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Current Research

Current Research Projects

i) Completed 

Personal/Team Research

  1. Socio-economic Analysis of the Impact of Agricultural Co-operative Organisations’ Study: The study investigated the capability of the farmers’ co-operative societies in transforming the rural economy to a more productive one. This can be realistic if members’ well being is better than non-members. The study has shown that co-operators and non-co-operators were not different in many of their personal characteristics; the co-operators were better in the economic status, adoption level, family health status, social-economic status and social participation. The study then established that participation in farmers’ co-operatives contribute to some dimensions of members’ socio-economic well-being. Co-operatives must be broad-based in activity to be a virile tool in transforming the rural economy.
  2. Construction and Validation of Co-operative Participation Index Study: The degree of participation rather than membership had been found to be an important determinant of impact of co-operatives on farmers’ well being. It was therefore found necessary to construct a tool to quantitatively measure farmers’ co-operative participation. A 15-item scale with reasonably high validity and reliability was developed.
  3. Rural Adults’ Attitude towards Farmers’ Co-operatives Study:Despite the relatively higher level of living of members, farmers’ co-operatives still record less than five percent in membership potentials. This study found this to be so due to the narrow coverage of activities and lack of co-operative awareness and education.
  4. Urban farming in Nigeria Study: The study found that majority of the city farmers did not target the market but consumption. The farmers indicated that they will continue should their primary income double, though, there is no programme on ground serving the interest of practitioners to enhance their productivity.
  5. Phased Participatory Extension Education System Study (PPEES): The designing of a framework for phased participatory extension education system for Africa [PPEES]. The key elements include functional phasing of extension, grassroots participation and inclusive education. The model is being piloted by some NGOs in extension/development interventions already. Positive feedback on its effectiveness is trickling in. Wider application is envisaged as more development projects adopt the model. 

Commissioned Research and Development Activities Participated In  

  1. Literacy Farm Projects Study (of the FGN/EEC Middle Belt Programme in Kogi and Kwara States):  The study has shown that the improved performance of farmers who participated in the Literacy Adult Education and Literacy Farm Project can be attributed to the use of the action-learning methodology.
  2. National Agricultural Research Project Study (Central Zone): The high potentials of the natural resource endowment of the Central Zone of Nigeria were brought to bear. It was also concluded that appropriate agricultural policy, institutional reforms and general revamping of the basic infrastructures are a sine qua non before the potentials can be effectively harnessed.
  3. Demographic Survey of the Bia Reserve in the Western Region, Ghana Study: (Protected Area Development Programme, Ghana; funded by European Union) - The study provided management strategies to enable regular and reliable monitoring of population, to ensure that a reliable record of demographic information is maintained for use.
  4. Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators Survey for Nigeria. [Sponsor, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and International Service for National Agricultural Research(ISNAR)]: Focus was on investigating the capacity and the effectiveness of faculties of agriculture and research institutes for the research challenges of the agricultural sector. Funding, Institutional / organisational bottlenecks and general lack of policy support had crippled the potentials the faculties and institutes.
  5. Quality Assessment of Basic Infrastructures Study: The study attempted a quantitative assessment of the basic infrastructures in Nigeria on the three indicators namely, availability, functionality and utilisation. The poor maintenance of basic infrastructures was glaring and it became obvious that there is the need for maintenance responsibility to be ceded to the government closest to the facilities.
  6. National Fadama (II) Development Project of the Southern States of Nigeria: (Project Coordinating Unit, FMARD; funded by World Bank). The study concluded that there are greater opportunities for the expansion of Fadama farming system in the south than hitherto exploited. It has a great potential to further improve the income generating and livelihood activities of the people especially women. However, all stakeholders must be involved in to forestall conflicting interests.
  7. Phased Participatory Extension Education System Study (PPEES): The designing of a framework for phased participatory extension education system for Africa [PPEES]. The key elements include functional phasing of extension, grassroots participation and inclusive education. The model is being piloted by some NGOs in extension/development interventions already. Positive feedback on its effectiveness is trickling in. Wider application is envisaged as more development projects adopt the model.
  8. Agri-Input Dealers’ Study: The study examines the technical capacity of Agri-Input Dealers in Advisory Service to Arable Farmers. It found that agro-input dealers are potential channels of advisory service delivery; they however require further technical and financial empowerment to be effective. More linkages with research and extension agencies are essential. 

ii)  In Progress

1.  Personal/Team

  • Young Rural Women Empowerment  Study.This study aims at designing a strategy for rural young women and girls empowerment through information and communication technology (ITC). Work is at the level of developing appropriate distance learning materials for subjects and making exploratory studies on the study area.
  • Stakeholders’ Linkage in the Cassava Industry Study.The aim of this series of study includes examining the effectiveness of stakeholders’ services in the cassava industry so as to maximise the gains of the Presidential Initiative on cassava. Again focus is on association building, participatory approach, commodity alliance model, public/private sector partnership and ICT as tools for achieving enhanced productivity in the sector. Work is in preliminary stage and it is expected to reduce project failure and in-sustainability common with development interventions in Nigeria.

2. Commissioned Research and Development Activities

  • Policy Advocacy Work on Fertilizer Regulatory System in Nigeria.Strengthening the capacity of Agri-input Dealers Associations of Kano, Bauchi, Oyo States and the Federal capital territory and their collaboration at Federal level under the auspices of the Farm and     Infrastructural Foundation (FIF) and with the sponsorship of IFDC/MIR Project. Several training workshops for technical empowerment in association building and policy advocacy were conducted.These efforts have assisted the associations to be more pro-active and productive; particularly, the policy advocacy work with all fertilizer stakeholders on Fertilizer Regulatory System for Nigeria has succeeded in accelerating the process of enacting the fertilizer policy within which fertilizer regulation is incorporated. Our research and development leadership at FIF  is facilitating the establishment of more Agri-input Dealers in other States where they are yet to be established.
  • Development of Production, Post-harvest Handling and Marketing of Selected Short-Cycle Tropical Fruits for Food Security and Export in Nigeria: A Needs Assessment Survey and Proposal on Needs-based Pilot Out-grower Scheme to Strengthen Short-cycle Tropical Fruits Supply Chain for Food Security and Export in Nigeria; for Common Funds for Commodity [CFC, Amsterdam] Intervention.
  • Exploratory Studies on Use of Communication Media as a tool in Community Development.Research designed to investigate the potentials on community/campus radio in achieving sustainable development at the grassroots level is under way. Collaboration with relevant stakeholders in community radio sector is being developed.