FULL ARTICLE

STUDY ON THE POTENTIALITIES TO INTRODUCE INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ADAPTED TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN JERE, MONGUNO AND KUKAWA LGAs

Action Against Hunger has been operating in Nigeria since 2010 in Jigawa, 2014 in Yobe and 2015 in Borno States of Nigeria congruently responding to both chronic and acute needs through a multi-sector strategy in both humanitarian interventions (Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), and now transiting to recovery and building resilience of communities, institutions and individuals mostly affected by the ongoing hostilities. The protracted conflict in North East (NE) Nigeria has increased population vulnerability to displacement, destruction, loss of livelihoods, malnutrition, food insecurity, inadequate health services, and poor sanitation since 2009.
The development challenges of the region are multiple: political (security, management of uncertainty), but also socio-economic (production of food and monetary resources, employment); ecological (wealth and vulnerability of an ecosystem weakened by drought episodes); hydrological (variability of rainfall and lake water level) and governance (weak State presence and decentralization which make difficult to provide basic public services and civil protection expected by the populations).
Action Against Hunger being the leading organization in a consortium which comprises CARE international, Search for common ground and group URD would be implementing resilience project aimed at improving economic and social inclusion and recovery in the lake chad region across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Part of the RESILAC project’s intervention plan includes intensified and diversified Agro-sylvo-pastoral production adapted to climate change in the Lake Chad shore of Kukawa, Monguno and Jere LGAs of Borno state.
Action Against Hunger being the leading organization for the consortium would implement multi-dimensional interventions among which sustainable agricultural interventions is a component in each of the four countries. In the inception phase (ending in November 2019), the project will carry out in each country an analysis of the potentialities of access to land and introduction and development of innovative and adaptable practices, which are climate-friendly. Test plots will be set up with agronomic institutes and/or decentralized agricultural services to test and show these practices.

ACF hired Fatoa and Associates Nigeria Limited (FANL), to conduct this study including field assessments in line with the international best practices with the support of the RESILAC country team and close supervising from the Technical team.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
The general objective of the study was to assess the agricultural practices currently adopted in target areas and analyse them in consideration to the contextual challenges with some specific objectives as follows;
(a) Identification of innovative and adaptive practices and techniques that are adaptable to the local climatic, cultural and security context for the selected commodities. It can include techniques already tested in similar agro-ecological context, with evidence of their efficiency in terms of yield improvement. However, it should take into consideration the limited capacities of small-scale farmers (the techniques proposed should be affordable for them).
(b) Identification of sustainable agricultural strategies for improved agricultural practices. By strategies, we mean agricultural system in terms of land management: introduction of new species, introduction of improved ways to valorize limited surfaces for increased economic outcomes and for more stable incomes within the year. It should not be limited to technical itinerary but take into account the management of the whole farming system: integration of livestock, of relevant agroforestry practices and more generally of improved ways to manage operating account, taking into consideration the nutritious needs of farmers’ households (self-consumption) and the opportunities in local markets (market-based approach);
(c) Identification of key technologies and equipment that can be introduced in target communities to facilitate the application of such innovations. These technologies and equipment should be adapted to local craftsmanship: raw material should be locally available, and the skills requested should be relevant with local craftsmen abilities (they should be able to build this equipment after proper training).
(d) Establishment of mean produce yields (Crops and Livestock) for the targeted/ preselected commodities in the local area.
(e) Identify key constraints that limit the farmers’ capacity to effectively embark on the production of the selected commodities
(f) Development of training manuals related to the new techniques/innovation/farm management for the selected commodities.
(g) Training of AAH RESILAC team and external stakeholders on the findings and the innovations.

USE OF THE STUDY:
The study formed part of the inception phase report or reference document that gave direction to the program as regards to the most appropriate. The findings translated into training manuals was rolled out to key stakeholders involved in agricultural extension services in the areas of intervention (academic institutions and government technical services).

GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE COVERED BY THE STUDY:
The geographical scope of the study covered selected productive areas in the three (3) LGAs of Kukawa, Monguno, and Jere of Borno state. Security considerations was also considered in determining the exact communities covered by the study. Efforts was made to only consider places that are fully accessible and safe, in order not to put the consultant and other relevant staff at risk.

SCOPE COVERED BY THE STUDY:
The commodities which the production techniques was object of investigation was pre-selected by the RESILAC team ahead of study to restrict the scope to those that best reflect to the project’s objectives. During the study’s inception phase, the consultant was tasked to conduct a literature review to validate the selected commodities.

The study was focused on innovative practices relevant for small-scale farmers and able to help them improving their living conditions through self-consumption (nutritious food production) and income generation all along the year (economic resilience). The practices should take into consideration the double challenge of climate change (unstable climate, trends of scarce, irregular rain) and security (access limited to small piece of land on a radius of few kilometres around villages, ban on nitrogen fertilizers and restrictions in crops allowed to be sowed).

The techniques studied was focused on agro-ecological practices and should avoid relying on costly and environmentally dangerous agro-chemicals inputs. The use of non-organic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicide can be studied but only in a sustainable way (fertilizers micro-dosing, use of non-organic herbicide/pesticide as a last resort, and at minimal dose). The study and its recommendations should be in line with AAH policy on agro-ecology.

The practices studied and recommended covered a large scope and was not be limited to farming operations: it include farming systems management (strategic planning, improved operating account).

LESSONS, ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of findings
This study revealed that most of the household income came from crop and livestock production. Therefore, Climate change constituted a major threat to smallholder agricultural practices in the region. Overall, the knowledge of farmers on innovative agricultural practices was very poor therefore necessitating the introduction of innovative practices from similar regions in Africa that shares the same environmental, social, and economic conditions. This was important if the farmers can continue to rely on agriculture as a means of livelihood. The farmers were willing to switch from local crop varieties to drought and stress tolerant crop varieties, adopt improved livestock feed management and water management if supported
Constraints to agricultural production identified include: low rainfall, poor soil, lack of capital, lack of agricultural capital/credit and lack of market information. However, the biggest constraint to majority of the farmers surveyed (about 60%) was lack of capital/credit.
It was also found that majority of the farmers use un-improved seeds mostly from previous year’s cultivation. This practice partly contributes to the low agricultural yield recorded in the study area. The farmers’ knowledge and level of adoption of innovative soil and water conservation technologies is very low ranging from 1-25%.
The farmers were generally willing to embrace agro-sylvo-pastoral agricultural systems in order to adapt to climate change. However, they need security protection, agricultural tools and implements, water supply, agricultural inputs, agricultural credit, grants and credits and access to more land.

Conclusion
Although, 80% of the people in the three (3) LGAs were farmers but more than 75% depends on handout and remittance from relations or humanitarian organizations for livelihood. This finding clearly demonstrates the huge unmet agricultural potential in the area.
Small landholding depicts a situation that was untenable for profitable agricultural production. From the social development point of view, climate change has led to decreased agricultural production, household income and people general well-being. Environmentally, it has led to a decline in precipitation, decreased vegetation cover and soil quality and increased pests and diseases among other problems.
The knowledge of farmers on innovative agricultural practices was very poor which necessitates a more comprehensive extension services in the area. Support to the farmers in the form of agricultural credits, inputs and extension services can go a long in way in helping them to be resilient to climate change.

Key Recommendations
• RESILAC should consider partnering with seed development research and marketing agencies to acquire and distribute these improved seedlings and planting stocks to farmers at subsidized rates. The farmers can also be trained on how to grow and select good seeds from their own farms and raise tree seedlings in their own nurseries.
• Innovative and affordable soil fertility restoring practices needs to be identified and introduced to help the farmers maintain or restore the fertility of their soils. Some of these practices include: composting, use of farm-yard manure, municipal solid wastes and treated sewage. Improved agro-sylvo cultural practices used in fertility restoration should also be considered. Some of these include: the intercropping with leguminous species, crop rotation, mixed farming (crop and livestock in the same farm), cover cropping, planting of catch crops and green manuring.
• In order to make the intercropping with legumes successful, new and adapted leguminous species should be introduced so that the farmers can adopt. Examples include: soya beans, sesbania spps, crotalaria spps etc, In addition, the practice of agroforestry also help in fertility restoration alongside numerous other economic advantages. Agroforestry species that could be introduced include: Moringaoleifera, acacia albida, Gmelinaarborea etc. Care should be taken in selecting the agroforestry species to suit the climatic and vegetation characteristics of the area. In view of this, it is recommended that AAH/RESILAC should liaise with local research institutes to identify the most suitable agroforestry and leguminous species that are adaptable to the region.
• Pests and diseases control: Biological and cultural methods for pests and diseases control are strongly recommended for introduction into the study area. Neem seeds and leaves extract have been found to be an effective insecticide in many regions like the study area. Examples of cultural practices include proper timing of planting, proper spacing and husbandry.
• Quilea birds control: It is strongly recommended that effective cultural a control techniques such as altering their life cycles, disrupting their nesting sites and egg incubation period (cycle) should be encouraged.
• Livestock production: Improved livestock breeds adaptable to the region should be provided to the farmers. The introduction of poultry (broiler birds, quails, guinea fowl and pigeon), rabbitry and small ruminants (sheep and goats) should be considered. Provide stalk crushers and molasses to enable the farmers utilize farm residues as feeds. The lack of feeds also necessitates the need for Identification of additional sources of livestock feeds.
• Agroforestry: Agroforestry (crops and trees) production was also suitable and relevant in the region because it has environmental, economic, and social benefits
• Diversified farming systems: The farmers need to be trained on relevant adaptive practices in the following key areas:
(i) Year-round production (rain fed and irrigated systems)
(ii) Mixed farming (livestock and crop production in the same farm)
(iii) Mixed cropping (intercropping, alley cropping, crop rotation, cash/food crops, leguminous/non-leguminous crop etc)
(iv) Agro-sylvo-pastoral farming systems