2024 Cropping/ REFILS raise issues on funding, irrigation, best agronomy of Sunflowers

The recently concluded Northern states Annual Cropping/Research Extension & Farmers Inputs Linkage System ( REFILS) have expressed concerns over research inadequacy funding with a huge gap between improved technologies and the end users, just as need for more irrigated farm lands, climate smart agricultural with intensification of best agronomics practice for crops like sunflowers were among the major points of discussion at the Institute of Agricultural Research ( IAR), Samara, Zaria.

The meeting according to the IAR Executive Director ( ED) Prof. Ado A  Yusuf ought to have been held since February 2024 for its importance to food security, but lamented on funding delay that was still pending even as he speaks, adding that government should give preference to research and technologies transfer to farmers if actually we are serious about achieving food security as being declared by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Prof. Ado Yusuf said the food security situation of the country has warranted bringing experts from different fields of Agricultural space to talk on water irrigation to farming, opportunities in Sunflowers using best agronomics practice and  research technologies and reality in the face of climate smart agricultural practice using simple tools to reduce drudgery in farming and food productivity.

Meanwhile the ED pointed at some of the Institute's achievement to farmers in terms of technologies transfer saying that " the challenge of global warming resulting in drought and floods ravaging nations behoves on us to develop climate resilient crops and technologies to save our farmers from huge economic losses", adding that the Institute has been able to use a cutting edge technologies of Biotechnology to develop climate smart crop varieties including bollworm and maruca for cotton and cowpea respectively.

He said that " We have recently introduced 17 new crop varieties to our existing collection at the Institute to better serve farmers' requirements. This release includes four ( 4) transgenic maize varieties. We have also added one ( 1) pro- vitamin A maize hybrid SAMMAZ 70 and an Aflatoxin resistant maize SAMMAZ 71"

Yufus stressed the need for more irrigated farm land to meet the need of the Institute's farming programs towards food security in the country saying the Institute is embarking on about 200 new research projects to uplift farmers out of poverty and to ensure economic sustainability.

The IAR ED while responding to the presentation by the Managing Director, Hadeja Jama River Basin Authority, Alhaji Ma'amun Da'u Aliyo whose paper titled " Overview of the Opportunities and Challenges in Irrigated Crop Production" said government must take issue of irrigation farming very serious to overcome food security challenges adding that his institute is ready to ensure more partnership towards irrigation farming in the coming years.

The MD,  Hadeja Jama River Basin, Alhaji Ma' amun Da'u Aliyo dwells on better management of water for efficient farming services, highlighted challenges and better water management to food security adding that farmers must be better organized to access the facility.

He also identified declining number of dam personel cum inadequate funding with ageing infrastructure and disorganized farmers group as great challenges to water management towards food security.

Also, the paper presentation of the President, Sunflowers Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria ( NSUNGPMAN) Alhaji Jubril Bukar ably represented by Abubakar Saido Dansadau attracted stakeholders contributions that posited on the need to take advantage opportunities in the crop to enhance economic status of our producers through best agronomics practices that ensure market and more cash flows to farmers.

Stakeholders argued that the oil content of the sunflowers is in great demand, and there is a need to assist farmers with improved seeds to produce the huge demand for the crop in view of being able to  compliment groundnut oil in Nigeria.

The former ED IAR, and presently the chairman, sub committee on national crops varietal release, Prof. S.G Ado reflecting into the past said the complimentary nature of sunflowers to groundnut oil had informed the promotion of the crop until the marketing challenges surfaced that farmers could not produce in large quantities to meet industrial demand adding that a one time Governor of Jigawa state had really wanted to use the crop to assist his farmers until something else happened.

Other stakeholders argued that sunflowers and soybeans cake must be substituted for animal feeds to reduce pressure on using maize for human and animal feeds.

Both the government and private companies are asked to support research and extension towards best agronomics practices for sunflowers as Mr. Abubakar Saido Dansadau advocated patency rights for any private company that financially sponsors research of any improved variety adding there is need for private driven research demand.

He therefore highlighted some of the sunflowers benefits as good for ornaments, garden bouquets, medicinal and veritable for bees' pollination and indoor decorations.

 

The paper titled " Bridging Research and Reality: Innovations for Sustainable Agricultural Development and Food Security in Nigeria" delivered through zoom online by the MD, Nijifarm, Mr. Kola Adeniji stressed on problem sharing between the centres of innovation and private investors saying universities technologies must ensure availability of simple implements that would reduce food productivity drudgery through extension.

Adeniji expressed the need for research to play a pivotal role in identifying challenges towards developing solutions, and driving innovations as he identified funding constraints, limited extension services and inconsistent policies as hindrance in most cases to food productivity.

In his remarks, the MD, Kano State Agricultural Development (KNARD), Dr. Farouk Kurawa lamented over poor funding of extension services by many states  which was very evident with the poor turn out as just only one state ( Sokoto state) was able to give an annual report on feedback of technologies transfer for the year 2023 in the state.

An extension worker told us how would food be secured when the Government has refused to fund people who are supposed to take improved technologies to farmers with training on best agronomics practices.

The is coming on the response of the representative of the Agricultural Development Program (ADP) from Sokoto state, Alhaji Abubakar Bamdado who said the funding of extension has been very poor thereby buttressing what others have earlier said, added that his department is managing the monthly stipend always given to ensure timely improved seeds to farmers in his state.