‘Funding of agricultural research, extension service still low’
By Seye Adeniyi
Dr. Abba Ruma,
Minister of Agriculture
FOR five days, agricultural experts from the South-
Western region of the country as well as researchers from Edo and Delta States converged recently at the auditorium hall of the Institute of Agriculture, Research and Training(IAR&T), Moor-Plantation, Apata, Ibadan, Oyo State, to deliberate on the present state of agricultural sector in the country and how to use modern technology developed by research to promote the image of the country.
The five-day workshop with the theme: Collaborative Funding of Agricultural Research and Extension in Nigeria: NARIS position was organised by the South-West Zone of the Research — Extension Farmers Input Linkage System (REFILS) and it was also the 21st Annual Zonal Workshop of South-West REFILS. All the agricultural experts who spoke during the opening ceremony were of the opinion that more attention needed to be focused on the extension services and agricultural research if the country is to get out of the cycle of poverty and hunger. They also lamented at the present situation of our agricultural sector despite several efforts to make the country an agricultural giant.
They however commended the South-West zone of REFILS for its contribution to the agricultural development and programmes of this region of the country and the ways by which it is positively affecting the lives of peasant farmers despite all the obstacles to agricultural development.
Speaking to over 800 participants and delegates on the topic: “Alternative Funding of Research and Extension, A Key to Sustainable Agricultural Development”, the executive director, National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna, Dr. Mohammed Umaru, stated that agricultural research funding has continued to dwindle over the years and so many research institutes have not being able to carry out their statutory roles.
According to him, “funding of research and extension services is still very low in the country and presently, research and extension services are being funded by state and federal governments with no contribution form the private sector. The third tiers of the government, that is, the local government administration is paying mere lip service to the funding of agriculture, research and extension services and if we continue like this, little or no achievement will be made in-terms of development and food security.”
Dr. Umaru further explained that poverty in the country is deeply rooted in its economic structures, adding that some of the strategies embarked upon by the government has not fully reverse the poverty cycle which is having greater impact on farmers.
Speaking on government’s concern efforts and determination to eradicate poverty aswell as its effect on agricultural sector, the NAERLS director said there is no doubt that past and indeed the present administration have shown some inclination towards poverty eradication and most of the strategies adopted for poverty eradication had centred around encouraging people to go back to the land yet, little impact is been felt.
Some of the strategies that have been used to eradicate poverty highlighted by him include Operation Feed The Nation(OFN), the Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP) and the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS). “In spite of all the adopted strategies and government’s pronouncements that agriculture is top on its priority, the expenditure on agriculture continued to be low when compared to other sectors of the economy. For example, the approved capital expenditure for agriculture in the 2001 approved budget is typical of budgetary allocation vis-a-vis other sectors. This clearly showed that agriculture received a paltry seven per cent while power and steel received 26 per cent. Works and housing in the same year received 20 per cent of the total budget, so with all the above examples and other ones, we would see that agricultural sector is grossly been underfunded, likewise research and extension services”, he lamented.
Furthermore, the expert said major obstacles to agricultural development include low funding of research and extension services and low productivity level of most of the peasant farmers which according to him dominates the agricultural sector.
|
Benue govt buy fertilisers, tractors to boost food production
John Akpodovhan, Makurdi
With the
acquisition of
an additional 22 brand new tractors, the Benue state government is set to accelerate food production even as it has promised to introduce proactive distribution system to ensure that 2,000 trucks of fertilizers are put at the disposal of farmers in the state.
Speaking at the state’s correspondents forum, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Benjamin Ashaver said the state had just taken delivery of the machinery and that it had refurbished 44 others that were either broken down or left in a state of repair before the Suswam administration came into being.
Mr. Ashaver who anguish was not hidden for the neglect the sector suffered opined that the ministry of agriculture was reduced by the former administration to a mere buying and selling of fertilizers a trend he vowed has been reversed since the present administration came into stream.
Describing the huge amount of money gulped by the state fertilizer blending plant as a colossal waste, the commissioner noted that it never worked to justify the spending by the immediate past administration disclosed that to the government has decided to enter into a new partnership with a competent Lagos based company to manage it in line with private initiative
Mr. Ashaver further disclosed that government has placed order for 2,000 trucks of fertilizers stressing that this time, the pattern of distribution would be changed to ensure that the product get the farmers. “Fertilizer would be distributed directly to the local government areas. As such all local government chairmen have be directed to provide ware houses where the product would be kept. Any chairman that fails to do that would not be given fertilizer”, he retorted
Achaver who described the state of the for abattoirs in the state as an eyesore at the time he assumed office said that the present administration had to rehabilitate them to meet with the set hygienic standard for abattoirs.
On livestock and the breeding centre owned by the state government, the commissioner disclosed that it had to renovate them while the fishery unit which was not functioning has been provided with 145,000 fingerlings
The government said has procured herbicides to the tune of N7.5 million adding that another N10 million would be released to farmers of tubers and roots to increase the food production in that sector in the state.
He also stated that the state government is looking into how to revive the the fruit juice industry which has stopped production because of mismanagement with the hope that it would bring in a private company that would run it without government involvement.
“The fruit juice company was supposed to be tested. A lot of money was given to individuals but it never worked. Government would do something about it. When revived and managed properly, it would provide jobs for people of the state”, he said.
He also, disclosed plans by government to enter into partnership with the World Bank on Fadama farming adding that the programme would also involve the local government areas in the State.
Mr. Ashaver further said the State government has already paid her counterpart fund of N40 million while the 21 local government councils in the state have contributed N42 million to the project adding that the program would include opening up of assess roads as well as drilling of bore holes maintaining that release of funds from the World Bank is supposed to be on quarterly basis and is based on performance of the states.
|
