Agric Dev Fund: Researchers complain of non access

 

Researchers who claimed to have applied for research project funds are already complaining of not being able to access money.

Food Farm News reliably gathered from some researchers who are bitterly complaining under anonymity that the National Agricultural Development Fund has not released any money to research work since its inception as a federal government agency.

" Those of us who had applied for agricultural funds for research development have not collected any kobo yet and this is a great concern to us" they said.

They argued that agricultural research should not be treated as an optional component of food production because improved seeds, climate-resilient varieties, soil technologies, pest-control methods, mechanisation systems and post-harvest technologies all depend on sustained research and development.

The stakeholders' concerns are particularly significant because NADF's statutory mandate includes addressing constraints to agricultural finance and supporting the development of Nigeria's food and agricultural systems. The Fund says its activities include research, capacity building and market information systems, alongside financing and other agricultural interventions.

Researchers said the value of agricultural research is ultimately measured by what happens on farms.

A new crop variety, for example, may take years of breeding, field trials, evaluation and validation before it is ready for farmers. Without funding at those stages, researchers may be unable to complete trials, generate reliable data, multiply seed or move an innovation toward commercialisation.

The problem becomes more serious when research institutions depend heavily on short-term grants, according to stakeholders at the agricultural sector discussions.

They argued that Nigeria needs predictable domestic financing that allows scientists to plan multi-year research programmes rather than repeatedly searching for fragmented funding.

The development has raised expectations among researchers that identified needs should translate into actual financing and implementation.

For researchers who have submitted funding applications without receiving support, the key concern is not simply the existence of a funding institution but access to the resources required to execute viable projects.

They want a system in which researchers can clearly understand funding windows, eligibility requirements, selection criteria, timelines and reasons applications are accepted or rejected.

Such transparency, they argue, would allow researchers to improve unsuccessful proposals and plan their work more effectively.

Stakeholders also want research funding to be linked to measurable agricultural outcomes rather than simply the number of projects approved.

A successful funding model could track whether research produces improved varieties, technologies or practices; whether those innovations reach farmers; whether yields and incomes improve; and whether private companies can commercialise successful innovations.

The funding debate also connects directly with the plant-breeding discussions at the Nigerian Plant Breeders Association conference in Abuja.

Plant breeders require sustained financing for germplasm collection, breeding programmes, field trials, laboratory analysis, multi-location testing, seed multiplication and eventual release of improved varieties.

If funding stops before these stages are completed, potentially valuable innovations may never reach farmers.

This is why agricultural research financing needs to be connected with seed companies, extension services, processors, financial institutions and farmers.

Stakeholders say the next step should be ensuring that agricultural research is adequately represented within these emerging financing mechanisms.

They argue that research should be viewed as an investment in Nigeria's future food production rather than an expenditure with no immediate commercial return.

For example, an improved millet, maize, rice, cowpea or sorghum variety may require several years of research before its economic value becomes visible. Yet once successfully adopted, such technology can potentially improve productivity across thousands or millions of hectares.

The stakeholders therefore called for NADF and relevant government institutions to establish clearer and more predictable research funding mechanisms, publish transparent selection processes, provide feedback to applicants and ensure that promising projects are not abandoned because researchers cannot secure financing.

They also called for stronger partnerships among NADF, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, universities, research institutes, seed companies, agribusinesses and development partners.

For a country confronting food-price pressures, climate challenges, insecurity and declining agricultural productivity in some areas, stakeholders argue that funding the science behind food production must remain central to the national food-security strategy.

The ultimate test, they say, is whether investment in agricultural research produces innovations that reach farmers, raise productivity, strengthen value chains and improve the availability and affordability of food.

Although In 2025, NADF said it conducted a baseline assessment of 16 agricultural research institutes and 17 federal colleges of agriculture to identify infrastructure, equipment, funding, technological and institutional gaps in Nigeria's agricultural research system. Just as NADF's own published mandate states that the Fund is intended to bridge agricultural financing gaps and promote productivity and food security. It specifically identifies research initiatives and capacity building among its activities.