A Professor of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development and former Dean, College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD), of the University, Professor Olusegun Apantaku, has called for farmers’ involvement in Agricultural Research and Extension in order to enhance agricultural productivity and national development.
Professor Apantaku made this call while delivering the 57th Inaugural Lecture of the University titled “The Downplayed Majority in AgResExtension: Imperatives for Enhanced Productivity”.
According to him, farmers’ participatory agricultural research is a research approach in which farmers take part actively as partners, from conception, problem identification and prioritization, research design to field experimentation and trials, data collection, evaluation and technology design and production.
Buttressing his point, he stated that the philosophy of extension is “helping people to help themselves” extension and all its specializations are about help. The participation of farmers in research implies empowerment democracy, ownership, active involvement, partners having a voice, choice, inclusion, joint decision making, sharing experience, respect, recognition and acceptance by all stakeholders.
The University don who noted that agriculture is crucial and the mainstay of the economic development of most third world countries stated that researches on the causes of development and under development have identified agriculture as key to the economic emancipation of ailing states.
Professor Apantaku lamented that a country like Nigeria that has a larger percentage of its population engaged in agriculture has not given adequate attention to agriculture and rural development, yet the sector still accounts for a significant proportion of her gross domestic product.
According to him, agriculture is estimated to be the highest contributor to non-oil foreign exchange earnings. He noted that the agricultural sector grew at 3.68% and contributed 20.89% to Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the second quarter of 2014 while crude petroleum and natural gas sector grew at 5.14% and contributed 10.76% to Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at the same period.
The Lecturer lamented that the contribution of agriculture is still far below its potentials and expectation, stressing that participatory agricultural research and extension (PARE) will lead to real agricultural and farmers’ development, sustainability of agricultural innovation and technologies transfer and adoption.
The Inaugural lecturer noted that for agriculture to get to its expected status and impact, there should be enhanced productivity, increased income, and higher standard of living, in a demand-driven economy for national development.
Professor Apantaku consequently recommended that Nigerians must do everything possible to ensure responsive, responsible, accountable, honest, transparent, competent, tribalism nepotism-free and incorruptible governance at all levels.
He also called for the institutionalization of Participatory Agricultural Research (PAR) process, institutionalization of Participatory Agricultural Extension (PAE) process, funding of Participatory Agricultural Research and Extension (PARE) process, and sourcing for funds for extension service locally.
Other recommendations included motivation of researchers, extension agents and farmers, regular training of researchers and extension workers, Ban of quack and pseudos working as agricultural extension officers, concerted effort on rural development, youth development and motivation of Community Development Associations (CDAs).
Earlier in his introductory remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kolawole Salako, stated that the 57th Inaugural Lecture was the third from the Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, the Sixth from the College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD) and the Fourth that he would be presiding-over as the Vice-Chancellor of the University.
The Vice-Chancellor, extolled Professor Apantaku’s spirit of hardwork, stating that he had served the University in several capacities and has over 74 publications to his credit.
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