THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES IN INCREASING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA

THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES IN INCREASING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA

abstract

Given the abundance of agricultural opportunities throughout the country, Nigeria has no justifiable reason to be among the over one billion people currently facing the threat of hunger around the world due to a lack of increase in agricultural production. One of the reasons for the establishment of the Enugu State Commercial Agricultural Development project is to assist medium and small scale farmers in increasing agricultural production in the state and the nation. The research is an empirical study conducted scientifically through the use of statistical data from a questionnaire administered to a well. Enugu state employees were informed. The Commercial Agricultural Development Project and some of the farmers who benefited from it. A widely used statistical tool was used in the methodology. Primary data was collected through questionnaires and personal interviews with the target group. The research data was collected, presented, and analyzed using percentages and obsolete values. The study’s findings show that the scheme or project has helped a lot of farmers in Enugu state by providing grants and other moral support. As a result, we can affirmatively conclude that a lack of food security is endemic to our economy’s growth and development. Recommendations on how to move forward for the growth of our economy and the nation as a whole were also made.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1      BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Agriculture has been the backbone of the Nigerian economy, providing employment and a source of income for the country’s growing population. At the time of Nigeria’s independence in 1960, it accounted for half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Balogun, 2000: Olagunju, 2004).

However, the role it plays in Nigeria and the country’s economic development has dwindled over time due to the dominant role of the crude oil sector in the economy and the Gross Domestic Product aggregate share. Despite this, the sector accounts for approximately 40% of GDP and employs approximately 60% of Nigeria’s 144 million people, both formal and informal (Digbokar, 2001, Onyeahialam, 2002, Dagunju 2007, National Agricultural Economy and Policy Report; 2009, Odoemation,

2011).

The federal government established a series of agricultural policies in order to fully revitalize agricultural production in Nigeria. The National Accelerated Food Production Programme: Operation Feed the Nation; the Agricultural Credit Government Scheme; River Basin Development Authorities; the Green Revolution; and the National Agricultural Land Development Authority are among these policies (Aigboxar, 2001, Akande, 2006). The World Bank-supported Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) were also launched in 1972 (Balogun 2000, Okeke 2000) to improve the traditional system of production and raise the productivity, income, and standard of living of small-scale farmers, who supply more than 60% of Gross Domestic Food Supplies (Olayemi, 1980, Ayichi, 1995). The success of pilot schemes launched in Northern Nigeria’s enclave areas of Funntu, Guzan, and Gombe led to their nationwide expansion in 1984.

Fasoranti (2006) and Auta and Dafinang (2010) are two examples.

Commercial Agricultural Development Project (CADP) is a federal government of Nigeria initiative to diversify economic growth away from the oil and gas sector.

The project aims to improve agricultural production in Nigeria by assisting small and medium-scale commercial farmers and agro-processors in commercializing agricultural production, processing, and marketing output.

To achieve the desired goals, the project aims to improve commercial farmers’ access to new technologies, improved infrastructure, finance, output markets, and strengthening agro-access to market for some targeted value chairs among commercial farmers. This pilot phase of the project involves five states: Cross River, Kaduna, Kano, and Lagos. The importance of character is being promoted in

Enugu’s staple crops are poultry, fruit trees, and maize.

It is expected that the amount of resources spent to improve the well-being of the people should reflect the amount of resources spent to improve the well-being of the people, so the project is focused on the extent to which the World Bank-assisted project has actually helped to enhance the socio-economic development of the people of the state in general.

Every year, the World Bank, through its agencies, initiates and implements programs and projects aimed at alleviating the state’s people’s problems. These projects are intended to contribute to the state’s socioeconomic development. These are packaged to bring out the best in them. Because the projects are focused on people, it is critical to examine the role of their projects.

from the outside looking in on the state’s socioeconomic development. Is the World Bank’s assistance to the state’s socioeconomic development efforts genuine?

What is the World Bank project’s role in the state’s socioeconomic development effort?

It has been observed that the World Bank project in many countries is aimed at improving people’s well-being. It is intended that Enugu State’s case not be an exception.

1.2      STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

The following problems/challenges are addressed by research work:

– The majority of international aid does not reach farmers in most cases.

– Because international agencies are unaware of the basic needs of Nigerian farmers, most of their interventions fail to address their direct needs (foreign intervention)

– Corruption-related issues make it difficult for international organizations to have the desired impact in the Nigerian agricultural sector.

– Farmers’ illiteracy and ignorance are making it difficult for the adoption of modern farming practices to have the desired effect in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

– The majority of farm inputs are obsolete and out of date in terms of achieving the desired improvement.

1.3      OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The primary goal of this research is to determine the extent to which international agencies play a role in increasing agricultural production in Nigeria. An examination of a World Bank-supported project in Enugu State (A case study of commercial Agricultural Development project CADP).

The specific objective is concerned with the purpose of the research work, and these objectives are as follows:

1. Research the socioeconomic characteristics of commercial agricultural development program beneficiaries.

2. Determine the conditions that will lead to commercial agricultural development programs approving farmer grants.

3. Determine the level of compliance with counterpart funding from commercial Agricultural Development program beneficiaries.

4. To ascertain the level of synergy which excist between the donor, ie World Bank, federal government and Enugu State Government.

5. Determine the number of beneficiaries

1.4      RESEARCH QUESTIONS

These research questions were created in order to collect data for this study.

1. What are the socioeconomic characteristics of Commercial Agricultural Development program beneficiaries?

2. What are the steps to becoming a beneficiary of the Enugu State Commercial Agricultural Development Scheme or a project grant?

3. How many kilometers (kilometers) of roads has the Enugu State Commercial Agricultural Development Programme built?

4. How many people have been helped by the Enugu State Commercial Agricultural Development Programme or Project with grants?

5. In which areas has Enugu Commercial Agricultural Project or Scheme been granted funding?

1.5      SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is significant in the following ways: It will be beneficial to the government. It will greatly assist agricultural policymakers in developing effective policies. It will also be useful to students conducting research on a related topic.

The general public will benefit from knowing the extent to which international agencies have played a role in increasing agricultural production in Nigeria. It will also assist the researcher in expanding his or her knowledge.

This research will also provide farmers with the necessary information on how to access aids (financial aids) to improve their project. International agencies will be better informed on what the needs of the farmers are, allowing them to channel their resources accordingly.

1.6       SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

The scope of the work is limited to Enugu state and all of its communities. Each community has one peculiar and pressing socio-economic problem or the other and this necessitated the sitting of the project.

As a result, a project is sited to serve many communities regardless of location to reflect the needs of the community in particular.

It should be noted that many factors, such as time, money, and poor responses from rural communities, hampered the depth of the work.

Because the researcher needed to visit several rural areas to verify the conditions of some of the projects that were located there. Some respondents found it difficult to answer simple questions about the project in their area.

communities for fear of political victimization.

The majority of the researcher’s time was spent on repeat visits to respondents, which had a significant impact on the researcher’s financial strength as a student. Even in and semi-urban areas of the state, where the researcher expected community leaders to willingly respond to the question, it was not as simple as anticipated. Community leaders, such as traditional rulers, were not forthcoming to critically elaborate on the state of projects located in their community because the majority of them (infact all the Igwes are paid by the government). So, whoever plays the piper sets the time.

1.7      DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following terms are defined to help you understand the project’s context.

THE WESTERN BANK

The World Bank is a multilateral financial institution that lends money to developing countries for capital projects.

Poverty reduction is the World Bank’s official goal.

DEVELOPMENT:

It includes improving citizens’ well-being, eradicating poverty, eliminating inequalities, income distribution, providing access to basic needs such as shelter, food, clothing, health, and education, creating job opportunities, and popular participation in information and policy implementation in a given society.

INTERNATIONAL

This implies dealing with more than one country. It is also an integration between or among nations, pertaining to the intercourse of rationing in which two or more nations participate.

PRODUCTION:

The act of producing, meaning, or creating something is referred to as production. It is also the act of introducing something for use or consideration.

AGRICULTURAL

Agriculture is the science of cultivating the land, including crop harvesting, livestock rearing and management, tillage, husbandry, and so on.

COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE PLAN

It is a body established by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the World Bank, and the Federal Government to investigate agricultural issues, assist in the enhancement of agricultural faculties, and motivate farmers.