……@ WUFASAGR0NET, We don’t know more than ” Food “
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Throughout the period of colonisation there were massive commercial large scale farming in Cocoa, Rubber, Palm oil, Cotton, Groundnut (pyramids), Cashew nuts etc. with foreign exchange earning on agriculture amounting to about 70% of national budget.( compared with about 22% output we currently have) The production, infrastructure, and the economy were tailored to their(colonizers) needs rather than improving on the locals food crops, meanwhile, the few export products were extremely vulnerable to changes on the world market, export prices keeps rattling down while import goods were skyrocketing resulting in vast increase in national debts at the expiration of which (the loans) national treasuries are emptied while new loans would deeply interfere, intervene with national economy administration and structures. These has made it imperative for concerted efforts for massive investment in the development of Agroprenuerail business in Nigeria.

ÀDVERSE TREND
THAT MUST BE CONFRONTED

— Explosive rate of population growth at ( currently 211million) 3.2% (2021) in urban metropolises causing stress on available resources (At the growth rate of 3.2%, about 6million people are added yearly ).

—- Africa countries are increasingly relying on Food import or food aid at a time we are facing unprecedented heavy debts burden. Nigeria’s debt profile is #24trillion (Naira) in 2019.
— In recent times the issues of Security has come to the fore, “Boko Haram”Terrorist in the North East and the farmers/ pastoralists conflict with Banditry, Kiddnappings in the North Central of Nigeria causing major threat to both human life and farming activities this has excabated withdrawal from farming activities.

— Environmental degradation from deforestation, drought, overgrazing mostly causing erosion, increase intensity of cultivation drastically shortened period of fallow. desertification, soil degradation to reduced Capacity and productively.
— Political instability occasioning Policy Summersault and inconsistencies . Adherence to Maputo Declaration of 10% budgetary allocation for agriculture in Africa is very important.

SIZES OF FARM

Over 80% of farmers farm less than 10 hectare of land, these are considered small size. Large scale farms are considered based on kind of commodity produced, intensity of production, capital and input used these are considered suitable for such classification. The sales value proportion of total income derived are useful criteria for size determination.

CROPS AND ASSOCIATED PRODUCTION SYSTEMS TO WHICH LARGE SCALE FARMS ARE BASED.
– PLANTATION CROPS

Oil palm, Cocoa, Rubber, Tea, Coffee, Cashew nuts,
— ARABLE CROPS – Maize, Sorghum, rice, Cowpeas, Soya beans, Cassava, Yam , sweet potatoes wheat etc.

HORTICULTURAL CROPS

Mango, Citrus fruits, Tomatoes, ( in subtropical location these perform well in highland such as Jos.) Vegetables , Bananas, while Mangoes, Citrus fruits perform well in the Savannah areas.

— COMMERCIAL SEED PRODUCTION.- For hybrid maize, Cow peas, rice, vegetables seeds – with the increasing adoption of high yielding seed technology,the existing seed companies are unable to meet escalating demand. The stage is set more than ever for large scale seed production.

ANIMALS AND LIVESTOCK FARMS

Piggery, poultry, cattles, goats etc. eg ( Beef / Dairy) There is room for expansion of the national animals industries in view of the National Livestock Transformational Plan – NLTP
INTEGRATED PRODUCTION SYSTEMS – Poultry and vegetables production, Poultry and cereal production, Poultry and Fish farming, Grains/ pastural and Dairy, Rice / Veg, farming.

PRE – REQUISITE FOR LARGE SCALE FARMING

— Capital or Credit for the purchase of Land, equipment and services.
— Adequate knowledge of the environment for planning, forecast of weather.
— Greater capabilities in management, wider knowledge base, accurate record keeping and budgeting.
Choice of location, comparative advantage in relation to commodities and services.
Rural infrastructural development eg. good roads and transportational faciliies.
— adequate marketing arrangements and price incentives.
— Access to Reserch /development and innovations.
Timely supply of inputs in sufficient quantities and varieties.
— Availability of machineries with spare parts and repairs.
— Adequate human Capital resources at all levels and discipline or specialties.

FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY

The inability to produce enough Convenience foods desired to meet the demand of rapidly growing urban populations and those experiencing rising income, most of the huge quantities of imported food items are aimed for those in urban metropolises , the middle and above classes.

If only the Government could enact good and encouraging policies especially in R/D , innovation, with ease of obtaining food processing equipment (Custom- wise) .

The issue of HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT in food processing is very Germaine , training food handlers in Ethics of Food Processing Technology. This will enable globally acceptable food products. More convenient food products will be in the class of the FMCG (Fast Moving Commercial Goods) in Baking / Pasteries, Beverages (alcoholic and nonalcoholic) , Dairy products, Instant cereal foods and soup. etc.

AT WUFAS AGR0NET , We are Competent and Reliable Food Processing Technologists into Human Capital Development in (Sustainable Food Security and value Chain Development) Ethics of Food Processing Technology.

FOOD AND CASH CROPS AND THEIR LOCATION (SIX GEO- POLITICAL ZONES in Nigeria) OF COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE.

NORTH EAST

Pepper, Garden egg, Cotton, maize , Coffee, Tea, Groundnuts,Sugarcane, Baobab leavea, Soghum, Millet, Berries, pears and apples.
Livestock – cattles, goats, sheep, fishing.

NORTHWEST

Cowpeas, Groundnuts, Cotton, Millets, Tobacco, Maize, Wheat, Rice, Beans, Sugarcane, Cassava, Potatoes wide range of Fruits and Vegetables
Livestock – cattles, goats, sheep, poultry, and fishing .

NORTH CENTRAL

Cash crops – Tomatoes, Beniseed, Soya beans, G.nuts, Yam, Cassava, Guinea corn, Citrus fruits, Maize, Coffee Rice, Sweet potato, Soghum etc.
Livestock – cattles, goats, sheep, poultry and fisheries.

SOUTH WEST

Cocoa, oil palm products, Kola nuts, Rubber, Guava, Pawpaw, Citrus fruits, mango, oranges lemon, Essential oil- Sunflower, Castor oil, Mellon, Cassava, Yam,Palm kernel, Plantain, Banana, Rice etc
Livestock – The climatic conditions is very congenial for breeding Cattles, pigs, goats,ducks chickens and fishing / fish breeding.

SOUTH – SOUTH

Rubber, palm oil products, palm kernel, Cassava, Yam, Rice, Maize, Plantain/banana, fruits and Vegetables.
Livestock / Fishing.

SOUTH EAST

Palm oil products, Plantains, Yam, Rice, cowpeas, maize etc.
Livestock animal husbandry ,Fisheries, Poultry,

RISK

Agriculture being bioeconomic activity is subjected to prevailing conditions – climatic and otherwise in yield and fortunes in relation to :
— Changes in climate and weather conditions.
— Changes in technologies.
— Changes in government policies.
— Price changes.
— Appropriateness of location of commodities produced, technicalities involved in operations.
— Mechanisation in farming is very expensive as it required spare parts, repairs and staffing.

GOVERNMENT ROLES

• Provision of various farm inputs such as Equipment, Seeds,, Fertilizer,pumps, Agro chemicals- herbicide and insecticides. Issuance of loans at 1% interest rate.
  — Government must endeavor to buy up excess farm produce for storage.
  — Provision of dams and irrigation in arid land.

GREEN HOUSE TECHNOLOGY

Increasing Farm Productivity – one of the latest technology is the application of “Green House Technology” it assures the followings.

• Guarantee and controlled environment
• Easy control of pest and diseases.
• Provide opportunities to grow crop all year round.
• Long lasting high grade Cover design to last for more than 5 years.
• Small area bountiful harvest.
• Employment opportunities for youths and women.
• It comes with full package with farming needs such as : Quality seeds, high yielding hybrid variety of vegetables seeds.( tomatoes, pepper, cucumber sweet Mellon)
• Provision of seed to cover one season
• Crop protection and nutrition – Herbicides Insecticide and fungicide and water soluble fertilizer.
• Training of staffers in record keeping, irrigation ,crop husbandry, health and safety.

These are but a few details of large scale farming .

At WUFAS AGRONet, we are Consultant in Sustainable Food Security and Value Chain Development Livestock – RANCHING, Fisheries, Poultry and
HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT IN (ETHICS OF FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY) (FOOD SECURITY)
Contact: 08034064270, 08157784430.email: wufasagronet @gmail.com. fb, WUFAS AGRONET