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Revitalising Agric Extension Services In Nigeria

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On several occasions,
agriculturalists have stressed the importance of extension services to food production.
They insist that as Nigeria aspires to become one of the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020; pragmatic efforts ought to be made to boost farming via the adoption of agricultural extension services.
However, the Federal Government is somewhat conscious of the usefulness of agricultural extension services in plans to improve the country’s food production.
Prof. Tunji Arokoyo, National Team Leader, Agricultural Extension Transformation Agenda, said that efforts were underway by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to revive agricultural extension services.
“The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, is passionate about extension services and he is making frantic efforts to revive the dying extension services in Nigeria as a key to agricultural transformation,’’ he said.
He said that agricultural extension workers were the bridge between farmers and research institutes, adding that they also functioned as the link between farmers and the government.
“This is because they play a key role in disseminating information to and from both sides for enhanced agricultural production,’’ he said.
Arokoyo said that agricultural extension services involved the provision of educational services to farmers in the wide range of agricultural enterprise.
“So, agricultural extension services encompass all activities carried out by extension agencies to create positive change in the farmers’ living standards through increased productivity and enhanced income,’’ he said.
Drumming support for the provision of quality agricultural extension services, Dr Mohammed Khalid-Othman of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, said that although agricultural extension services in Nigeria had been somewhat inactive, their importance could never be undermined.
“Extension services are suffering from a number of constraints such as underfunding, ageing and dwindling staff arising from low employment rate and retirement of the old staff.
“Presently, life is being injected into the agricultural extension services through various strategies and programmes championed by the Federal Government,
“For the first time, the Federal Department of Agricultural Extension was established in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
“The department is responsible for policy formulation and coordination of agricultural extension activities,’’ he said.
In the same vein, Malam Sani Miko, the Country Director of Sasakawa Africa Association, a Geneva-based international agricultural development organisation, said that his organisation was collaborating with the Federal Government to revive agricultural extension services in Nigeria.
“This collaboration will facilitate the free flow of information about new technologies from researchers to grassroots farmers.
“It is the responsibility of extension workers to convey information from government and researchers to farmers on how to improve agriculture in Nigeria,’’ he said.
Miko said that the capacity of the extension workers would be built through seminars, workshops and other means, with the hope that they would convey the message to farmers.
“We want to teach the farmers how and when to cultivate their farms; how to use improved seeds; when and how to apply fertiliser; when and how to harvest.
“We will connect them with banks where they could obtain loans; we will ultimately connect them with markets where they can sell their yields at higher profits,’’ he said.
However, Miko observed that many extension service workers were not satisfied with the job because they possessed qualifications, which they thought could not take them beyond Salary Grade Level 14 in the civil service.
He, nonetheless, said that the challenge was being addressed via an arrangement between the organisation and Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, to enable Higher National Diploma holders among the extension workers to obtain degrees from the university within a specified period.
“This will give maximise their job satisfaction and it will also encourage them to work harder,’’ he noted.
Mr Daniel Jacob, the Director of Agricultural Services in the Kaduna State Agricultural Development Project, who underscored the need for more agriculture extension workers across the country, observed that the extension workers were inadequate.
“For instance, the ratio of extension workers to farmers in Kaduna State used to be 1:1,500; however, the present ratio stands at 1:3,240.
“This is grossly inadequate and highly disturbing because the World Bank-recommended ratio stands between 1:800 and 1:1,000.
“Unfortunately, the number of extension workers we have is on the decrease, while our population is on the increase,’’ Jacob added.
In view of this shortfall, experts underscore the need for private-sector participation in the funding and delivery of agricultural extension services so as to meet the needs of the farmers.
They argue that agricultural extension services have been dominated by the Agricultural Development Programme in Nigeria for a long time.
The experts insist that the traditional extension services, linked with production objectives and blanket recommendations, can no longer meet the farmers’ expectations.
They stress that pragmatic efforts should be made to encourage the private sector to provide agricultural extension services, while the government can play a strategic role by identifying gaps in the provision of such services.
Although many observers laud this suggestion, they nonetheless, call for the adoption of pragmatic strategies to change the orientation of agricultural extension workers, as part of efforts to improve their service delivery.
All the same, they concede that structured private-sector participation in agricultural extension service delivery will consequently boost agricultural production in the country.
Lawal is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

 

Mohammed Lawal

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Eazipay  Offers Zero-Interest Loans To  150,000 SMEs, Employees

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With a mission to ignite growth, encourage business continuity and help businesses and employees thrive, Eazipay is gearing up to propel the dreams of 150,000 SMEs and employees to new heights through her relief fund.
Gone are the days of financial constraints and stifled dreams. With Eazipay’s support, SMEs and employees alike can bid farewell to limitations and embrace a world of endless possibilities.
Whether it’s start up,  business expansion or personal development, Eazipay is here to make dreams come true.
The mind-blowing initiative, which  kicked off this month, would end in December, and will also offer a range of perks and benefits designed to put a smile on the faces of SMEs and employees alike.
From exclusive discounts to various advisory services and beyond, Eazipay is committed to spreading happiness and creating lasting impact in people’s lives and to the growth of businesses.
The technology company which offers products and services that range from payroll management to IT/Device management and assessments, “Eazipay isn’t just providing financial support but also unleashing a wave of growth and prosperity for SMEs and employees across the nation.
“Interested businesses and individuals can take part in this initiative directly from the Eazipay website: www.myeazipay.com”.

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SMEs Critical For Sustainable Dev – Commissioner

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The Commissioner of Finance, Lagos State, Abayomi Oluyomi, has described Small and medium Enterprises (SMEs) as a critical engine for sustainable development in any economy.
He said this recently at the 10th anniversary of the Alert Group Microfinance Bank and the opening of their new head office in Lagos.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, SMEs accounted for about 50 per cent of Nigeria’s gross.
He commended the positive impact of the Alert MFB as it empowers SMEs in the State.
“Alert MFB in the past 10 years has been at the forefront of empowering SMEs in Lagos State, disbursing over N30bn in loans to over 30,000 individuals having small to medium businesses over that period, which is quite remarkable”, he said.
Speaking, the Group Managing Director of Alert Group, Dr Kazeem Olanrewaju, revealed that the financial institution commenced business in 2013 as a microfinance bank.
“We started this journey in 2013 and it has been expanding. Today, they have about 10 branches across Lagos. They have supported well over 30,000 clients and have disbursed over N30bn.
“The company has been profitable since the second year. Looking at the market and the available opportunity, the Alert MFB board decided to come together to establish a Microfinance Institute (MFI), which is the Auto Bucks Lenders”, Dr. Olanrewaju said.
The GMD further stated that the company was focused more on supporting businesses and small and medium enterprises.
“The loan to support business represents over 98 per cent. The consumer loans you will see are the ones given to entrepreneurs. So, the area of focus of Alert MFB and Auto Bucks Lenders is to support businesses across the country.
“With the establishment of Auto Bucks Lenders, we have the opportunity to also do business outside Lagos. So, presently, we have offices in Ogun State and Oyo State. We intend to go to every part of Nigeria to support what we are doing”, he declared.

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Retailers Explain Price Drop In  Cement Cost

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The cement market, in the last couple of weeks, has seen a significant turnaround with prices tumbling from between N10,000 and N15,000 per 50kg bag to between N7,000 and N8,000.
The sudden rise in the prices of cement and other major building materials in February this year upsets  the construction industry, especially in real estate, where many developers were forced to abandon building sites.
A recent market survey conducted by The Tide’s source in different locations across the country confirmed a price drop, ranging between N7,000 and N7,500 per bag, though BUA cement is selling for N7,500 to N7,800 per 50kg bag, depending on location.
Both entrepreneurs and major distributors who were interviewed,  explained that the price drop is due to low demand and government’s intervention.
At the peak of the price hike, the Federal Government called a meeting with major producers where it was agreed that a bag of cement should be between for N7,000 to N8,000, depending on location.
But the producers did not comply with this agreement immediately, followin which “Nigerians stopped demanding for cement; many project sites were abandoned as developers sat back and waited for the prices to come down.
“So, what has happened is an inter-play of demand and supply with price responding, which is Economics at work”, Collins Okpala, a cement dealer, told the source in Abuja.
In the Nyanya area of the Federal Capital Territory, a 50-kg bag of Dangote cement now sells for between N7,000 and N7,500, while BUA cement sells for between N8,500 and N9,500, down from between N11,000 and N12,000 respectively.
In Lagos, the product has seen significant price drop too. In Ojo area of the state, Sebastin Ovie, a dealer, told our reporter that what has happened is a crash from the January price, attributing the crash to low demand and stronger naira.
“The current price of the product is between N7,000 and N7,500 per 50kg bag, depending on the brand. This is a significant drop from the average of N12,000 which most dealers were selling in February and March”, he said.
A dealer in Agege area of the state who identified himself as Taofik Olateju, told the source that sales are picking up due to the drop in price.
He recalled that Nigerians at a point stopped buying due to the high price of the product at N15,000 per bag.
“I am sure most dealers ran at a loss then because we had mainly old stocks which we wanted to offload quickly”, he said, confirming that the product sells for between N7,500 and N8,000, depending on the brand and the demand for the brand.
Continuing, Olateju noted that “because the naira is now doing well against the dollar, it will be unreasonable for manufacturers to continue to sell the product at the old prices. I also believe that the federal government’s intervention and the threat to license more importers may have worked, leading to the reduction in price”.
In Enugu, the source reports that the product sells for between N7,200 and N7,500 depending on the brand and location.
“This is a city where the price of a 50kg bag went for as high as N12,000 and N13,000 in some cases in February and March”, Samuel Chikwendu said.
He added that the prices of other building materials, especially iron rods, have also dropped considerably which is why, he said, activities are picking up again at construction sites.
The story is slightly different in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, where Innocent Okonkwo told the source that low demand was also driving the price drop, adding that a 50kg bag was selling for N9,000 on the average in the state.
Sundry market observers are optimistic of further price reductions, but they remain cautious as manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers continue to play critical roles in setting prices for end-users.
They lamented, however, that despite Nigeria’s status as one of the largest producers of cement in Africa, the price of the product continues to rise, particularly in the face of high inflation impacting the building materials market generally.
Okpala in Abuja highlighted the variations arising from direct sourcing from manufacturers versus procurement through dealers, with traders holding old stocks selling products at prices ranging from N8,500, N8,300 to N8,000 per bag.
Lucy Nwachukwu, another dealer in Abuja, said the significance of  procurement volume in determining cement costs, noting that stability in prices has been observed over the past month, with the product retailing for between N7,000 and N7,800 depending on the brand.
In Port Harcourt also, a customer, Daniel Etteobong Effiong, said the price goes between N7500 to N8500, depending on the brand and the location one is buying from.

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