges, such as the devastating effects of climate change, prolonged dry-spells, dwindling soil fertility, unhealthy competition for lands due to population pressure, and persistent farmers/ herdsmen conflict, are pushing scientists to explore ways of augmenting conventional farming methods towards boosting agricultural productivity. In addition, recent research findings in Nigeria have adduced the need to expand the agricultural frontiers for more sustainable production. These led to the development of novel technologies for improving agricultural performance as well as the livelihoods of farmers. Over the years, for example, such technologies as Drought-tolerant and striga-tolerant maize varieties, vitamin A-enriched cassava and maize varieties, extra-early maturing crop varieties, among others, were developed and deployed to Nigerian farmers. In this long list of technologies comes hydroponics.

The word, hydroponic, comes from Latin and means working water—for while “hydro” means water, “ponos” means labour. With specific regard to agriculture, therefore, people have defined the term as ‘the art of growing plants with water-like solution, or without soil. This growing of plants in a nutrient solution root medium is today’s growing area of commercial food production. The process may include sand, gravel, rock wool or liquid, with added nutrients but without the use of soil.

How this process works without soil is quite simple: a plant, given exactly what it needs, when it needs it, in the amount that it needs, will be as healthy as genetically possible. Ensuring this is easy with hydroponics. In the traditional use of soil, this is a bit more difficult. With hydroponics, the plants are grown in an inert growing medium and a perfectly balanced pH adjusted nutrient solution is delivered to the roots in a highly soluble form. Is it possible then that hydroponics can help solve the list of field problems identified by research in Nigeria over the years?

It is noteworthy that every year, NAERLS conducts the Wet Season Agricultural Performance Survey (APS) for the country. This exercise, which covers 146 farming communities in 74 local government areas of the 36 states and the FCT, is usually done in collaboration with several institutions. These participating agencies include the Planning Research and Statistics  Department (PRSD), National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA), Federal Department of Fisheries (FDF), Federal Department of Livestock (FDL), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), National Productivity Centre (NPC) and the six zonal coordinating research institutes: Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and National Institute For Oil-palm Research (NIFOR). 

The objectives of this national survey are to assess the agricultural performance during the wet season; make production forecasts; identify constraints to increased agricultural productivity and effective extension delivery service; and provide feedbacks for improved research and policy performance. Persistent field problems identified through the APS include: the imperative to find cheap feed formulation using local materials for livestock; the issue of farmers-herdsmen conflict, as well as the need to establish grazing reserves in each state.

Besides, Nigerian farmers are becoming frustrated by the quality of raw grains they get for animal feeds, and are seeking to develop more efficient ways of growing crops, especially cereals, for animal feeds. Hydroponics technology offers livestock farmers year-round supply of nutritious green fodder, grown in just eight days. The technology has the ability to grow fodder and other crops without the soil and within a very short period.