By BABATUNDE JIMOH

The International Fund for Agricultural Development, (IFAD) President Kanayo F. Nwanze, has disclosed that Agricultural research has tremendous power to eliminate poverty as such should form the bedrock of Green Revolution in Nigeria.

He added that strong extension system cannot be overemphasized because it ensures the link between research and farmers.

In a lecture on how to revamp agriculture in Nigeria, the boss of one of three United Nations agencies based in Rome said “Extension takes the new technology from researchers to farmers. Through its interaction with farmers, extension feeds back information to researchers to adapt research results to the farmers’ needs.”

Kanayo F. Nwanze  noted that agriculture contributes about 45 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP and employs around two-thirds of the workforce, including 90 per cent of the rural population. Yet, the nation imports more food than it produces, and most Nigerian farmers are poor.

To reverse this situation, he said agricultural research has tremendous power to eliminate poverty as studies have indicated that every US dollar spent on agricultural research produces nine dollars’ worth of added food in developing countries.

“Agricultural research successfully drove the first Green Revolution in Asia. And it is agricultural research that must now drive a Green Revolution in Africa, as we work to feed a growing population at a time when climate change is starting to affect agricultural productivity.

“While agricultural research and development can lead to higher crop productivity and better water and soil usage, research in other areas is equally valuable. Research in medicine and healthcare, for example, can improve the health of poor people and in so doing can also improve their productivity and incomes.

While calling for more investment in science and technology, he urged scientists to understand the environment where their discoveries will be used, and the needs of the people who live there, adding “If they don’t, their research never gets beyond the lab.

“Equally important, we cannot and should not rely exclusively on research done in developed countries to address the needs of developing countries. No one is better placed to know the conditions on the ground in Nigeria and to discover the solution to the challenging conditions in Nigeria than Nigerian scientists themselves.”

Nwanze explained that for research to move from the lab to the field, it needs to be supported by a strong extension system and enabling policies that link research to products and markets so that the applications benefit both the public and private sectors.

“In the years ahead, more research in science and technology will need to be directed towards climate change adaptation and mitigation.

“Poor rural people are often the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Many live on ecologically fragile land and depend on agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry. Climate change is already having an impact on agriculture in many parts of our continent, leading to crop failures, livestock deaths and higher economic losses.”

Agricultural research, according to him, can ensure that the smallholder, the fisherman, the pastoralist, the forest dweller and the herder have the means to adapt to climate change.

“It can ensure that poor rural people, whose lives and livelihoods depend on the earth’s productive capacity, have the means to produce more and to produce it better.”

To revamp agriculture in Nigeria, the IFAD boss said, we must harness the best of pro-poor agricultural research and push the frontiers of innovation. “We must develop innovative and climate-resilient solutions, such as seeds that are more tolerant to drought or to floods, and make sure they are available to resource-poor farmers. If we don’t, our agricultural productivity will remain unacceptably low.

“It is not always the most advanced technology that reaps the greatest rewards. Sometimes, the best way to grow food is to go back to basics, building a rock dam to stabilize soil and collect water runoff, or constructing cisterns to collect rain water.”

He added “This is particularly true in dry land areas, where soils are inherently poor.  It is vital to first increase soil organic matter content, which determines whether inorganic fertilizers can be used efficiently, but also leads to more infiltration of rainfall and increases the water holding capacity of topsoil.”

Nwanze said not only does investment in rural development contributes to food security, he opined that it can help stem the flood of immigrants to cities and provide career opportunities for young people.

“We must also consider the impact of our work on the physical environment. Agricultural research successfully drove the first Green Revolution in Asia, but as we have seen in the decades that followed, too often it came at too great a cost to the environment and local species. And all too often, the spectacular gains of early years could not be sustained.”