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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

In Nigeria and in many other developing countries, the transfer of technology model has been the prevalent practice for developing and spreading innovations. It is based on the assumption that a transfer of technology and knowledge from scientists to farmers will trigger development and alleviate poverty in the rural areas where most of them live. Farmer- to- farmer advice and learning by doing can also be a successful tool (Agritex, 1980). Nigeria has a two tier agricultural economy that is characterised by the existence of a well developed commercial farming with a subsistence-oriented sector largely based in deep rural areas. Agricultural activities ranges from intensive to extensive crop production, of cattle rearing in the grasslands and sheep farming in the arid regions utilizing both winter and summer rainfalls (Seti, 2003). An estimated million people in Nigeria engage in smallholder agriculture for various reasons, and the majority of these people are in the former homeland areas (Baiphethi, 2004).

In Nigeria, the economic importance of maize, as the staple crop is essentially its nutritive value and has displaced most indigenous cereal crops such as sorghum (Sorghum bicolour), since it is prepared and consumed in wide variety of ways. Moreso, maize is a staple diet and income earner for the commercial and small holder farmers in Nigeria. The industry is a mainstay of agriculture and of the national economy itself (Shimbo, 2008). Nigeria has made notable progress towards recovering its self- sufficiency in the production of this national staple crop (The Conservation Farmer, 2007). Government grants, loans and extension services have been crucial to the country’s self-sufficiency in maize production (ROA, 2009). Though most of the Nigerian blacks reside in the previously marginalized rural areas called homelands, they depend mostly on agriculture for self-sustenance. It is also expected that agriculture will continue to play a pivotal role in economic development (DOA, 2002).

In Owerri, the majority of people are engage in smallholder agriculture for various reasons, and the majority of these people are in the rural and also in urban areas. They involve themselves in agriculture because poverty has been persistent in Nigeria, as a result they are also engaged in cheap labour to improve their livelihood. However, they tend to depend on a combination of livelihood strategies for living. These include agricultural projects, social grants, remittances as well as cheap labour. Moreover, a lot of challenges and constraints have been faced by both project members and non-project members when it comes to agricultural production which in many cases results to less improved economic development. These challenges that project and non-project members encounter include lack of information, lack of skills, lack of funding, poor infrastructure, and poor market. This means that economic development in Anambra state  is less improved as agricultural development is stagnant.

Extension has normally promoted blanket recommendations for most agricultural technologies. However, the farmers environment is highly diverse with patches of high and low fertility, different soil types, microclimate and other variables which influence the performance of technology causing differences on vegetation and grazing types. According to Agritex (1980) the optimal management of such spatial diversity is only achieved if farmers themselves are knowledgeable about appropriate technologies and capable to adopt them to their conditions. Transferring blueprints does not help in managing environmental and social complexity, but farmer-to-farmer advice and learning by doing can be successful (Agritex, 1980). In Agricultural sector, the most common group in subsistence farming are those for food security. This group comprised mostly women who have access to a piece of land on which they can till and produce food while their husbands left home for work in the mines (Adams, 1981). This results in a large number of rural inhabitants migrating to cities like Durban and Johannesburg in search of better job opportunities and life in order to alleviate poverty. Sometimes the quantity of food produced is not adequate for the household’s requirement due to inadequate resources.

The female farmers who farm for this purpose insist that they will continue to do so, so that they avert hunger and reduce poverty (Baiphethi, 2009). The Nigerian government proposed to improve agricultural sector through provision of adequate extensionist and subsides to the communities. In rural areas, the main driver for the poor livelihood alleviation is agriculture. People in rural areas grow crops and raise livestock. Livestock provides milk, wool, hides, manure, meat and other non- commercial outputs like payment for lobola and transportation of goods using donkeys and oxen (Shackleton et al, 1999).