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University of Nigeria Virtual Library

Serial No

ISSN: 1596 - 8510

Author 1 MBAGWU, F.O.

Author 2

Author 3

Title

Technology for Agricultural Sustainability and Food Security: Gender Roles and Innovation

Keywords

Description Technology for Agricultural Sustainability and Food Security: Gender Roles and Innovation

Category Education

Publisher

International Journal of Arts and Technology Education

Publication Date

2002

Signature

VOL. 2, NO. 1, 2002 ISSN 1596 - 8510 1

1

1 1

TECHNOLOGY FOR AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY AND FOOD SECURITY: GENDER

ROLES AND INNOVATION

by h4rs. F. 0. M b a p z i ,

Depnrtment of Adult Educntion nnd Extrn-Murnl Studies, Uniuersily of Nigerin, Nsr~kkn.

ABSTRACT A rrlnjor econorrlic problerrl irr this corrrltnr is the decline in our ngr icu l t~~ra l productivity. This paper exnnlined pre- and post-war situntiorls of Nigerin's ngricrrltlrrnl sector nrld focused on the rreed for- tecl~r~ologicnl involve~nent in ngrictiltrrre ns rleedsforfootl, s l~el tm, good l ~ e n l t l ~ nrrd improved livelil~ootl arise. There w a s need t o exnntille variorrs ngricult~lrnl prodrrctiorr systems in otlrer cormtries zul~icl~ C O I ~ ~ serue ns n lenrning experience for Nigeria. Somegemfer roles and copingstrategiesfor nu~rrir~gslutainnbilit!l in foodsmir i ty were discussed Firrally, recornnwndations were made t o proffer solutiorls.

INTRODUCTION At independence, agriculture contributed significantly to

Nigeria's economy in terms of national output and employment. Altl~ougl~ agricultural practice was characterized by peasant farmins, mostly done by women, i t accounted for over 85% of the country's total foreign-exchange earnings. The standard of living of Nigerians was high when compared with other African countries.

With the Nigerian civil war (1967-1970) and discovery of oil wells in this country in the late '70s, the agricultural sector was abandoned. The oil wells became the major source of revenue, cvl~icl~ hiked our foreign exchange earnings.

According to Elendu (1998) available Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) records showed that GDP grew at l3.7%, gross national savings, 17.0% and capital formation was 21.5%. Also the third national development plan, originally budgeted to cost fQ33 billion was increased by fQ10 billion, totalling fQ43 billion. The oil boom ushered in loss of investment, abandonment of other financial income earners and gave

TECHNOLOGY FOR AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY AND FOOD SECURITY 65

du~leaders opportunity to be extravagant. . - In 1985, Nigeria's earnings from agriculture stood at $12 billion

&;dropped to $5 billion because of the oil glut. In 1986 the country's debt profile rose. Total external debt was $33.2 billion at 1991 because we resorted to importation of food and raw materials for servicing indigenous industries. The terrible economic situation led to closure of many ii-tdustries, increased unemployment, rural-urban drift, etc. Bukh (1987) confirmed the effect of migration in Ghana, tvit1-t lnell abandoning yam cropping for the city and there was substitutiol-t of less laborious cassava whicl-t wonlen cultivated.

Development in most advanced nations of the world is tied to technology and so there is an urgent need for Nigeria to join tl-te race in technological advancement by reviving her agricultural sector. Therefore, this paper tries to explore new technologies for enl~ancb~g agricultural produchvity and food security in Nigeria.

ROLES PLAYED BY WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE In the p x t men dominated agriculture and were concerned wit11

strenuous farming activities while women did lighter jobs but the story is quite diit?rel-tt in recent times. The United Nations Economic Comnuss~on for Xfrm estinlates that 60-80% of all agricultural works in Afrlca is done by women. Studies show that during agricultural seasons \\.omen work from six to nine hours a day in Nigeria, Zambia, and Lesotho (FXO, 1994). In 1984, the International Labour Organization 'vVorld Report also observed that women in Africa perform Y: to - t / 5 of tl-te agricultural work and yet their contribution to economic det.e!opment is neither recognized nor rewarded. They are the p r u n q r producers while the proceeds or sale of farm crops are the prerogative oi men who are almost not interested in agriculture.

In Sub-Sl-taran Africa, Asia, and Caribbean, women provide up to 80% of staple foods. They are also involved in livestock and dairy production. On the fields women farmers sow seeds, apply fertilizers, insecticides a d pesticides. They also harvest and thresh the crops and transport them to tl-te market on carts or on their heads. Thanks to modern technology that has made available wheel-barrows for transporting such goods but how many of these rural farmers can afford a wheel- ow? Women are also responsible for marketing the farm products, preparing foods for their families and hop to farm the next

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TECHNOLOGY FOR AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY AND FOOD SECURITY 67

rhe truth now is that w e need to move from a consumption-based zconomy to permanent economy using technological agricultural spproaches, basic scientific researches, and acquisition of basic 3gricultural knowledge/skills for self-sufficiency, sustainability and Food security.

Xscording to Obiefuna, (2000) sustainable agriculture should nvolve successful management of resources for agriculture to satisfy

changing human needs while maintaining or enhancing the quality of the environment and conserving natural resources. Sustainability includes productivity, stability, equity and food security. Agricultural sustainability can be achieved where there is assured economic, political, ecological and institutional sustainability. Agricultural technology includes arable crop production, animal husbandry, fish culture, and food processing like cassava, corn, rice and oil palm, which can be stored for consumption later.

Therefore, ~t is time for our leaders to start de-emphasizing nu1ital-y security ~ n d stress more on sustainable food security. This is important beca~se employment for our youths is assured, urban-rural drift ill be encouraged, inter-sectoral projects will be provided in the rural areas. But :t.e also need to remind ourselves that technological sustainable agriculture and food security cannot be achieved without equaIih. behveen genders, government involve-ment and strong link ~v i th extension services and the farmers.

DEVELOPlIEST APPROACHES BY VARIOUS G O Y E K i ~ l E S T S FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

The federal p w n n v n t encouraged enormous pcogrammes and estabiislwd rese~ril l institutes for improved agricult~lral production. Such progranunrs include: The Operation Feed the Nation (1976), the Green Revolution (1979), the Fish Multiplication Project (1985), River Basin Development Authority (1987).

The research institutes include: the National Root Crops Research institute (XRCIU) in Lmuahia, Abia State; the Institute for Oil Palm Research a t Benin, Cocoa Research Institute (CRIN) at Ibadan, Oyo State; the Xational Veterinary Research Institute, (NVRI) at Vom, Plateau State.

Loans to farmers were also encouraged through Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank (NACB) (Ijere, 1992), but all these

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68 EO. Mbagwu I

attempts did not yield a lasting dividend. The reasons for tfieir failures 1 may be attributed to, I

* Neglect of agriculture as a source of revenue in this country (by our leaders) for our natural oil welIs which are still fetching quick I

revenue to the country in spite of the global oil recession experienced in the '80s (Vickers, 1991).

* Many of these initiatives lacked national will; top-bottom- approaches were adopted, so they lacked involvement of the beneficiaries.

* There were duplications of purpose, unhealtl~y rivalries, absence of policy and institutional frameworkand poor delivery machinery, among others.

INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES THAT FAVOUR SUSTAINABILITY IN AGRICULTURE

Soil fertility management system: A major basis for sustaining every agricultural system is soil fertiIity management. This comprises creating favourable conditions for soil life and plant growth, nutrient application and soil conservation. According to Reijntjes (1997), soil fertility management depends on a combination of the following factors: the condition of the natmal resource base, the history of local farming, farmers' knowledge, their motivation, skills and degree of market orientation, the relative prices of inputs and the existing agricultural policy.

Farmers are becoming aware that more nutrients are extracted fro111 the soil than returned to it and are therefore adopting methods to reduce nutrient uptake by crops and encoura,oe the development of more sustainable farming systems. Green manures and cover crops have valuable uses besides soil fertility naintenance and improvement. Farmers are learning this, which will help them sustain widespread use and adoption of green manuring practices. 'The most common cover crops that can be ploughed into the soil as green manures are jack bean (Cmmvalia ensifornz is), tropical kudzu (Puert.rr'a phnsenloidcs) and perennial peanuts (Avaelvis pintoi).

Another important aspect of soil fertility maintenance is the use of organic manures and some identified key factors to its success are: 1. That farmers and women are very eager to learn about this and

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. TECHNOLOGY FOR AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY AND FCOD SEcu~1l-y by

implement it to change their situation; 2.. That a participatory process from problem identification to an . .

open-ended project approach should be encouraged; and 3.' That gender issues should be considered in such a way that there

is a differentiation in the allocation of resources between men and women. If we conipare the different means used to improve soil fertility

in Afr~ca and the crops grown using Kenya, Ethiopia and Nigeria as examples, we can see from Table 1 that the general trends in systems sustainability are towards maintenance of lost rutrients through recycling of organic and ir.orgaruc inputs (Smaling, et. all 1998; Eyasu, 1997; !vfortimore and Adams, 1997). Overall, the different measures used bv farmers to improve soil fertility are based generally on recycling of organic matter and nutrients in organic residues. Other innovative measures ussd by farmers to improve soil fertility include manure from stall-led anrmals, Kraaling livestock on fields, dung-water-stubble grazlng contracts, composting/crop residues, mulching tveeds/trash, crop rotat~on, intercropping with legumes, chemical fertilizers, urea, liming, termnitaria, leaf litter, ash and household waste, agro forestry, falIo;\., and bottle-method of drip irrigation during dry season.

SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION SYSTEMS Smtainable crop production is intimately linked with sustain-

able soil ferti!it\r n~anaoement because malnutritionstarts from the soil, 9

Inno~ati~.e methods of increasing food crop production are breeding crops for h:g!wr and sustained productivity and resistance to insects, pests and diseases (Scoones and Can~illa, 1999). Also different crop management practices can ensure higher productivity such as alley c r o p ~ i n ~ , kgume and grass-baed crop rotations and growing crops 011 orsanic residue-a~~~ended soils. Liberal application of fertilizers and l i n ~ ~ g to reJuce soil acidity are also cropping practices that can enhance productii.itv even though they are quite expensive when compared wid1 organic residues.

SUSTAIS.-\BLE AN1,MAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS .\cco:dir~g to Pretty and Rachel (2001) animal productionsystems

are l i d i d :<it11 methods used by farmers to get the best quality of meat and ssgs ts consumers. ~ h e s e methods cover the raising of livestock

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70 EO. Mbagwu

and milking the cows, buffaloes, oxen, etc. The innovative dimensions of these production s y s t e n ~ s consist ~ f ' ~ r o v i d i n ~ stress-free environment to reduce pains during growing, maturing and parturition on the young. They also involve treatment of the animals with pesticides to kill all endo- and ecto-parasites that infest animals.

AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY Biotechnological innovations in agriculture are geared towards

using high technology research to improve yields and quality of farm animals, livestock and crops ( A j a y ~ and Mndukwe, 2001). Biotechnological measures in animal production deal with improved methods for animal health, productivity and reproduction, which contribute to increased animal protein for humans (Ajayi and Madukwe, 2001). Engineered vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and DNA are used to detect and treat antibodies induced by some particular diseases. Artificial insemination neth hods now enhance conception in animals. Surrogate "mothers" are now used to hasten reproduction through embryo transfer in anirnals. These are just a few examples of the innovative approaches used to enhance animal production worldwide.

INNOVATIONS ADOPTED BY OTHER COUNTRIES FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY: A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR NIGERIA

Agricultural development demands continual innovations in order to make a better livelihood from the soil. Most developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin Anlerica are proactively doing something to relieve and enhance agricultural activities in the rural areas by providing coping strategies which farmers can adopt to proffer solutions to their numerous agricultural challenges. According to Gimnez (2001) the coping strategies include: making available new agricultural techniques to farmers so that they can shift from a type of food-aid dependency-syndrome (FADS) to self-help efforts (SHE), accessibility to good varieties of seedlings, good animal breeds, pest control, good processing, marketing and transportation network; linking up farmers with agricultural agencies; adopting various strategies for food security such as traditional resilience (TR) for crops which ensures food availability even d ~ ~ r i n g drought periods; growing

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION

j drought and pests tolerant variet~es of indigenous crops which are , shady immune to trad~tional environment; and ensuring social aspects

,f food security to prevent physical wastages of food, especially during narriages and burial ceremonies. Households can adjust family -onsumption In time of inflation and scarcity, use fumigants for pest .ontx-ol to ensure food security and cope cvith agr~cultural land disasters, yhich leads to land encroL~chment, land deforestation and land

degradation, among others. For exaniple land disaster in Venezuela last year gulped farmlands and rendered mill~ons homeless.

In Zimbabwe, Tun~sia and B r a d an advanced rehabilitative method was developed to address disasters like land degradation and erosion (Kibwana, 2000). The adoption of technological, sustainable agricultural techniques has also encouraged increased crop yield for 208 farmers from 52 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America who farmed on 25.92 million hectares (Pretty and Rachel, 2001).

Brazil: Through participatory research technique (PRT) farmers in Brazil adopted a 3-pronged measure (3-P-M) for agricultural sustainability and food security, which include: ecological soil management (ESM) which involves cropping without burning which safeguards soil nicro-organisnis, aids soil fertility by imp;oving fallow ~ e r i o d s cvith green manure and the use of lime; genetic resource management technique (GPXT) by farmers only identify traditional \.arieties and the traditional seed production methods; agro forestry management technique which involves accelerating natural plant succession and conserving unexpected forest species.

Tunisia: In Tunisia mass media was used to convey documented inno\-ati\.e ~,oricultural technology to both male and female farmers o n nel.\. farming tecliniques, artificial egg I~atcl~ing, nutrition and hovsehold income improvement (Noureddine, 2000).

Zimbabwe: In Zimbabwe, 70% of the population live in rural areas and most of them are women who play central roles in phases of food ~ r d u c t i o n . Thee women are now being empowered to obtain equal 3ccess to economic opportunities like agriculti~ral credit and loans, marketing facilities and appropriate technology for agricultural' ju_.tlinabilitv and food security.

2 d d a

PARTICIPATORY METHODS FOR TRAINING ADULTS IN INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY: GENDER

. I

ROLES a + - . - ' . ' + .

Throughout human history, technological education and its antecedents have been strongly sex-differentiated and gender- stereotyped. For example land clearing and ploughing are men's responsibility whereas planting, weeding, harvesting and marketing are women's responsibility (Mersh, 2001). Differentiated gender roles in Training and Participatory methodologies incIude the following:

1. Functional adult literacy (FAL): Llliteracy is a major constraint to development and a bottleneck which has serious effect on women's empowerment. For example, their access to formal and semi-formal financial institutions has remained difficult despite the legal equality with men. Low literacy level has continued to rob women of their economic, social and political empowerment. Hence, most farmers in developing countries exhibit poor response to new farming teclmology, empowerment training for improving their agricultural productivity, their livelihood and household income (Mfugale, 2301). For example, in Burkina Faso (FAL) enabled women to establish their dossier with banks so as to start their micro entrepreneurship. Also, in Sudan, neo- literates volunteered to undergo training for animal vaccinations (IFAD, 2000).

2. Group-based Lending Loans for individual, g o u p projects were obtained from banks by women as a group because it allo:ved them to overcome the requirements for individual collateral. Such approach was successfuIly adopted by women in Bangladsh (IFAD, ZCCO).

3. Women Macro Investments: IVith access to credit facilities, women tried out some innovations like soil cor-isewation technique, fish farming, l i v e s t ~ k rearing and production, irrigation of vegetable crop during dry season, seed multipLica tion and artificial insemination- Women take initiatives in their cash flow management, d iverse their income sources, enjoy and have control over their kcome.

4. Policy formulation: In recent times, women have played enormous role to be in the frontline of policy foffi-t&ticn in alI facets of developrr.ent. This has enabled them to distin,;?lish ~riorities of

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men from women, spell out methods for mainstreaning gender in a11 :ohponenfs, identifying constraints and possible kgal backings for Nomen's access to project resources o r adoption d technology. For ?xample, in Brazil and Tunisia, women were the succ~~sful key elements n many innovations (Mersh, 2001).

5. Other participatory approaches by women i d u d e Mass media literacy programmes Iike agricultural innovations and ex tension/rural farmers appraised programmes. This pro:; mnme encouraged distance learning, each-farmer-teach-farmer te :hnique (E-F-T-F-T), field diagnostic activities, which helped to idel -ify the needs of the landless poor and also encouraged innovators to de zelop their innovations while laggards embraced new farming techniclues. The success of these activities can be measured through participatory rural appraisal (PRA) to ascertain whether d f i s i o n has taken place.

RECOMMENDATIONS To overcome problems associated with agricultural 7roductivity

the following recommendations have been proffered. ~unctional literacy for womeri should-be encourage I to enhance their empowerment role in skill managem&&; leadership and overall societal growth. Women and indigenous groups should have access to land, rnicro- credit facilities support services (extension programmes) workshops/seminars on modern farming techniques, proper use of farm implements/inputs proper l~arvesting/processing/ marketing and storage techniques. Government, KGU's and financial institutions s11ouId encourage group [endino by x7omen in order to promote their home-based

9 micro e n t e r ~ r ~ e j . Women's labour, particularly in agriculture should be improved upon. Recognizing and supporting women's actual roles in all spheres of development, thereby avoiding gender stereotyping (men cut gasses, women weed grasses). Irstitute p r o p r W a g e s between farmers and extension agents, agricultural institutions, particularly for local sustainable initiative. Government policies should be made to favour our women who are neck d e p in agriculture.

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F. 0. Mbagwu

Zonal storage depots, consisting of silo complexes and cribs for grains, should be built by federal, state and local govern-merits, I

In doing this, knowledge and technology developed in our research institutions and universities should be utilized. These include for example, storage technology developed by I.I.T.A.,

-1 Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute, Ibadan, etc.

1 I

Mechanized farming should be encouraged. I Human capital should 5e l-ruiit through continuoils learning programmes. There should be prompt interveniions like growmg tree/grass to check disasters such m erosion and stabilize agricuttural lands.

TABLE 1 CASE,STUDY SITES -ND KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF

Kisil, I Western 1330- Kenya 2050

Welaite, Ethiopia

Kano, Nigeria I

'WE AGI Population density (PFm2)

ICCZTCRXL SUSTP Ferti Lizer

0.7- k..=.-r5, m

1.0 pj-rethnm V q r h bles,

tea. cofire,

VABILITY Harked General Trends 9ccess in System I Susbinabililv

P!ut~ient losses through leaching and erosion

I Nutrients concznbatcd on enset 9rdc.n. relies on .

1 manure and

I varied organic

orgnic and inorgnic fertilizers

..TECHNOLOGY FOR AGRICULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY AND FOOD SECURITY 75 1

crops A

Sorghum, millet, cowpea, groundnu ts benniseed, meton, irrigated vegetables,

rice, cassav;

Farx size (ha) 6.4-

11

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. --- -==.I., i.01. 16 (2), pp. 9-11.

Rainfall (mm/yr)

%00

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M&e Access

General Trends in System Sustainability Shortening fallows soil fertility depends on nutrient . transfers to in-fields through '

grazing

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