By Nneka Nwogwugwu
The Federal government has recommended agricultural extension services for massive growth in yam value chain.
The Director of the Department of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr. K.I. Babaginda, said this at a workshop organised for south west extension workers by yam value chain on Thursday in Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State.
While giving her keynote address, Babaginda explained that the reason for the training workshop is to appraise the extension delivery services in agricultural transformation with great interest in yam value chain development.
Speaking on the relevance of mobilizing these extension services to farmers for increased yields, especially in this COVID-19 era, the Director said, ‘’ It is, therefore, crucial to mobilize all available instruments, institutions and stakeholders from both public and private sectors and civil society organizations to ensure appropriate and timely response to food security through extension services.
‘’Agricultural Extension Services (AES) systems play an indispensable role at the frontline in communicating with the rural farmers. However, to adapt to the emergency context within the government regulations, AES providers need to rapidly change their mode of operations through the adoption of modern technology. ‘’
She highlighted major reasons for the challenges faced by farmers, as a result of providing agricultural extension services to them.
Babaginda said, ‘’Agricultural extension services are geographically dispersed in difficult-to-reach places. Some of their information requirements are highly localized and large-scale extension provision faces several governance challenges.
She, however, recommended that Information and Communication Technology should be adopted as an alternative option to boost yam value chain.
‘’ICT applications have the potential to address some of the challenges. Compared to face-to-face extension, they are cheaper because they do not rely on costly and time-consuming travelling. It allows for more timely and regular provision of farming advice to farmers in their local dialects.
‘’In addition, a holistic approach to agricultural extension service goes beyond technology transfer for major crops. It also includes enhancing the management and technical skills of farm households relating to production, and postharvest management of high-value crops like yam; sustainable natural resource management; family health care and nutrition.’’ She added.
Earlier speaking in his remarks, the Programme Manager of Root and Tuber Expansion Programme, (RTEP), Deola lordbanjou said that the theme of the workshop – ‘’Role Of Extension Workers In Yam Value Chain Transformation For Food Security In The Face Of Covid – 19 Pandemic’’ is very apt at a time like this in the world.
The Manager said, ‘’You will all agree with me that under COVID -19, extension workers have not been able to meet with farmers as regular they should but with better technology, this can be done without putting anybody at risk. Again, yam production has gone through a lot of transformation in recent time and extension workers need to acquaint themselves of the processes in order to advise the farmers properly.
‘’The choice of the venue, Root and Tuber Expansion Programme, Ijebu –Ife at this period wouldn’t have been more appropriate considering the role of the RTEP. As you are aware, RTEP has the mandate for multiplication of root and tuber crops of which yam is one of them.’’
The Programme Manager urged that more research efforts should continue to work on on how to ensure that all the value chain in the yam subsector are properly harnessed for income generation.