Streamlining policies for enhancing rice production in Africa: Past experiences, lessons learnt and the way forward

There is a consensus that African development confronts several challenges, which include alleviating widespread poverty and unemployment, providing basic foods for the people, containing the HIV/AIDS pandemic, eliminating gender disparities and ensuring sustainable management of natural resources. In order to overcome theproblem of food supply, investment policies have focused on certain commodities. Rice (Oryza sativa) has been at the centre of particular policy attention in West Africa since the 1970s, following the formation of West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA). Even though substantial investments and policy actions have been undertaken, the results belied the efforts made and expectations nursed. Africa today still depends on rice imports at a scale never imagined and domestic rice production programmes have been largely unsuccessful. The question is: What went wrong? Why has Africa been unable to produce enough rice to stem imports? Why did the initial investments in irrigation schemes and programmes fail? Now that attention is on expanding rice cultivation to other parts of Africa, what policy imperatives are essential to ensure sustainable rice production? This paper examines these issues by drawing experiences from several countries across West Africa. The overall objective is to provide appropriate policy framework for the expansion and sustainable production of rice to new areas in Africa. Specifically, the paper examines some of the policies pursued in the past in a number of countries and the reasons for their ineffectiveness. Drawing on the benefits of past experiences, the paper makes proposals forimproved policy environment to support the new initiatives to increase rice output in the continent

Factors Influencing Farmer-to-Farmer Transfer of an Improved Cowpea Variety in Kano State, Nigeria

Diffusion of improved technologies among small-scale farmers, especially where formal methods and market mechanisms are inefficient, can be enhanced through the participation of farmers. Unfortunately, formal methods of disseminating improved seed in most African countries have not taken advantage of the farmers’ traditional transfer methods. This article deals with the role of farmer-to-farmer transfer and dissemination of an improved cowpea seed variety in Nigeria. Using household and farm level data from 133 respondents, the study adopts a logit model to investigate the determinants of the farmers’ decision to transfer the new seed variety to other farmers.Area of improved cowpea cultivated, yield, market price of seed, use of pesticides and threshing quality were found to be significant variables affecting farmers’ decision to transfer the improved cowpea variety

Access to Land and Food Security: Analysis of ‘Priority Crops’ Production in Ogun State, Nigeria

Using Ogun State located in south-western Nigeria, this chapter draws attention to the increase in output productivity of priority crops in the State from 2003 to 2015 due to the acquisitions of over 47,334 hectares of agricultural land across 28 communities in different Local Government Areas (LGAs). From Ogun State Agriculture Data, eight priority crops are analyzed: cassava, maize, rice, melon, yam, cocoyam, potato and cowpea. Statistics reveal that the cultivation of cassava gives the highest average output of 4,515,620 metric tonnes and yield per hectare of 16.41 relative to other produce which affirms that Ogun State has the most comparative advantage in the cultivation of cassava followed by maize. The chapter further explores other pro-poor programmes directed at ensuring food security in the State

Cowpea demand and supply patterns in West Africa: the case of Nigeria

Cowpea is an important source of protein in the diet of many West Africans. As a result of research focused on supply-side factors, the share of cowpea production among various grain legumes in Nigeria has increased since 1988, making Nigeria the largest cowpea producing country in the world. Most of the cowpea produced is used for direct consumption in both urban and rural areas. Though relevant for food production and policy planning purposes, there are very few data on the demand factors for cowpea. This paper analyzes cowpea production trends and estimates consumption patterns in Nigeria using weekly consumption data from 960 households in three major cities. The paper also highlights regional and seasonal price variations as well as the likely supply gaps in the year 2015 with possible options for increasing production to satisfy demand

Streamlining Policies for Enchancing Rice Production in Africa: Past Experiences, Lessons Learnt and the Way Forward

There is a consensus that African development confronts several challenges, which include alleviating widespread poverty and unemployment, providing basic foods for the people, containing the HIV/AIDS pandemic, eliminating gender disparities and ensuring sustainable management of natural resources. In order to overcome the problem of food supply, investment policies have focused on certain commodities. Rice ( Oryza sativa ) has been at the centre of particular policy attention in West Africa since the 1970s, following the formation of West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA). Even though substantial investments and policy actions have been undertaken, the results belied the efforts made and expectations nursed. Africa today still depends on rice imports at a scale never imagined and domestic rice production programmes have been largely unsuccessful. The question is: What went wrong? Why has Africa been unable to produce enough rice to stem imports? Why did the initial investments in irrigation schemes and programmes fail? Now that attention is on expanding rice cultivation to other parts of Africa, what policy imperatives are essential to ensure sustainable rice production? This paper examines these issues by drawing experiences from several countries across West Africa. The overall objective is to provide appropriate policy framework for the expansion and sustainable production of rice to new areas in Africa. Specifically, the paper examines some of the policies pursued in the past in a number of countries and the reasons for their ineffectiveness. Drawing on the benefits of past experiences, the paper makes proposals for improved policy environment to support the new initiatives to increase rice output in the continent.Il y a un consensus que le développement de l'Afrique est confronté par plusieurs défis, qui incluent la pauvreté et de chômage répandus, satisfaction en besoins alimentaires fondamentales pour les gens, contenir la pandémie de VIH/SIDA, éliminer les disparités de sexe et garantir la gestion durable de ressources naturelles. Pour surmonter le problème de l'offre alimentaire, les politiques d'investissement se sont focalisées sur les certaines denrées. Le riz ( Oryza sativa ) a été au centre d'attention de politique particulière dans l'Afrique de l'ouest depuis les années 70, suivant la formation d'Association de Développement de Riz d'Afrique de l'ouest (WARDA). Bien que les investissements substantiels et actions de politique ont été entrepris, les résultats contredisent les efforts faits et espérances soignées. L'Afrique dépend toujours des importations à une échelle incroyables de riz et les productions de riz domestiques ont été principalement infructueuses. La question est: Qu'est ce qui n'a pas allé? Pourquoi l'Afrique a-t-elle été incapable de produire assez de riz aux importations de tige? Pourquoi les investissements initiaux dans les arrangements et les programmes d'irrigation échouent ? Maintenant cette attention est sur la culture de riz grandissant aux autres parties d'Afrique, quelle politique impérative est-il essentiel pour garantir une production durable du riz ? Cet article examine ces problèmes en s'inspirant des expériences de plusieurs pays à travers l'Afrique de l'Ouest. L'objectif général est de fournir le cadre de politique approprié pour l'expansion de riz aux nouveaux secteurs en Afrique et pour la production durable dans ces nouveaux secteurs. En particulier, cet article examine certaines politiques poursuivies dans le passé par un nombre de pays et les raisons pour leur inefficacité. En s'inspirant des bonnes expériences passées, cet articles fait des propositions pour améliorer l'environnement de politique pour soutenir les nouvelles initiatives d'augmenter la production de riz sur le continent

Testing market integration of stable food stuffs in Borno State, Nigeria

No Abstract.Nigeria Agricultural Journal Vol. 37 2006: pp. 11-1

Varietal characteristics of cassava: farmers' perceptions and preferences in semiarid zone of west Africa

The study examines and models Farmers' perceptions and preferences of cassava· varietal characteristics vis-i-vis the decision ' to adopt cassava cultivars in their fields. The paper is built on the concept of the effect of technology-specific factors on adoption. By way of threshold decision modelling for each of the countries considered, the results reveal different scenario. Based on the varietal characteristics considered, environmental resistance quality (ERQ), high-yielding quality (HYQ), early maturing qualities (EMQ), leaf quality (LQ), inground storability quality (lSQ) and taste quality (TQ) have declining importance in the order of Iisting. As such, environmental resistance quality appears a major varietal characteristic that the farmers perceived and preferred for cultivating any cassava cultivar in the zone. The results, therefore, reinforce the relative importance of varietal characteristics in the choice and preference of cassava cultivars by farmers; it is, therefore, imperative for breeders to develop cultivars that will be acceptable to the farmers considering their level of preference and perceptions