Mkpado, Mmaduabuchukwu, Anugwo Stanley C. and Egbunonu Chinwe M

Department of Agricultural Economics and ExtensionFederal University Oye-Ekiti, Nigeria

mkpado@gmail.com; mmaduabuchukwu.mkpado@fuoye.edu.ng

13th- 16th October, 2015 @ UNECA , for Regional conference on use of mobile devices for data collection

Outline IntroductionSome Facts on Farmers Registration with Mobile Devices in Nigeria

Some peculiaritiesConclusion

INTRODUCTION

Smallholder farmers are particularly vulnerable to climatic and economic shocks.

The majority of the poor lives in rural and remote areas and their livelihoods consist of smallholder agriculture.

A concise thought and plan of actions that will take into consideration the situations surrounding the local people and their capacities are needed

Some Facts on Farmers Registration with Mobile Devices in Nigeria

One must be a farmer (Crop farming or animal farming), no matter how small the farm is

Posses a valid and recognized means of Identification (Government Identity Card) (ID): Voters Card, International Passport, Drivers License or Farmer’s cooperative ID Card).

A passport size photograph.One should also know the size or approximate

size of your farm before hand as you will be required to give this info.

A one way communication exist for now

Agricultural Ecological Zones of Nigeria

Different types of crops and livestock

•Different crops and livestock husbandry practices and different crops and livestock breeds

Livestock- ruminants and non ruminants Ruminants – large ruminants –dairy cattle, beef cattle Small ruminants-sheep and goats, imams and alpacas, rabbits Non ruminants – poultry-turkey, quails, chickens broilers,

layers local chickens Non ruminants –pigs –local pigs, improved breeds •Fish: Catelegenious fish

.catfish•Bonny fish tilapia, , crobrachuls

Different types of crops and livestock Cont.

Crop classification using functional approach •Food Crops Cereals –rice, maize, millet, sorghumRoot and tubers Roots-cassavaTubers –yams, cocoyam•Vegetables –leaf –spinach/green, cabbage, •Fruit vegetables –carrots, cucumber, okra, tomatoes, green

beans, water melonPlantation cropsFruits-

pineapples, pawpaw, guava, plantain and bananasBeverages-

cocoa bean, coffee

Sample survey questions . Which type (s) of crops do you grow?(a) cereals (b) legumes (c) root and tubers (d)

vegetables (e) beverages(f) oil crops Which type (s) of cereals do you grow?(a) maize (b) rice (c) sorghum (d) millet (e)

wheat Which types of farm animals do you rear?Which type of livestock do you rear?(a) Poultry (b) pigs (c) cattle (d) rabbits Which type of poultry do you keep?(a) turkey (b) quails (c) broilers (d) layers (e)

local chickens

Varied units of measurements land sizes: in acres, plots, chains and hectares and

Weights: tones, Kilograms, gramsLength- meters, centimeters, inches,

In some places lands are commonly measured in hectares other use acre.

Others Bags: 205kg. 50kg, tins, baskets Similar trend goes for weight and length

measurement. There will be need to provide the people with

opportunity to choose options they are familiar with.

The computing system will convert to a unified standard.

Illiteracy problems and multiple languages

English: (a) maize (b) cowpea (c) ground nuts (d) palm oil (e) onions

Igbo: (a) oka (b) agwa (c) ahuekere (d) nmnau nkwu (e) aliboshi

Yoruba: (a) agbado (b) ewa (c) Epa (d) Epo (e) alibasa

Hausa: (a) masara (b) wake (c) jita (d) manja (e) alibasa 

Some peculiarities Cont. Poor information communication technology

skills in the use of mobile phones Different Production and productivity indices Inputs usage and Production processDifferent Challenges of pests and diseases

incidences on farmPoor political will in agriculture and rural

developmentCultural practices and some worth stereotype

activities in agriculture by gender; religious consideration!

Some peculiarities Cont. Poor motivation for participation in

government projects because of past disappointments experienced.

Security issuesDifferent agronomic practices and

requirements for specific crops and livestockDifferent marketing channels; Prices: Farm gate, whole sale, consumer prices Poor network services

ConclusionThe nature of complexity of the livelihood of

the rural populace actually required some unique consideration for accurate and effective data collection using mobile devices in Nigeria.

This has to do with first understanding the nature of the agriculture as a livelihood of rural people,

Second the ecological and seasonal variations,

Third the language and cultural differences, Forth socioeconomic characteristics/outlook

of the farmers, Fifth the market and services structure as

well as the political and governance outlook.

Conclusion Cont.The paper has tried to illustrate some of

these features and possible considerations required.

It calls on officers, organizations and farmers to see these unique requirements as challenges rather than obstacles.

The paper is optimistic that well motivated staff, sound implemented and flexible programme and projects aimed at contributing to sustainable development goals can met the challenges.

APPRECIATIONTHANKS