Tropentag, October 11 - 13, 2006 in Bonn "Prosperity and Poverty in a Globalized World – Challenges for Agricultural Research"

Agricultural Research Priorities That Can Foster Prosperity and Reduce Poverty in Nigeria

Federal University of Technology, Agricultural Engineering, Nigeria

Abstract

The prevailing social conditions in Nigeria present a startling paradox;why? This is because her robust endowment in natural and human resources cannot be matched with the level of poverty of people . It is a well known fact that the most difficult challenge facing Nigeria today is poverty reduction .It is also the major obstacle that must be overcome in the pursuit of sustainable socio-economic growth.
Generally speaking ,Africa remains a rural society which largely depends upon aggriculture and pastoralism and Nigeria exemplifies this assertion in all ramifications.
Thus the main objectives of this paper are to (1) evaluate the country's land and water resources,the methods of agricultural practice and its past and present agricultural programmes; (2) highlight the much desired agricuculral resaerch challenges and lilltle efforts made in this area and (3) establish long-term partnerships among reseachers,practioners and end-users.
Various programmes that set-up to combat poverty were discussed and causes for their failures were identified.
The much desired reseach challenges that can proposed include the following;
(a) data collection,collation ;storage and retrival particularly on ( climatological,hydrological,hydro-geological) ,and crop area survey and machinery;
(b) study of crop water requirements and irrigation scheduling to include : (1) evalluating of ET models in different ecological zones of Nigeria and (b) crop yield reaponse to irrigation water management;
(3) classifications of soil types in the different ecological zones and
(4) design and fabrication of appropriate machines for the various farming operations.(The most critical is the weeding machines).
Finally, the paper calls for the massive education and enlightenment of the rural community ;the creation of an environmen where new ideas can find expression and integration of land and water resources for agricultural and rural development.

Keywords: Agricultural programmes, agricultural research priorities, ecological zones, ET models, hydro-data collection, poverty reduction, water resources and rural development

Contact Address: Michael Alatise, Federal University of Technology, Agricultural Engineering, Dept. of Agricultural Engineering Fed. Univ. of Technology, 340001 Akure, Nigeria, e-mail: micalatiseyahoo.com