innovations in the cowpea sector of northern nigeria: research into use nigeria jokthan grace, ugbe...
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INNOVATIONS IN THE COWPEA SECTOR OF NORTHERN NIGERIA:
RESEARCH INTO USE NIGERIA
Jokthan Grace, Ugbe Utiang, Sanni Adunni
INTRODUCTION:
Research into use (RIU) A follow up of UK – DFID 200m USD
investment on agriculture under RNRRS
Represents a shift in emphasis from generating new technologies to ensuring that existing ‘best bet’ research outputs are promoted and out scaled
Orchestrated the formation of multi-stakeholder Innovation Platform in 3 agricultural commodities
Cowpea/soybeans, Cassava and Aquaculture
RIU-Nigeria programme Intervenes through
Field level activities in each platform
Engagement with policy makers
Capacity development
Inter-linkages with other public sectors and development programmes that have interface or impact on target agricultural sectors
Pre-implementation tasks in the cowpea sector
A baseline study was conducted to: Characterize cowpea farmers in the project sites
(Fig 1) Examine farmers’ awareness and adoption levels
of cowpea innovations (Fig 2) Access farmer’s and traders level of involvement
in cowpea production, storage and marketing (Fig 3)
Identify the constraints and opportunities for increased cowpea production, storage and marketing
Profile of farmers involved in cowpea production
Fig 1: Socio-economic characteristics of farmers involved in cowpea production Fig 2: Farmers’ awareness and adoption levels of some cowpea innovations
Fig 3: Farmers’ involvement in cowpea storage and marketing
PICS-RIU COLLABORATION
In order to address a major challenge of cowpea storage
RIU- Nigeria brokered a multi-stakeholders collaboration with IITA in 2009 to contribute to the dissemination of Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage (PICS) technology (Table 2)
Builds on PICS strategy
Table 2: Roles and responsibilities of stakeholders
Stakeholders
IITA
RIU
Federal Government Agency (NAFDAC, SON)
State level agencies – ADPs
Local Government Agencies
Resource persons
Bags’ producer and supplier
Community /religious leaders
Mass media ( TV, Radio)
Farmers’ /Marketer’s associations within the IP
Role in the collaboration
Overall coordination, training, technical backstopping and evaluation in Nig.
Coordination and funding activities in additional villages in some states
Receive information for possible policy Formulation
Extension services
Extension services
Training of extension agents
Produce and sell PICS bags
Broadcast PICS messages Reinforce message on health benefits
Relay PICS message
Relay PICS message
Perception of farmers about hermetic cowpea storage
before PICS interventionHauwa Mohammed is a small
scale bean cake (kosai) processor based in Kwalli, Gombe State. When she
volunteered to provide some cowpea for demonstration using PICS bag other women laughed at her saying her cowpea will be fed to chickens after the storage period as a result of high weevil infestation. They asserted that it is not possible to store cowpea in a bag without chemical.
After PICS interventionDuring the ‘open the bag’
ceremony six months later, they observed that the quality of the cowpea was retained after storage and that the quality was better than that of cowpea stored with chemical.
Hauwa made more profit from her business that season (2010) because she bought cowpea at harvest time when price was low, stored
in PICS bags and used it for her business throughout the year
Economic and health benefits of hermetic storage
Increase in income of farmers/traders by about 48% for cowpea stored within 4 – 6 months
5 – 10% additional increase in price for cowpea stored in triple bags
Less reported cases of human fatalities
Better viability of seeds especially when chemicals involving H2O are applied
Fig 4: Analysis of land area allocated to cowpea, estimated production and prices 2008 - 2010
Economic potential of the technology intervention in Nigeria
Dr. Oyebanji officer in charge of Nigerian Stored Product Research said “there are huge economic and business potential for large industries that manufacture hermetic technologies for cowpea storage in Nigeria”
The estimated total annual production of cowpea grains in 2009 was 2.44 million MT
Suppose one third of production is consumed without storing,
About 16.3 million bags (1.63 Million MT/100kg = 16.3 Million bags) will be needed annually to
meet market demand.
SUCCESSES OF THE INTERVENTION
Extension methodologyEffective in creating awareness and enhancing rapid and extensive adoption of the
technology among farmers
Multi-agency partnership Hastened spatial coverage, increased target beneficiaries and facilitated wider
adoption
Quality assurance Impromptu on the spot check (thickness and sealing) of the bags produced
Challenges in production and distribution of triple bags
There seems to be a disconnect in information between the producer and the end users
Inadequate number of vendors
The cost of bag (300.00 naira) is considered too high by most farmers and grain merchants. This appears to be the major reason for poor adoption by grain merchants
Low private sector drive -The company plays little role in advertising the product and relies to a large extent on IITA and the ADP to market it
Way forward
Identify major distributors in each senatorial district
Number of pieces in a bale should be reduced
The cost of the bags should be built into the selling price of the cowpea
Various bag sizes should be introduced
Advocate for policies to create enabling environment for private sector involvement and sustainability of the innovation
Collaborate with other related public agencies such as NAFDAC, SON, and CPC to enforce laws
Identify credible retail outlets and organise financial arrangement that will encourage new entry into the PICS value chain
Hermetic silo for large scale cowpea merchants
Agricultural innovations requires brokering role by neutral party that is trusted by all stakeholders (PICS & RIU) for effective up and out scaling
Addressing policy obstacles to adoption of innovations is challenging especially where reforms run counter to powerful vested interest ( chemical use in cowpea storage)
Due to public over investment in agriculture over a long period, it will take time and creativity for a neutral entity to broker meaningful, effective and sustainable roles for private sector participation even though there is a strong potential for it to happen (bag companies)
Conclusion
THANK YOU