Agricultural Input Intervention Profile

1. Access to quality inputs (improved varie es,
fer lizers, crop protec on products) enables
smallholder farmers op mize produc vity and
income – especially when coupled with good
agricultural prac ce.
Annually, Nigerian smallholders lose up to 40% of
produce to disease and pests, while poor access to
fer lizer impedes produc vity, household food
security and farmers' incomes. In the Niger Delta,
farmers record low yields due to limited availability
and use of quality agricultural inputs and poor
agricultural prac ce. Prior to MADE, the Federal
government made efforts to develop the
agricultural sector through interven ons such
as the Growth Enhancement Support
Scheme (GESS), providing subsidies for
fer lizer. However, there have
been unintended
consequences, such as a
weakened link
between
Constraints
MADE
Agricultural Input
Interven on
Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE),
a DFID funded programme being implemented
by Development Alterna ves Incorporated (DAI).
MADE is a rural and agricultural market systems
development programme using the Making
Markets Work for the Poor approach (M4P) to
design systemic and sustainable interven ons
that generate pro-poor and inclusive growth in
nine Niger Delta states: Abia, Akwa Ibom,
Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and
Rivers. The goal is to facilitate increases in
incomes for at least 150,000 poor people, of
whom 50% must be women.
The programme design is based on the
recogni on that poverty is the result of the
structure of market systems in which the poor
par cipate and that when markets work
efficiently and produce equitable outcomes for
the poor, such markets become powerful
vehicles for delivering growth and poverty
reduc on. MADE is currently implemen ng
interven ons in agricultural inputs, finished
leather goods, cassava, fisheries, palm oil and
small-scale poultry value chains.
Overview

2. agricultural prac ce. Prior to MADE, the Federal
government made efforts to develop the
agricultural sector through interven ons such as
the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme
(GESS), providing subsidies for fer lizer.
However, there have been unintended
consequences, such as a weakened link between
agricultural input suppliers and farmers – leading
to market failures in the agricultural inputs
supply chain.
For years, most fer lizer suppliers had the
government as client and had not sold directly to
smallholder farmers. Consequently, they hold
limited informa on of the market requirements
(i.e. demand for small stock keeping units) and
uncertainty regarding the appropriate
distribu on model to reach them.
To increase farmers' yield and produc vity,
MADE is addressing market failures by working
with interested agricultural input companies to
facilitate an increase in commercial access to
quality agricultural inputs. Through three
ini a ves described below, programme partners
are developing distribu on systems through a
network of agro-dealers who sell appropriately-
sized input units and provide agronomic advice
through training and prac cal sessions on
demonstra on plots. The programme is also
facilita ng access to finance for farmers and
retailers and the use of mobile technology to
scale adop on of good agricultural prac ces. As
at end of June 2017, Saro Agrosciences,
Syngenta, CANDEL, Contec Global Agro Limited
and Sproxil were inves ng in MADE piloted
interven ons in the agricultural input sector.
Improving agricultural produc vity through
access to inputs and good agronomic prac ces
This access to skills ini a ve facilitates prac cal
training of farmers on technical applica on of
improved seeds, crop protec on products and
fer lizers for op mum crop yield. MADE
supported the development of crop specific GAP
training manuals and improved the capability of
input retailers who in turn train farmers. Each of
the Agricultural Input companies in partnership
with MADE adapt the interven on approach to
fit their opera onal model. Partners have
engaged “knowledge retailers” who establish
mul -crop demonstra on plots to provide
technical advice on specific value chains and
demonstrate to farmers the value proposi on of
purchasing their inputs. While one of the
partners recruits agricultural extension workers
who supervise knowledge retailers in
Intervention
Strategy
MADEAgricultural Input
Interven on

3. Product price and availability: In the 2016-17 fiscal year,
the revised Foreign Exchange Policy triggered severe naira
devalua on and represented a challenge for input
companies and farmers. Limited access to subsidized
foreign exchange made importa on of products
challenging and resulted in reduced import volumes,
product shortages and doubled costs, making inputs cost
prohibi ve for many farmers and impac ng interven on
results.
New farm pest and diseases: The incidence of the Fall
armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), a pest that eats
through maize cobs and can destroy a whole farm, has
affected the scope of the interven on with private sector
partners - training curriculum and treatment protocols
have been reviewed to include preven on and mi ga ng
strategies for trea ng maize and vegetable farms.
each crop
As at June 2017, the MADE Agricultural inputs
interven on had reached over 74,000 smallholder
farmers who have par cipated in on-farm demonstra on
of good agronomic prac ces and access to spraying
services. At least 70,000 of the farmers have adopted a
wide range of prac ces exposed to them, including a
range of prac ces related to produc on planning and land
prepara on, and environmentally sound use of crop
protec on products throughout the farming cycle for
each crop Adop on of good agronomic prac ces is
leading to increased produc vity and income for
smallholder farmers. MADE has a partnership with the
Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and input companies to loan
funds to farmers and in Ondo state, about 150 cocoa
farmers benefited from the MADE supported BOA,
Syngenta arrangement. Loans were disbursed as part
input and part cash to farmers for purchase of simple
farming implements like machetes. A high point was that
95% of the farmers who got the loans repaid and
recorded increased yield because of the interven on.
establishing demo plots in areas where there
were no trained retailers, other partners engage
directly with farmers groups providing training
and inputs. Catalyzing the establishment of
commercially viable distribu on channels for
agricultural inputs aimed at increasing uptake
among farmers
This access to markets ini a ve facilitates the
establishment of commercially viable and
reliable distribu on channels through which
smaller stock keeping units of agricultural inputs
are sold directly to farmers. The programme is
working with lead firms willing to break bulk and
provide commercial quan es of appropriately
sized packs of herbicides and pes cides and
other agrochemicals, which increases product
affordability. The ini a ve also focuses on
training groups of farm support service providers
(i.e. sprayers) to provide fee based spraying
services to farmers.
Promo ng the applica on of ICT to disseminate
agricultural informa on to smallholder farmers
MADE is working with agricultural input
suppliers and ICT service firms to develop an
App4Gap - a mobile applica on to provide
farmers with agricultural extension services
aimed at improving their knowledge and prac ce
of good agricultural methods. This access to
informa on ini a ve will increase farmer
engagement, input use, prac ce adop on and
product authen ca on. To date, partners that
have expressed interest and commitment to this
ini a ve are Saro Agrochemicals and
Sproxil.
Risks
Results
MADE Office Address:
No 6 T A Phase II,ombia Street, GR
Port Har ourc t, Rivers State
Published by
Implemented By
Facebook.com/MADENigeria , @MADENigerDeltaTwitter:
/MADENigerDelta, @MADENigerDeltaYoutube.com Instagram
www.soundcloud.com/madenigerdelta, MADENigerDeltaPodcast: LinkedIn:
Medium: MADENigerDelta, Issu: MADENigerDelta
Slideshare.net/MADENigerDelta