DRAFT COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF ONE DAY AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION STAKEHOLDERS MEETING ON THE WAY FORWARD TOWARDS EXTENSION OF NEW INNOVATIONS IN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT HELD AT THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION (NCAM) ON TUESDAY, 16TH JULY, 2019.

The call for Nigeria to divest from oil is now more important since the need for crude oil may decline in the face of utilization of other sources of energy such as renewable, electrical, solar, hydro, wind, etc.

The strongest sector that has the potential to salvage the country from the crude oil reduction is agriculture. However, for agriculture to run as a business, mechanization becomes very inevitable. The National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization has recorded very modest achievements in the development of technologies to address mechanization needs by small and medium scale farmers.

Despite all the achievements, the majority of the farmers expected to benefit from the developed technologies are not aware of their existence. This revealed a lacuna in the area of extension of developed technologies. The adoption of NCAM and other locally developed technologies is rated low thus the need to address this problems.

It was on this premise that NCAM organized a stakeholders’ meeting comprising of Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs)Managers fromtwelve (12) states comprising Sokoto, Kaduna, Oyo, Nasarawa, Benue, Kano, Ogun, Niger, Ekiti, Katsina, Kwara, Osun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); research institutions across the country. Others in attendance were Cassava Growers Association (CGA) and All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).

A total of four papers were presented, after which the meeting broke out into syndicate groups where issues affecting the extension of agricultural mechanization technologies (AMTs) were discussed.

The meeting observed the followings, that:

1.           there are various technologies developed to address mechanization needs of small and medium scale farmers in NCAM, of which some are ready for uptake by end users;

2.           the high cost of fabrication materials have negative impact on the overall cost of finished products thereby making it unaffordable to the end users (farmers);

3.           there is weak linkage between research, extension and farmers on the promotion and commercialization of proven agricultural mechanization technologies (AMTs),

4.           there is lack of synergy among agencies and tertiary institutions involved in the development of AMTs thereby making standardization a herculean task for NCAM;

5.           despite the fact that there are some proven technologies, there has been very low level of commercialization of such agricultural mechanization technologies (AMTs);

6.           ADPs as critical stakeholders are not adequately aware of the on-shelf agricultural mechanization technologies (AMTs) developed in the Centre and the country at large;

7.           there are inadequate frontline technical extension personnel to disseminate developed agricultural mechanization technologies (AMTs);

8.           there is inadequate funding for effective extension delivery;

9.           there is poor remuneration and motivation of extension personnel;

10.        there is inconsistency in policy implementation,

11.        lack of legal framework is inhibiting NCAM to enforce her mandate to standardize and certify local and imported agricultural mechanization technologies (AMTs);

12.        there is no updated database of agricultural mechanization technologies (AMTs) in the country, and

13.        the cost of publicity and extension of agricultural mechanization  technological especially through the media (print and electronic) is very  high and prohibitive.

At the end of the deliberations, the following are hereby recommended to address the identified observations:

1.              the government should undertake capacity building and motivation of the extension agents to be able to effectively extend agricultural mechanization technologies (AMTs);

2.              the government should introduce subsidy on finished agricultural mechanization technologies as it is been done for fertilizers, seeds, etc.;

3.              government owned steel industries should as a matter of priority be revamped as a way for making raw materials for fabrication of AMTs readily available;

4.               there is the need for NCAM to strengthen the feedback mechanism of its extended proven technologies;

5.              efforts should be made to involve the private sector in the commercialization of proven technologies;

6.              NCAM should identify stakeholders in the agricultural mechanization sector and provide the leadership role to synchronize their activities to enhance regular update of database of AMTs across the country;

7.              NCAM should carry out advocacy visits to states and demonstration of technologies thataddress the needs of the farmers;

8.              NCAM should intensify awareness of its AMTs through various mass media, workshops, seminars and demonstrations;

9.              there should be massive recruitment of extension personnel at all levels;

10.           there should be adequate budgetary provisions for extension activities   to meet the Maputo declaration;

11.           a legal framework should be put in place to allow NCAM deliver on her mandates and

12.           the cost of airing extension technology services by the broadcasting stations should be subsidized to assist in reaching out and extending relevant technologies to the farmers and agripreneurs.