Expert urges govt. to strengthen extension workers to enhance agricultural production


Dr Idris Badiru, Principal Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, University of Ibadan, has advised the government to strengthen agricultural extension service workers to enhance agricultural production.
Badiru gave the advice in Ibadan on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said it was important for the government to ensure that extension service workers pass across new technologies to farmers to improve agricultural activities in the country.
``The major problem we have in many states is that the extension system is moribund due to shortage of extension staff.
``Some states don’t even have up to 10 extension officers, even if we have good technologies and there is no one to relate them to farmers it will not make impact.
``Agricultural activities` programmes on radio should be sponsored.
``We need to start seeing the problems in agriculture the way we see that of epidemic ones in medicine for us to move forward.
``We shouldn’t be running abroad for solutions whenever we have problems, we have human capacity in Nigeria to solve our problems, `` he said.
The lecturer emphasised that extension messages on financial management among farmers were key in the process of linking farmers to available and remittance-friendly credit sources.
Badiru also suggested collaboration between universities and research institutes to improve the nation`s food and livestock production.
According to him, there is the need for strong collaboration between research institutes and universities to promote agriculture research.
``States must employ more extension agents and use all available media to promote the adoption of best practices in agricultural production, `` he said.
While noting that farmers` access to credit required multi-dimensional approach, the don added that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lending initiative in agriculture should be made effective.
``Microfinance institutions need to be strengthened to service the small holders, while commercial banks should implement the CBN`s programme on agriculture which provides loans at single digit interest rates, `` Badiru said. (

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