Extension Services: Sasakawa President urges FG to up-scale

The President, Sasakawa Africa Association ( SAA) , Dr. Makoto Kitanaka

The President, Sasakawa Africa Association ( SAA) , Dr. Makoto Kitanaka has called on the Nigerian Government to enhance extension services towards achieving agricultural transformation agenda on food security in the African continent.

Dr. Makoto Kitanaka said this while addressing global agricultural extension professionals at the 6th Africa- Wide Agricultural Extension Week held in Abuja, Nigeria.

SAA president noted a serious gap between research and extension through low dissemination of innovations for best practices in food productivity, added that his organization has been very impactful in this regard in the last 37years in about 17 nations of the world including Nigeria.

Kitanaka called for greater attention to extension and advisory services as a sustainable pathway to agricultural transformation on the continent pointing the theme of the one week activities was very timely and imperitive.

The theme of the extension week, "Harnessing Agricultural Extension & Advisory Services in Scaling Regenerative Agriculture and Nature Based Solutions for Food System Transformation in Africa" was not only timely but also imperative.

Recognizing that across the globe, efforts from research organizations have the potential to amplify food production; Dr Kitanaka noted that there was, however, a gap regarding the dissemination of innovations in the sector.

He added that “We have supported farming communities to more than double their yields and improve incomes, food and nutrition security. Our renewed focus on regenerative agriculture as the core of our intervention ensures that we are not only addressing productivity puzzles but also enhancing soil health and mitigating the impact of climate change”

Dr. Kitanaka pointed that "merely developing a groundbreaking technology isn't the finish line.Its real success lies in its effective dissemination to our farmers, which ensures adoption, and this is where an efficient and dynamic extension system comes into play"  

He however commended the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) for championing the cause of agricultural extension across Africa through initiatives such as Extension Week and establishing focal points across countries.

Mr Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Agriculture & Food Security, while presenting an award of excellence to SAA, commended the organization for its efforts in transforming the extension system in Nigeria.

The minister called for a demand-driven agricultural research approach that responds to the needs of farmers, stressing that the government of Nigeria wants to make a significant change in agriculture with support to popular research, and prioritize advisory services.

Top officials of SAA at the one week program includes the Strategic Partnership Director, Dr Mel Oluoch; Ethiopia Country Director, Dr Fentahun Mengistu; and Nigeria Country Director, Dr Godwin Atser.