Solutions to the problems of agriculture in Nigeria.

Agricultural science SSS1 First Term

Week 3

Solutions to the problems of agriculture in Nigeria.

Performance objectives

Students should be able to:

1. State possible solutions to the problem of agriculture in Nigeria.

Content.

Solutions to the problems of agriculture in Nigeria.

1. Inadequate land or land tenure system:

1. Fertilizers and manure should be used to increase production of crops in the available land.
2. Crop rotation should be practiced by farmers.
3. The land use decree of 1978 should be fully implemented to minimize the problems of land tenure.
4. Farmers should form co-operative societies for easy allocation of farm lands.

2. Inadequate basic amenities:

1. Provision of electricity in the rural areas.
2. Provision of portable and drinkable water.
3. Provision of health care centers in rural areas.
4. Provision of storage and processing facilities to rural farmers.
5. Establishment of dams to facilitate irrigation agriculture in rural areas.

3. Inadequate finance or credit facilities:

1. Agricultural banks like Nigeria Agricultural and Co-operative Bank (N.A.C.B) should make loans available to farmers.
2. Farmers should form co-operative societies for easy procurement of loan from commercial bank.
3. Banks should reduce their high interest rate to encourage borrowing.
4. Collateral security should be in form of guarantee rather than in material forms, like lands and buildings.

4. Poor transportation network:

1. Construction of new feeder roads to open up the rural areas.
2. Construction of water ways to link up riverine areas.
3. Construction of railways to connect rural areas to the urban centres.
4. Provision of vehicles, boats, and trains to facilitate the distribution of farm products.
5. Reduction in transportation cost to make such affordable to the rural farmers.
6. Regular supply of fuel.
7. Rehabilitation of existing damaged roads.
8. Availability of spare parts at affordable prices.

5. Inadequate storage and processing facilities:

1. Storage facilities should be provided by the government at subsidized rates.
2. More people should be trained on the technology of food storage and processing.
3. Government should buy excess produce and store for future use.
4. Provision of storage in the rural areas for storage of grains by the government.
5. Farmers should be encouraged t construct cribs, barns and rhumbus for proper storage of farm produce after harvesting.
6. Provision of cold stores for perishable produce and livestock products.
7. Provision of storage chemicals such as fumigants.
8. Provision of loans/ credit facilities to farmers.

6. Inadequate agricultural education and extension:

1. Mass literacy programme should be embarked upon by the government, e.g. nomadic education.
2. Rural farmers should be trained on modern systems of farming.
3. Adequate and qualified extension officers should be employed to teach peasant farmers new innovations and techniques in agriculture.

7. Inadequate tools and machinery:

1. Local fabrication of farm machinery and equipment should be encouraged by government to make farm implements suitable to local conditions and be made available to farmers.
2. Introduction and utilization of modern farm machines and implements
3. Establishment of tractor-hiring units to make the machine readily available to poor farmers who cannot afford to purchase the expensive farm machines.
4. Training of skilled man-power in the maintenance, repair and operation of sophisticated farm machines.
5. Provision of subsidies to enable farmers to purchase modern equipments and tools.
6. Provision of loans and credit facilities to farmers.
7. Farmers should form cooperative societies to enable them to put their resources together and purchase farm implements and machines.
8. There should be importation of appropriate machines and implements.

8. Inadequate farm inputs:

1. Farm inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, feeds and drugs, should be made available in adequate quantities to farmers.
2. Government should subsidize the cost of farm inputs.
3. Farm inputs should be supplied at the right time to farmers.
4. Local sourcing of these inputs should be encouraged.
5. Establishment of tractor-hiring units at affordable cost to farmers.
6. Establishment of seed services for the production and distribution of improved seeds to farmers.