By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The federal government has flagged off a nationwide training of Agricultural Extension Agents across the 36 States of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory.
The training which commenced on Monday, February 8, in all the 37 Headquarters of the States Agricultural Development Projects in Nigeria holding, will end on the 12th of March.
Speaking during the opening ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, said that it is the desire of the President Muhammadu Buhari, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and every Nigerian desires to see that our agricultural extension delivery system meets global competitiveness.
He added that the training aims to ensure Nigeria has adequate food for our population and some to augment our foreign earnings.
The minister said that a Special Committee on the Revitalization of Agricultural Extension Service in Nigeria was constituted at the inception of this administration.
The committee was constituted to recommend appropriate institutional structures, arrangements and capacity building for the delivery of effective and efficient pluralistic agricultural extension and advisory services in Nigeria using globally acceptable approaches and platforms.
Nanono said, ‘’ As you are all aware, the development of agricultural extension services in the country predates Nigeria’s Independence, about 120 years ago, and precisely in 1893, beginning with the British West Africa Colonial Administration.
‘’Since then agricultural extension has metamorphosed from one stage to another, asserting its importance in rural and semi-urban development, food and job supply for the fast growing population, especially in emerging economies like Nigeria. Agricultural extension delivery is the driver of all agricultural policies and research, without which all effort in the agricultural ecosystem may not realize its intended goals.
‘’Over the years, the fortunes of the agricultural extension system has declined majorly due to decreased funding, policy changes, reduced man-power and lack of interest of young people in agricultural entrepreneurship. This situation has affected food production exposing the country to the dangers of unemployment, youth restiveness and economic instability.
‘’This training is one of several strategies planned by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to halt the drift in the agricultural extension system with aim of pursuing the revitalization agenda of the Nigerian economy by the Federal Government.
‘’One of the key recommendations of the Committee was to build the capacity of youth and existing practitioners in agricultural extension delivery system, exposing and equipping them with best global practices and tools to enable them deliver with efficiency.
‘’The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development through its technical department, the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension selected Resource Persons who will bring their expertise and experience to bear in this training and also well prepared technical reference materials, to ensure that you will receive the best.
‘’This training is first in series of batches that will empower you with knowledge that will enhance service deliver to farmers both in terms of production practices and equipment for technical support.’’
He urged the participants to ensure that they observe COVID-19 Protocols and stay safe.
In his remarks, the permanent Secretary of the Afric ministry, Mr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, recognized the efforts of the Technical Committee, who made several recommendations that included the capacity building programme to bridge the gaps identified in the performance of the frontline extension agents, who are the major link between farmers and research/innovations.
He said that the noticeable declining number of extension officers and low skills have hampered adoption of best practices and new innovations in the agricultural sector, this is shown in the resultant low productivity and lack of adherence to standards causing rejection of Nigerian produce aboard.
Umakhihe said, ‘’The drive by the present Administration to revitalize agricultural extension services in Nigeria is to help farmers and value chain actors to make effective use of productive forces and advances in information technology to improve the livelihoods of rural populations, create jobs and promote sustainable agricultural and socio-economic development of the country.
‘’The only way this can be achieved is to re-position the ADP system through training, provision of equipment and tools as well as funding to carry out their primary mandate and responsibilities to farmers.
‘’The current situation posed by COVID-19 has brought new challenges to food supply and youth employment. It is predictable that an effective ADP system will disseminate and transfer the needed technologies for productivity enhancement and rural income generation for youth and farmers, consequently, stemming the challenges of food supply and employment.
‘’The intervention from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is geared towards enhancing the ability of existing Extension Agents in the field and infusing new skills in the youth who are interested in the sector.
‘’The Resource Persons are seasoned practitioners both in research, knowledge sharing and learning in the agricultural extension subsector.’’