This paper recommends some strategies
towards development of a functional manpower training program for irrigation schemes in Nigeria

A.K. Ndahi (7230173)

B.O. Dossah (7229981)

Dogara Bashir (7229963)

S.D. Ahmed (7230176)

English

Loughborough University Institutional Repository

18129th WEDC International Conference Abuja, Nigeria, 2003TOWARDS THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALSDEVELOPING THE WATER resources potential of a society isof paramount importance for any meaningful strategy forsustainable development. The most critical and essentialaspect is the effective management of the various waterresources projects. With food security occupying the centrestage of government’s attention in Nigeria, irrigation hasbeen recognized as an extremely important component ofthe economic agricultural development. That was the reasonfor the tremendous investments in large-scale irrigationprojects in the 1970s and 1980s. In spite of the hugeinvestment, the performances of most of the irrigationschemes have been below expectation (Lattimore, 1988;Adeniji, 2001). The low performance of large-scale irrigationprojects is reflected in the shortfall between the achievementand target set out in the National Development Plan(Adams, 1991). Absence of enduring national irrigationdevelopment plan, frequent policy changes and lack ofmanpower planning and systematic training programmeshas been the root cause of problems to these schemes (JICA,1995; Adeniji, 2001).That not with standing, there are quite considerablepotentials within existing irrigation projects with theemployment of appropriate management strategies fortheir sustainable and effective utilization. However,improved and effective management cannot be achievedwithout training and re-training those categories of peoplewho are directly or indirectly involved in the managementof the irrigation schemes.It is noteworthy that an essential facet of irrigatedagriculture is manpower development and training. Trainingshould be seen as a continuous process since the developmentof knowledge is not static and new systems and techniquesare continuously evolving. Thus, staff training and re-training should form part of the culture of an effectiveorganization, especially with the introduction ofparticipatory approach to management of irrigation systems(Adewumi, 1990). This paper recommends some strategiestowards development of a functional Manpower trainingProgram for irrigation schemes in Nigeria.MethodologyThe study was conducted in collaboration with the Centrefor Management and Development (CMD), Lagos. Eleven(11) River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) in thecountry were used for the study. The study appraised thetraining needs of the RBDAs in the various areas of thewater industry. A set of three questionnaires were designedand administered to all the 11 RBDAs as follows:• Questionnaire A for chief executives• Questionnaire B for Head of department• Questionnaire C for individual staffOut of the eleven RBDAs, only 5 responded by completingand returning questionnaires A,B, and C while 2 RBDAscompleted and returned questionnaires A and B. The studyanalysed the returned questionnaires and determined thetraining needs of each R.B.D.A based on the informationsupplied. The parameters examined included; % staffstrength, % support staff, % professional staff, % of stafftrained from 1995 to 2000, and type of training required(organizational, occupational and for research anddevelopment).Each of the three sets of questionnaires was analysedseparately. The information gathered were centred ongrade level, designation, department, job rotation, majorfunctions, training and workshop/seminars attended andmajor problem encountered on job performance. Thetraining needs from these analyses were then determined.Findings and discussionFrom the results of the study, it was observed that:-a) The RBDAs did not have a Human ResourceDevelopment Unitb) The RBDAs were short-staffed in most professionalcadrec) There was no adequate training in the RBDAsd) All the RBDAs had similar performance problemse) Most RBDAs depended 100% on Federal Governmentfundingf) The training needs were similar in almost all the 7RBDAs that responded.It can be observed from the results (Table 1) that, generally,all the categories of staff in the RBDAs were seldom giventhe necessary training and retraining for sustainablemanagement of the complex and large-scale irrigationprojects in the country. This is despite the fact that improvedand effective water management cannot be achieved withoutcontinuous training of all categories of people directly orindirectly involved in the management of the irrigationschemes.Training needs for successful development of irrigation schemeB.O. Dossah, D. Bashir, A.K. Ndahi and S.D. Ahmed, Nigeria182DOSSAH, BASHIR, NDAHI and AHMEDSuggested Training ProgramsIrrigation schemes need to be sufficiently elevated in termsof manpower development and training in order to achievesustainable management of the schemes. According toAdewumi (1990), manpower development and trainingrequired for sustainable irrigation development is mostlyfor two categories of the stakeholders: the scheme officialsand the farmers. The areas of training include the following:Training Needs For Scheme OfficialsIn order for scheme officials to perform their primaryfunctions effectively, they require a variety of training. Fivecategories of training have been identified, and may berequired to be provided to the scheme officials, in thefollowing relevant areas;Extension Services Agents TrainingThis area of training deals with communication methodsinvolved in technology transfer to farmers. It covers suchareas as rural sociology, the use of audio-visuals, planningand administration of extension programs. Appreciablecapacity building in the area of information systemdevelopment and database will be useful particularly inmaking assessment of the physical irrigation network andclear channels of communication between the farmer andthe project staff. The trainees will also need to be exposedto new farming systems, developed techniques,environmental impacts of irrigation activities, new farminputs, etc.Technology Transfer TrainingThis will include knowledge of new technologies and howthey works. Such training will equip the project staff,particularly technicians and extension agents, with what totransfer to the farmers. Technician training will cover theupgrading of technical skills of the staff in operation andmaintenance (O & M) and agricultural related topics.Exchange of experience and technological informationwith other institutions, both national and international, isrecommended.Project Managers TrainingThis type of training is meant to inculcate in the managersthe art and science of management. This will provide skillsin areas of planning, controlling, organizing, delegating,directing, communication, etc. and also enable the managersto co-ordinate human and other resource effectively. Inaddition, they will be exposed to environmental impacts ofthe various activities in the schemes, how to minimize thenegative impacts and ameliorate the degradations that havealready occurred.Table 1: Findings on the River Basins Training NeedsS/N RBDA Staff Strength % Support % Professional % of Staff Trained Training’s Required*Staff  Staff   Since1995–2000 Organizational Occupational Research &Development1 Chad Basin 454 64 36 15 1 to 3 1,3 to 10 1 to 62 Ogun-Oshun 149 79 21 30 1 to 3 1 to 10 1 to 63 Upper-Benue 255 64 36 14 1 to 3 1 to 10 1 to 64 Cross-River 200 – – 14 1 to 3 2 to 9, 11 1 to 65 Sokoto-Rima 589 69 31 20 1 to 3 1,2,4, 6 to 12 1 to 66 Lower-Benue 329 75 25 8 1 to 3 1 to 10 1 to 67 Lower-Niger 243 – – 25 1 to 3 1,2,5,6,8,9,12 to 14 1 to 6Source: Report of NWRI Committee on Training Needs Analysis for RBDAs* Key to Training Required:Organizational Occupational Research & Development1. Management/Leadership course for top 1. Practical oriented course for junior staff 1. Project feasibility studiesmanagement Water engineering 2. Project identification2. Management/Leadership and industrial 2. Mechanical engineering 3. Project monitoring evaluation and reviewattachment for intermediate staff 3. Electrical engineering/technology 4. Water demand survey and analysis4. Chemical engineering/technology 5. Hydrometeorological studies5. Irrigation engineering/technology 6. Dam catchment studies6. Drilling technology7. Hydrology & hydrogeology8. Computer science9. Plant/pump operation10. Extension services11. Agricultural engineering12. Soil science13. Surveying14. AgronomyDOSSAH, BASHIR, NDAHI and AHMED183Training For Planners And EvaluatorsThis type of training is specifically for people who do theproject planning and evaluation. This is to enable themmonitor and report progress, and at the same time makerealistic assumptions and proposals, so that what is put intothe plans is relevant and achievable.Entrepreneurial Development TrainingThis training area should focus on equipping the projectsstaff with the skill and “technical-know-how” required inteaching and giving management advice to farmers. This isbecause farmers may not, on their own, be able to usequantitative decision-making tools such as carrying outfarm business analysis. But this can be done by the extensionagents and make the results available to them. This trainingshould be in the form of Training of Trainers (TOT).Training Needs For FarmersThe farmers need a lot of education about the process ofdevelopment of the irrigation projects and also training onhow to operate the system for their benefits and the overalldevelopment of their society. In fact, they should be fullyinvolved in the process of making decisions so that thechoice of alternatives will not appear as being forced onthem and therefore resisted. The areas of training relevantto farmers could include the following;Rural Development Awareness TrainingThis involves getting rural people (farmers) appreciate theirpoor conditions of living and preparing their minds toreceiving new innovations that will better their conditions.The training will also sensitize the farmers on the variousways and means to achieve better quality of life.Functional Literacy TrainingThis area of training should focus on getting the farmers toknow how to read and write. This will enable them usewritten channels of communication thereby making themmore versatile and able to learn about other places andthings without having to make physical contact.Entrepreneurial Development TrainingThis type of training will make the farmers appreciate thatfarming needs not be only a subsistence way of life but it isalso a business like any other business. They will beexposed to investment strategies such as saving schemes,access to credit facilities, formation and running of usergroups and co-operatives, rural banking, off-farm economicactivities, etc.Training for Management of InfrastructuresThis area of training will enable farmers appreciate what isinvolved in putting up the infrastructures and how to use andtake proper care of them. With the introduction of participatoryirrigation management (PIM) in the public sector irrigationschemes in Nigeria, this training will essentially focus on PIMapproaches. Farmers would be taught the peculiarity of PIM.The training should include among others; strengtheningpartnership on O & M of irrigation systems, canal maintenance,system management, formation and organisation of WaterUsers Associations (WUAs), billing and collection of waterrate charges, different irrigation methods and their suitabilityunder different conditions, frequency of irrigation, conservationtechniques, etc. This is critical for effective operation andmaintenance (O & M) of the facilities that is a pre-requisite forsustainable management of the schemes.If given training in these and other relevant areas, farmerswill develop the right attitude to the projects, and thesuccess of the schemes will be highly enhanced.Plan of Execution for ManpowerDevelopment and TrainingThe broad objective of training component for institutionaldevelopment is to develop a strategy to effectively addressissues relating to training. The first step towards therealization of the objective is to institute a manpower andtraining committee (MTC) on training needs for sustainabledevelopment and management of irrigation schemes. Thespecific objectives are to;a) establish Human Resources Development Unit in eachof the irrigation scheme;b) prepare a manpower development and training strategyfor sustainable management of irrigation schemes in thecountry;c) carry out periodic manpower audit and training needsanalysis in all participating the RBDAs and ADPs;d) establish a Human Resources Development Unit atNWRI to co-ordinate the human resources developmentcomponent of institutional strengthening initiatives ofthe various irrigation projects and harmonize all availablelocal training resources in the irrigation sub-sector;e) develop a working training scheme for project staff tocomprise of graduate studies, short course programs(induction courses, in-house training, on-the-job training,satellite training center programs and managementtraining programs), functional and applied research;f) liaise with multi and bilateral agencies for technicalassistance in training programs aimed at adaptingappropriate and proven technologies from donorcountries;g) develop procedures for effective monitoring andaccreditation of training programs at various levels as wellas evaluating the performances of the trained staff.ConclusionThe need for manpower development and training forinstitutional development cannot be overemphasized. Themain requirements for training are for the scheme officialsand the farmers. The country had invested huge amount ofmoney in irrigation development that need not to bewasted.It is therefore very important that irrigation schemeofficials and farmers be trained for sustainable agricultural184DOSSAH, BASHIR, NDAHI and AHMEDdevelopment as well as for effective operations andmaintenance of existing irrigation projects. This trainingwill however, lead to a change and upgrading of competenceand potentials in terms of awareness, knowledge, skills,attitudes, etc. which predispose the trainees to greaterefficiencies. Similarly, both project users and service providerwill be made to operate towards a common goal oftransforming irrigation schemes into positively sustainableenterprises.The Federal and States Ministries of Water Resources,Agriculture and Environment as well as other governmentand non-governmental organizations, contributing to thedevelopment of improved irrigation schemes, have vitalroles to play in the development of an effective nationalwater resources manpower training program.References1.Adams, W.M. (1991). Large-scale irrigation in NorthernNigeria; performance ideology, Trans Ins. Br. Geogr.N.S. 16:287–300.2.Adeniji, F.A (2001) Re-orientation of irrigation agencies,management and institutional reforms for sustainablemanagement of irrigation schemes. Paper presented atNational Workshop on Participatory IrrigationManagement.3.Adewumi, A.I. (1990) The role of Institution in trainingand educating farmers for effective management ofirrigation systems. Proceedings of a National workshopheld at the Institute of Agricultural Research, Samaru,Zaria, May 7–8, 1990.4.JICA (1995), The Study on the National Water ResourcesMaster Plan (NWRMP) – Summary and main text (vol.1) Sanyu Consultants Inc. Tokyo, Japan.5.Lattimore, D. (Ed.) (1988) Summary: Forum onperformance of irrigated Agriculture in Africa. NairobiKenya, Water Management synthesis II project, USAID.B.O. DOSSAH, D. BASHIR, A.K. NDAHI andS.D. AHMED. National Water Resources Institute, Kaduna,Nigeria. (bildossah@yahoo.com)

Training needs for successful development of irrigation scheme

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Training needs for successful development of irrigation scheme

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