1. Seedlings and Surplus – Agricultural Business in Ekiti State
Abstract:
Seedlings and Surplus – Agricultural Movement in Ekiti State
The paper argues that apart from man and nature, the most critical resource in
agriculture is seedlings and that investment in quality seedlings distributed free
to farmers and followed by improved farmer coverage will ensure self
sufficiency and production surplus in Ekiti State within two farming seasons.
The Government must, therefore, plan to effectively funnel the surplus into
commercial and industrial production with the ultimate goal of a private sector
led agric-economy.
SEEDLINGS AND SURPLUS – AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS IN
EKITI STATE
• Man is not a figure in the landscape, He is the shaper of the
landscape
• Nature, that is evolution, has not fitted man to any environment. His
imagination, reason, emotional subtlety and toughness make it possible
for him not to accept the environment but to change it
• Man must dominate his environment in the most important aspect.
Jacob Bronowski, mathematician, biologist, polymath and historian of science,
1908 – 1974
EKITI STATE: LAND OF HONOUR
The foundation of Honour is wisdom, it flows from the fountain of knowledge
• Created 1st October, 1996
• Population: 2,384,212 (2006 estimate) – 75%in agriculture and
agro-related vocation households
• Area – 6353 sq.km or 2452.9 sq. mls
• 16 Local Government Areas
• Per Capita Income – $1.169 or N187,000.00
• Important Arable Crops- Rice, Cassava, Yam, Maize, cowpea,
cocoyam
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2. • Important tree crops - cocoa, kola nut, timber, oil palm, citrus,
plantain, cashew, mango
• River/Reservoir– ogbese (ago aduloju), ireje, oni, egbe(little ose),
ogbese, itapaji, ero, aiyede.
• Minerals – clay, kaolin, columbite, lassirite, foundry sand, bauxite,
clarcomite, charcoalmite , granite, feldspar, marble
In addition to nature and man, the most important resource to agriculture is
seed, be it crop, animal or fish.
BASIC GENETICS OF WHEAT BREAD
• A bit of genetics of bread wheat will show that importance of seed
not only to Agriculture but civilization
• Accident of nature at the end of the ice age
• Wild wheat with 14 chromosommes + natural goat grass with 14
chromosomes = emmer with 28 chromosomes
• Emmer with 28 chromosomes + natural goat grass = wheat bread
with 42 chromosomes beginning of man-aided cultivation of crops
• One of the chromosommes with special mutation
• Jerichoearly agriculture
• Underlies the importance of seed to civilisation and switch from
nomad life to village/city life (Bakhtiari in Persia (Iran) are still nomads
today following the annual trail of the reindeer)
OPENING STATEMENTS
• Seed has always been critical to man survival and prosperity.
• Investment in quality seedlings, free distribution of same to farmers
will substantially increase harvest leading to self sufficiency and
massive surplus into farming seasons.
• The Ekiti State Government must challenge itself by turning
agriculture from an agendum in the eight point agenda to an agricultural
movement.
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3. • That can be achieved by enlarged farmers coverage in free seed
distribution and crop intensification to the extent that the 75% farmer
household of its population become the foot soldiers and part of the
agricultural movement.
• Government policy focus thereafter must explore fully the linkage
between agri-surplus, commercialization and industrialization and the
ultimate goal of a private sector led agri-economy.
CULTIVATED PRODUCTION AND YIELD OF CROPS GROWN IN
EKITI 2010
AREA
YEILD IN PRODUCTS
CULTIVATED
S/N CROPS TONS/HA (‘000MT)
(000HA)
2010 2010
A Cereals maize 162.86 2.17 352.53
Rice 119.11 2.27
Root and tubers –
B 82.4 18.85 1552.87
yam
Cassava 88.68 19.42 1722.53
Sweet potato 2.4 7.56 18.14
Cocoyam 23.84 11.44 272.66
Legumes –
C 21.46 1.42 30.40
Cowpea
Soyabean 4.93 1.45 7.14
Mellon 2.59 1.93 TT
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4. INCREASED CROP YIELD BASED ON CURRENT AGRO-PRACTICE
BUT IMPROVED SEEDLING
I II III IV V VI VII
YIELD/ha PRODUC
AREA IN TONS IMPROVED YEILD/ha (000MT
PROUCTS
S/N CROPS CULTIVATED (CURRENT SEEDLING IN TONS BASED O
(000MT)
(000HA) SEED VARIETY IMPROVE
VARIETY) SEEDLIN
Cereals Western Yel-
A 162.86 2.17 352.53 5 814.3
maize low Farz 7
Rice 119.11 2.27 270.3797 NERICA 4 476.44
B Cassava 88.68 19.42 1772.53 TMS 0203 31 2749.08
Yam 82.4 18.85 1552.87 TDr89/02461 30 2472.00
LOCAL IMPROVED
S/N CROPS YEILD MATURITY YEILD MATUR
VARIETY VARIETY
10 to 12
Amenolado 0.78 ton /ha CRIN SYN 3 3.3 tons 3 Years
A Cocoa years
CRIN SYN 4 2.0 – 3.0 tons 3 Years
2000nuts/tree/
Nitida 250nuts/ tree/year 8 to 10 years Hybrid 5 years
Kola Year
B
Nitida 2000nuts/tree/
Acuminata 250nuts/ tree/year 8 to 10 years Hybrid 5 years
Year
Oil Tenera
C Oil Palm 1 ton 7 – 10 years 3.5 tons 3 years
Palm hybrids
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5. Tilapia YY
1kg – Table 9 – 15 1 kg Table
D Tilapia Tilapia Male 4 – 6 mo
size/Indeterminate months size
(masculinise)
• From the above tables, it is clear that it is possible to substantially
increase agricultural produce figures in one farming without changing
current agro-technology
• As seen above, the increase in yield in maize is 131%; Rice is 70%,
Cassava is 55% and Yam is 60%.
• Introduction of improved agro-technology will catalyze the process
• Within two farming seasons, Ekiti State can achieve self-
sufficiency and also generate considerable surplus.
Actions to Drive Harvest Surplus
• Government must focus on selected strategic arable crops, in the
first phase of the Agricultural Movement, based on current agro-
technology and farmers’ familiarity - rice, maize, cassava and yam
tuber and for tree crops –cocoa and kolanut.
• Heavy investment in the procurement and propagation of quality
seedlings for free distribution to farmers.
• Modern Agriculture is high knowledge process – linkage between
the University of Ekiti, Ministries of Agric and Education, Science and
Technology is imperative.
• Such collaboration makes easier the development of agric-
laboratory, cultivar, germ plasma, genome bank, year round farmers’
metrological support, continuous improvement and evaluation of
seedlings and agro-practice.
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6. • To ensure availability - Seed Nurseries must be established,
sustained and fully funded with at least one in each of the 16 LGAs.
• Coverage of a substantial number of the farming population - 50% in
the first farming season and 75% from the second season resulting in an
agricultural movement.
• Government must empower the Ministry of Agriculture and related
Agencies to expand the current farmers support program – inputs, land
clearing, market management and information systems.
• Within the overall agriculture movement plan of action:
• The Rivers/reservoir systems must be audited for sustainable
predatory load and stocked with fingerlings.
• River/Reservoir beds must be reclaimed for farming year round
with simple surface intake irrigations systems.
• Particular attention must also be given to the seeds in the livestock
and fisheries subsector with procurement, domiciliation and propagation
of fish seeds, especially, the YY Male Tilapia for free distribution for
aqua-culture, farming and rivers and reservoir stocking.
• Domestication and propagation of grand and parent stock for
poultry – e.g. NAPRI Shika brown poultry and the NAPRI breed of
cattle and other proven domestic breeds or domesticated imported
breeds.
SUSTAINING THE GAINS FROM SURPLUS - The simple value chain
efficiency audit
• Looking at each link on the value chain to improve efficiency of the
gains assisting government policy makers to see various effective
intervention points.
• Example 1- Cassava – Products – Gari, Cassava pellets, Cassava
Flakes, Cassava Flour, Cassava Industrial Starch, Ethanol/Biofuel.
Farm Gate Processing- because of weight, Cassava (80% water) and yield
best within 24 hours
Gari, Cassava Pellets, Cassava Flakes
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7. Cottage/small scale plant – farmers and small scale processors
Provision/or support by Government/MDA for small machines – grater,
presser, pelletizer, fryer
Cassava Flour, Industrial Starch, Ethanol/Biofuel
Medium/ Large Scale Processors
Size, technology and funding dictates PPP and Private Sector
Government policy must be strong on incentive and guidance but minimal
on shareholding, day to day operations and control
• Example 2 – Maize - Products – Animal feed, corn flour, corn oil,
ethanol/biofuel
Animal Feed, Corn flour
Cottage/small scale plant – farmers and small scale processors
Provision/or support by Government/MDA for small machines – dehusker,
grater, mil
Animal Feed, Corn Flour, Corn Oil, Ethanol/biofuel
Medium/ Large Scale Processors
Size, technology and funding dictates PPP and Private Sector.
Government policy must be strong on incentive and guidance but minimal
on shareholding and day to day operations and control.
GOVERNMENT POLICY OPTIONS
• Long Term Perspective Plan looking beyond political tenure
providing framework for agricultural activities and investment climate
for private and out of state investors.
• Identification and courting of private sector investors for PPP or
private investment in agricultural production which becomes easier with
proven government drive for abundant raw materials.
• Government must have strong incentive regime for PPP and private
sector investors. This might include but not limited to:
(1) one-stop shop for approval to set up industry and processing plants.
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8. (2) mini agric-industrial estate in each of the 16 LGAs with basic
infrastructures – light, internal road network, water and even
warehouse/factory spaces ready for industrial machines.
• Government must stabilize market prices for farmers in the short-
run and work had for conversion into intermediate and final industrial
products in the medium term and long term.
• Government must consciously drive the inter-relationship between
inventions, science, education and agricultural practice by intensive
funding research and extension activities bringing together the
Ministries of Agriculture and Education, Science and Technology and
the Ekiti State University.
• Government must de-emphasize wholly owned state enterprises and
grow enterprises based on PPP where it is the minor investor, encourage
also private sector investors. The ultimate goal, in the long term, should
be a private sector led agro-economy.
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