Lack of policy aids Governors' disregard for Agric extension, says NAERLS boss

The National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Executive Director (ED) Prof. Emmanuel Ikani has attributed lack of  extension policy to why states' Governors are not funding officials in this department, saying the document to achieve it was still pending in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development ( FMARD).

Prof. Ikani said this yesterday in his office while responding to questions from our correspond.

Ikani pointed out that the availability of this pending agricultural extension policy would compel the Governors to fund extension workers towards effective transfer of improved technologies to farmers.

He added that NAERLS had fully digitalized it services with farmer helpline system, just as they are already in the process of getting a special code for easy access to information using the MTN telecommunication network.

According to him "the extension stakeholders in Nigeria had produced a document on agricultural extension Policy, designed in 2018, it is now in the FMARD.

 The ministry has to work on it and then take it back to the Federal Executive Council. And then take it to the National Assembly for an ACT document to now direct how shareholders in the system should work .

 Part of it is how to raise funds for the system because one of the problems has been how to give funds to extension agents to fuel bike to go and see farmers. 

How to bring about that money is in the policy. Since1960 till date we have been doing what we call practice without principle , it is the extension policy document that must be allowed to become an ACT that will change the extension story in Nigeria" 

The ED noted that all the countries in the world have extension policy except Nigeria.

He stressed further that his agency has digitalized to enhance agricultural practices, saying he is already in talk with MTN to facilitate a code that will enhance communications with farmers at a very affordable price using a code.

" For example, if you go to Oyo state, the Governor does not believe in ADP,  go to Zamfara instead of ADP they have ZAMARD, you go to Adamawa, the former Governor doesn't believe in ADP, so he has his own thing, and that's how it's scattered around" said he.