* 100 workers already trained for
operations
The Executive Director, National Agricultural Extension Research Liaison Office (NAERLS) Prof. Mohahammed Uthman |
Agricultural extension services via phones and internet is
set for launching, very soon. This was disclosed by the Executive Director,
National Agricultural Extension Research Liaison Office (NAERLS) Prof. Mohahammed Uthman in Zaria, recently.
The National Farmers’ Help Line according to Prof. Uthman is
meant to transfer technologies to farmers through a call in interactions that
could save huge agricultural losses at all the value chains, and the centre would
be launched next month (June).
Othman explained that
the project which was commissioned by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development (FMARD) Chief Audu Ogbeh earlier on, was already being pre-tested
adding that about 100 newly employed staff have already gone through training
that would ensure effective operation of the centres across the nation.
He explained that the emergence of the e-extension became imperative
as a result of the need to reach farmers on one-on-one interactions, for
immediate intervention on any mishap or disease outbreak from any farms, before
the situation gets out of hand.
The NAERLS boss pointed
out that ‘’the evolution of social media has given a paradigm shift from
traditional media, its coverage is wider, faster and at low cost to farmers so
there is need to combine the two towards a better transfer of improved
technologies and market information to all our farmers across the states of the
federation as five electronic extension centres will be fully operational next
month to attend to the questions and needs of farmers in an interactive form on
phones”.
The Head of Department, e-extension/ Coordinator of the
NAERLS National farmers’ help line, Prof. Bashir Sani also told Foodfarmnews that Global System for Mobile Communication ( GSM)
would help in creating wealth and job for the youths and women, and also fulfil
government’s dream of repositioning the economy from oil to agriculture.
He said the multiplier positive effect of the centre would
be great to agricultural productivity towards food security and export through
meeting global standard that would be accepted as farmers are exposed to more
improved technologies, market opportunities and prices.
He commended the efforts of the management of Ahmadu Bello
University (ABU) and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
(FMARD) through the Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh whose support for the centre has
been of great help saying there was need for more funding for the centre,
reason so as to be able to give sustainable services in the face of challenges
like epileptic power supply necessitating the use of diesel to power generators
adding that ‘’ funding is improving, but the recurrent cost of running the
centre is high as a result of generator use, therefore government must give
more support for sustainability.”
Continuing, he said: ‘’Also there is need for constant
training of the workers in view of technologies dynamics so as to be abreast of
time in term of technical capacity in the use Information and Communication
Technology ( ICT) that will make the centre effective both locally and
internationally for the purpose of training the trainers.’’
Food Farm News’
visit to the centre showed that pre-test work had already started as calls were
being received from different states and enquiries on challenges being faced by
farmers on different aspects of agricultural practices answered.
Checks showed that the centre, set to interact with farmers
in five major languages of Yoruba, Hausa, Ibo, English and Pidgin is present
operating skeletally handling about 30 calls at a time. And other locations are
in Ibadan, Badeggi, Niger-State, Porthacourt, Umedike and Zaria is the national
hub centre.
The enhanced Extension agent and any assistance personnel and bring all the tools and information to the small farmers to help them achieve higher yield goals of the food and agriculture organization of the United Nations. Dr. Othman's work is valuable.
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