The IITA agripreneur movement: a dynamic approach to youth empowerment across Africa

The Agripreneur Movement of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) allows youth to assume their rightful place in African agricultural transformation. It started as a single exploratory agribusiness incubation at IITA Headquarters in 2012, involving 37 youths. It has since grown to 10 countries through nine sponsoring organizations. We compiled the characteristics and outcomes of 40 Agripreneur projects between 2012 and 2021 to describe the movement’s growth. With time, the movement operated across 195 locations engaging 518 trainers within 493 training cohorts and 263 different learning enterprises. These efforts led to the training of 25,616 youth in modern agriculture and agribusiness, resulting in 1,661 modernized farms and 2,592 business start-ups. Of the learning enterprises, 38% involved crops, 32% involved agro-processing, and 30% involved animal husbandry, suggesting a sound balance in promoting agribusiness opportunities. About $38.5 million was directed toward the training and support of Agripreneurs between 2012 and 2021. We trace the origins of the Agripreneur Movement as isolated agribusiness incubations in Nigeria through its expansion to other countries and its adoption within the youth empowerment agendas of other development organizations, including the African Development Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the Mastercard Foundation. In this way, the legion of youth working with and inspired by the IITA Agripreneur Movement makes major contributions to and secures their rightful place within a complex array of rural development opportunities. What must occur next is its mainstreaming across the vocational agriculture systems and developmental sovereign loans of African countries

Climate Change and Potential Environmental Hazards with Perspective Adaptation Technologies in Nigeria, A review

Abstract. Climate change is a global phenomenon with multifarious unique regional consequences. Contemporary studies have established Climate change as a product of anthropogenic activities. Studies have linked extreme weather events, heat waves, increase pollution, crop failure as some of the many discernable effects of climate change. Hence, the spatial temporal effects of Climate change are of concern to policy makers, researchers, innovators and the entire public to develop veritable mitigation strategies. This paper examines climate change in Nigeria as a case study; the research adopted desk research method to collect secondary data from literature about hazards caused by climate change and potential adaptation strategies in Nigeria. The findings revealed that a potential environmental hazard caused by climate change in Nigeria includes that of biological, chemical, physical, mechanical and psycho-social. Moreover, this review further showed adaptation technologies that can be used in adapting and mitigating climate change in Nigeria

Knowledge and Technical Competence Level of Extension Agent on Climate-Smart Techniques for Rice Production in North-Central, Nigeria

The study examined extension agents' knowledge and technical competency level regarding Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices (CSAP) used by rice farmers in Nigeria. The study specifically examined the technical competence level, knowledge of the extension agents, and factors that influence their competency level on CSAPs. The 88 respondents for the study were chosen using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Data were collected from respondents using a structured questionnaire, and descriptive and inferential statistics (probit regression model) were used for analysis The results show that the majority of the extension agents had high-level knowledge on crop (53.4%) and soil smart mechanism (56.8%), but low-level knowledge on water (52.3%) and weather smart mechanism (54.5%). This also hampered their job performance, as more than half (51.1%) of extension agents had low competence level in CSAPs. Factors that significantly influence the competency of extension agents were years of experience (p>0.089), educational level (p>0.002), and knowledge (p>0.000). The study therefore recommends that specific training related to the areas discovered from the research should be incorporated into the extension agents’ curriculum activities. Extension agents should also be given opportunities to improve their knowledge and competency by attending seminars and workshops in research institutions. Keywords: Competence, Knowledge, Climate smart agricultural practices, Extension agent

Factors motivating incentives of farm ers in rice Production training programmes (A case study of Olam/USAID/ADP/First Bank Programme)

The study examined motivating incentives of farmers in rice production training of OLAM/USAID/ADP/FIRST BANK in Kwara State. Data were obtained randomly from Patigi and Edu Local Government Areas , with the use of questionnaires from 180 respondents. The data collected were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The results showed that respondents were predominantly male, married, educated, with mean age of 43 years. The result indicated that farmers in the study received incenti ves ranging from loan to farm inputs, nevertheless, farmers still desire other incentives namely; tractor services, irrigation facilities, planters, sprayers and storage facilities . Moreover, the findings showed that the mean ratings of the motivational f actors scored friendship factor first with mean of (2.711) and standard deviation of (1.351) followed by self recognition, followed by market availability, equipment acquisition and profitability. Additional test using Pearson Correlation matrix revealed that , improving the standard of living of farmers , adding to their knowledge , profitability of their farming activities, meeting their personal needs , market availability for their produce, giving them loans, and providing them equipment were the m ost important and s ignificant factors when organizing training for farmers. It is recommended that programme planner and trainer should recognize the importance of all these factors during planning of programme. Finally , regression analysis showed that t he farmers farm size, farmer ownership status, levels of awareness among farmers , extension a gent contact with farmers and their sources of information may affect the motivation levels of farmer. Key words : participation, motivation, training, programme incentives , rice productio

Assessment of Veterinary Extension Services Rendered to Poultry Farmers by the Agricultural Development Project, Kwara State, Nigeria

The study assessed the veterinary extension services rendered by the Kwara State Agricultural Development Project (KWADP) to poultry farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria. A two stage sampling procedure produced the sample size of 110 from five villages in the study area. A well structured interview schedule was administered to the respondents to produce data which was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical tools. The study revealed that majority of the poultry farmers in the study area were male (73.3%), aged between 31 and 50 (70.9%) and had over 10 years experience in poultry farming (74.5%). Only 17.3% of the farmers had secondary school education. Almost all the respondents (97.35%) were aware of the veterinary services of the (KWADP). The frequency of extension contact was monthly for 59.1% of the respondents. The t-test at 1% level of significance revealed significant differences in the means of meat yield and egg yield before and after extension contact. The study concluded that though there was strong level of awareness of the veterinary services of the KWADP and there was evidence of positive impact of the extension contact on productivity, the extension service was not meeting the needs of the farmers in some aspects of poultry production such as facilitating credit facilities for expansion. The study recommended that the frequency of extension contact be improved upon. Lastly, the study suggested that farmers should be encouraged to form or join cooperative societies to brighten their chances of securing rural credit

GRASSROOT MECHANIZED FARMING: THE ROLE OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PROVIDERS

The paper focused on the role of extension service providers in ensuring that mechanization is adopted at the grassroot level among farmers. Information dissemination, farmers’ education and awareness creation in motivating the smallholder farmers to utilizing these farm machineries optimally plats a major role in actualizing mechanized farming among these farmers. It further highlights the various challenges hampering the operational use of these farm machines by farmers such as cultural barriers, high cost of machines, low access to credit facilities, high cost of rental, lack of technical expertise among others. It offers practical guide to solving these barriers for optimum use of these farm machines by grassroot farmers through the assistance of extension personnel in creating awareness, and educating the farmers into embracing farm mechanization, sustaining their interest as regards introduction of one technology per time, need specification, technical know- how, action and satisfaction. All of these will help in improving mechanization effectively at the grassroot level with the assistance of extension personnel

TRADITIONAL MEDICINE PRACTICES IN NIGERIA: A SWOT ANALYSIS

The paper presents SWOT analysis of Traditional Medicine (TM) in Nigeria using various results in scientific research and author's critical opinion on the past, present and future of this important sector of agriculture. The paper is based on the study of many published articles closely connected with the topic. The results emphasized that Nigeria has a long history and culture of TM, conducive climate for the growing of herbs and other materials related to it. Also, TM is available, accessible, acceptable, affordable, widely used, and perceived as effective by the people with virtually no side effects. The weaknesses are: the unverifiable and inexplicable aspects of occultic/witchcraft practices; the practitioners lack the skill for correct diagnosis of serious disorders, inadequate coordination of practitioners activities giving room to dubious and unscrupulous elements. Also, opportunities that exists for TMP are: existence of a virile Herbs and Leaves Traditional Medicines Practitioners’ Association of Nigeria, large number of population of TM practitioners with great spread over all ethnic groups coupled with a large Nigerian population of about 170million consumers. The threats: the activities and practices of charlatans, the importation of higher quality TM products and the reality of some herbs are going into extinction. It is concluded that TM occupies a pivotal position in the Nigerian rural health service delivery system which cannot be neglected. Therefore, there is the need to create an enabling environment for the development of traditional medicine and its eventual integration into the health care delivery system of the countr