Researchers, experts decry low usage of seeds by farmers

 

A stakeholders meeting has expressed dissatisfaction over the low usage of improved seeds by farmers in Nigeria, saying there is an urgent need to ensure more measures that would increase adoption for positive impact on the rural family livelihoods.

This position was taken by agricultural experts, policy makers and farmers at a meeting held on the new seeds varieties and its effects on Nigerian farm households at Abuja yesterday.

Participants at the event posited that only 30% farmers were using improved seeds to boost food security, saying this was too low to achieve better livelihoods on labour, children education and families welfare. 

Dr. Aisha Abubakar, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow and Development Economist, said a research project is examining how the adoption of improved seed varieties affects the welfare of smallholder farming households, pointed the study is intended to generate evidence towards a well guilded policy that would enhance improved seeds uptake by farmers in Nigeria.

Abubakar said that "We are still far from achieving the level of adoption we would like to see. At the moment, it is estimated that only about 30 per cent of farmers in Nigeria are using improved seeds, which shows there is still a long way to go" 

The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), staff,  Mr. Dahiru Rabiu pointed that the discussions at the workshop have reaffirmed low adoption of improved seeds in Nigeria, saying " it remains below 30 per cent, despite many years of investment in agricultural research"

Rabiu said that researchers are increasingly being challenged to develop climate-smart crop varieties that can withstand drought, pests and diseases, saying that the workshop was meant to proffer a better approach to improve seeds uptake.

The Founder of Terragrow Commodities Limited, Mrs. Kechi Amangbo emphasized the need for farmers to right seed varieties with effective extension services and incentives that ensure empowerment rather than create dependence.

"I would like to see incentives that give farmers more power and greater leverage, not those that take power away from them," she said

Amangbo identified agricultural extension services as the backbone of improved seed adoption, stressing that farmers need one-on-one engagement to understand the benefits and proper use of improved technologies.

Similarly, agricultural stakeholder Zayyad Bello called for improvements in extension services and last-mile delivery systems to ensure improved seeds reach farmers in rural communities.

According to Bello, strengthening advisory services and improving the distribution of certified seeds will significantly increase adoption rates and improve agricultural productivity.

A Household and Food Security Specialist, Chimaobi Okoye, said wider adoption of improved seed varieties has the potential to improve household welfare and children's well-being by increasing food availability and farm incomes.

Okoye identified insecurity, the rising cost of farm inputs and the influx of cheaper imported food products as major constraints discouraging investment in agriculture.

Participants identified that many farmers remain reluctant to abandon traditional seed varieties saying that more field demonstration of new improved seed varieties campaign must be heightened to farmers.

Stakeholders agreed that strengthening extension services, expanding last-mile delivery systems, making improved seeds more affordable, increasing investment in agricultural research and implementing evidence-based policies will be critical to raising adoption levels, improving productivity and enhancing food security in Nigeria.