NAN-AE-2
Partnership
By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko
Ibadan, Oct. 26, 2017 (NAN) Dr Idris Badiru of the University of Ibadan has advocated partnership between Ministries of Agriculture and Nollywood industry to promote agriculture.
Badiru, a Senior lecturer, Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development of the institution, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Thursday.
He said the partnership would enable Nollywood to produce films, movies and short documentaries portraying agriculture as a successful venture.
Badiru said: “It is a pity that every policy on agriculture since our democratic experience has been overlooking this great possibility.
“If we can use movies, films and documentaries to promote health, democracy and good values, why not agriculture, people need to see that agriculture pays and they will practice it.”
He called on government to maintain its momentum of revitalising the economy through agriculture.
The lecturer, however, stressed the need to increase budgetary allocation to agriculture and its supporting sub- sectors, including agricultural research, extension and infrastructural facilities to boost food production.
Badiru, who is also a Guest Researcher, Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala Sweden, noted that universities and research institutes should be well funded.
He said effective funding of these institutions would boost their efforts in developing the right innovations such as improved inputs for the farmers on time to increase food production and enhance food security.
“Quality research cannot be done in absence of electricity.
‘’An agricultural extension worker who cannot charge his phone will find it difficult to remind the farmers to listen to agricultural programmes his or her agency has packaged for promotion of an innovation.
“In the case that the farmers access the information and record bountiful harvest, preservation/processing comes at a high cost due to lack of electricity.
“It could also be impossible, in some cases, forcing the farmers to sell off the produce at give away prices because of another infrastructure or transportation is in a bad shape.
“So, the next season he either changes job or reduces his scale of production.
‘’Therefore, agriculture must be seen as a venture that moves along a complete value chain from input supply to the table of the consumer.”
He stressed the need for the media to change the perception of people about agriculture.
“We need broadcast that focuses on input/output relationships relating to expenditure and income, a potential investor wants to have ideas of making profits from an agricultural venture.
“Easy understanding of information on the economics of farming needs to be packaged and broadcast to the people.
“We equally need to showcase successful farmers, asking them to share their success stories to encourage potential farmers.’’
He called for the review of the interest rate banks in the country charged on agricultural finance, to enable more farmers have access to agricultural loans.
‘’No country develops with the kind of interest rate that our banks charge on loans, the interest loan rate of 27 per cent and above needs to be reviewed.” (NAN)
CC/OFN/DUA
Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Dada Ahmed