Gov. Ganduje promises ICRISAT better co-operation as a new office is commissioned.

Gov. Ganduje and in blue cap ICRISAT Dr. Hakeem Ayinde Ajeigbe as new office complex commissioned.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has pledged the state’s continuous collaboration with research institutions to facilitate extension and timely input supply to farmers in order to ensure resilient farming systems in the semi-arid region of West and Central Africa. He made this pledge as he declared open the International Workshop on Future Resilient Farming Systems for semi-arid West and Central Africa, and the commissioning of International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Nigeria office, Kano.

The governor who described the West and Central Africa (WCA) region as blessed with the physical presence of international research organizations which have over the years partnered with Nigeria and other nations of the region in the development and dissemination of improved technologies relevant to farmers in the region, which he noted has aroused the hope of value chain actors in increasing food and fodder production in the region. 

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) Chief Audu Ogbeh in his address commended the effort of ICRISAT in collaboration with other organizations towards ensuring improved technologies and best agronomic practices especially in the area of restoring the glory of groundnut pyramid back in Nigeria.

The minister who was represented by Pastor Remi Abioye, ATA regional Director North-West said that “ ICRISAT and various Nigerian organizations have tremendously affected Nigerian farming practices with improved groundnut varieties, cropping system and processing technologies in Nigeria, and others are boosting sorghum production commercialization and industrial utilization through value chain public - private partnership” 

The minister also listed improvement of the livelihood of small holder farmers in drought prone areas of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia through enhanced grain legume production and productivity TL II phase 2 and harnessing opportunities for productivity enhancement of sorghum and millet.

Earlier, while welcoming guests and participants, ICRISAT Country Representative Dr. Hakeem Ayinde Ajeigbe, disclosed that the organization had set up a research station at Bagauda near Kano to pursue a research programme focused on the improvement of sorghum varieties and hybrids to be used within sorghum based cropping systems and that consequently two sorghum varieties ICSV400 and ICSVIII and sorghum hybrids ICSH89002 NG and ICSH89009NG were developed and released in collaboration with the Institute for Agricultural Research, (IAR) Samaru, Zaria.

The ICRISAT representative stated further that the partnership also led to release of three groundnut varieties SAMNUT21, SAMNUT22, and SAMNUT23 in 2001.

He paid tribute to Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) and Director General ICRISAT for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the development and implementation of joint research programmes in Nigeria.

According to Dr. Hakeem Ajeigbe, the signing of the MoU signaled the resurgence in activities of ICRISAT which has also led to the building of ICRISAT office.

Various agricultural scientist and eminent research fellows drawn from research institutions and universities from West and Central Africa and Europe presented papers that were extensively discussed at the three-day confab. 

In a presentation by African Representative Food Agricultural organization (FAO), Accra, Ghana, Bukar Tijani, entitled:  Feeding Africa in the 21^st century: challenges and opportunities, identified prices fluctuation in commodity markets, youth migration, post harvest losses, pest and diseases, flood disaster as prominent among the challenging factors confronting the continent’s quest for sufficient food production. Also, unpredictable weather forecast sometimes affects timing and types of crops to plant especially in Northern Nigeria.

 Many a discussants urged participants to come up with a blueprint on how farmers could adopt systems of farming to generate monthly income instead of quarterly or bi-annually to stem poverty among farmers.

It was further noted that constant change of Governments and policies in the various countries were affecting the drive for sufficient food production, in addition to several crises and insurgencies like the Boko Haram and other militants and communal disputes. It was also observed by participants that youths involved in political crises are of 15-34 years who, given discreet agricultural policies and programmes, should be actively involved in farming all-year round, thus generating regular income beyond a monthly salary earner.

It was further argued at the seminar that research findings are not being adequately put to use in relation to peculiar needs whereas farmers groups must be provided with packages through their leaders or community based extension workers.

In addition, it was suggested regional bodies like Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and others have to be involved in the dissemination of research findings for the farmers in their respective regions with the active participation of the media.

The Kano Station Manager of International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr. Kamara, in his reaction to presentations called for massive investment in the production and distribution of cowpea resistant to striga through the public and private sector.

In a statement issued by the organizers of the workshop and signed by Ignatious Angarawai of ICRISAT and Saleh B. Momale of CDA-BUK, the workshop also noted the following:

The efforts of the Governments of WCA countries, the AU, the regional economic blocks, international development organizations, international research centres, universities, civil society organisations and the private sector over the years in supporting agricultural research and development;

That WCA countries are witnessing rapid population expansion associated with rising poverty, food insecurity and increasing conflicts over access to, and use of natural resources;

The FAO strategic framework for resilience in agricultural systems aimed at achieving the global goal of eliminating poverty, reduction of hunger and malnutrition;

The SHFs produce about 80% of the food in SSA under crop-livestock systems, but this is limited by low productivity due to weak extension, low input, insufficient access to water, diseases, weeds, pests and poor access to finance and markets;

That there are about 90 million poor live

stock keepers constituting some 36% of West Africa’s population, with 80% practicing mixed crop livestock/agro-pastoral systems;

There are inadequate funding for agricultural development and weak policies in most WCA countries for the management of natural resources and coordination of sustainable resource utilization;

There is a growing demand for crops and livestock products in WCA and changes in the structure of the demand for food which are driven by increased per capita income, rapid urbanisation and changing in diets and preferences;

There is serious price volatility of major agricultural produce and natural resources associated with marketing of agricultural produce;

Challenges of managing pastoralism and dealing with the issues of conflicts between pastoralists and farmers.

That climate change is a major challenge to agricultural production and attainment of food security;

There is inadequate synergy between research and policy, and there is low participation of women and youths in agricultural extension, thereby limiting service delivery to women in key value chains.

The workshop recommended: The need for adoption of policy dialogue platforms based on evidence-based research findings involving producer organisations, civil society groups, market actors, processors, ICT service providers, the media, researchers and extension workers, among others;

Increased funding for research and development among all partners, including governments, private sector, international donor agencies and other international and local support groups.

The need for higher synergy through multi-disciplinary research to develop sustainable pathways for crop-livestock integration and adoption of better management practices, including climate-smart farming systems;

Strengthening of feedback mechanisms for monitoring agricultural technology to consistently support farmers improve productivity and access quality markets;

Increased investment for sustainable intensification of smallholder mixed crop-livestock systems through effective land use planning and efficient management of soils, water, pasture, and other essential resources;

Strengthening synergies between researchers, policy formulating institutions, the private sector and farmers in research and development to achieve sustainable crop-livestock systems;

Support the research and development of market-driven innovation platforms linking all actors along the value chain;

Support research for digitization of agricultural processes and information sharing among diverse stakeholders in research and development;

Support research and development for dissemination of improved technologies using applicable platforms including ICT, face to face extension service delivery;

Strengthen support for interventions in community education and gender mainstreaming for effective women and youths participation in sustainable crop-livestock systems; and

The need for research and innovation platforms to be backed by appropriate legislations to provide legal framework for sustainable implementation.