Harnessing the power of cluster farming for sustainable agriculture

The Nigerian government recently declared a state of emergency on food insecurity in an effort to tackle food shortages, rising prices, and poor productivity among farmers. However, without making significant changes to traditional farming practices, these efforts are likely to be ineffective.

Reports show that despite efforts to transform subsistence farming into a commercial operation, many farmers in rural areas of Nigeria remain subsistence-oriented. Low incomes, unstable livelihoods, and insufficient funding have been identified as key factors inhibiting the performance of the agricultural sector in Nigeria, and this has had a negative impact on the country’s drive to ensure food security and create employment opportunities that lead to wealth creation.

As globalisation and large-scale commercial farming put increasing pressure on smallholders, many of them are at risk of going out of business. To this end, cluster farming has been identified as an economically viable practice that can help sustain small farmers, farmers with limited resources, and socially disadvantaged farmers in their agricultural operations. This practice, experts say, can address the issues faced by farmers in rural areas and help improve the overall performance of the agricultural sector.

Cluster farming, as defined by agronomists, involves a group of agricultural growers in a region coming together to form a collective that enjoys economic benefits, shares burdens, and uses modern farming techniques and equipment. Small farms called “satellite farms” form clusters around larger farms called “hub farms.” These clusters allow the smaller farms to benefit from research and innovation, and the sharing of modern farming techniques and equipment.

The benefits of cluster farming include the sharing of recent and expensive agricultural research and technology, access to affordable farming inputs like fertilizer and pesticides, a better marketing and distribution chain, and access to extension services. Above all, cluster farming can help increase productivity.

The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have recognised agricultural clusters as an efficient way to improve agricultural and agro-industrial development, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. The ITC and FAO both recommend cluster farming as a sustainable way to support agribusiness and agro-industrial development.

In addition to recommending agricultural clusters as a sustainable method of supporting agribusiness and agro-industrial development, the FAO advises governments to improve the system through comprehensive and participatory monitoring, evaluation, and supervision.

Patrick Tolani, CEO of CADFA, believes that cluster farming can help reduce attacks on farmlands. As a UN consultant, Tolani advocates for more investment in the farming value chain, through partnerships with external parties and the government.

Yinka Adesola, an organic farmer and founder of Farmvilla Resource Centre, defines cluster farming as a farming model that involves farmers growing the same crop in the same vicinity or location. This gives farmers a shared sense of purpose and allows them to exchange ideas, equipment, and resources.

Highlighting the benefits of cluster farming to agricultural development, Adesola noted that the farming process offers the group of farmers the following advantages:

-Helps share  innovative ideas and access research, market, and technical information more easily.

– Offers farmers access to quality inputs and certifications, which are often expensive and risky for farmers operating individually.

– Allows farmers to access loans and machinery more easily, and to get technical support when needed.

– Makes it easier for farmers to resolve labor issues by assisting each other on their farms.

– Improves security, as members can pool resources to hire effective security.

– Reduces production and transportation costs, and improves negotiating power.

Solomon Samson, CEO of Agriwealth Integrated Farms, defined cluster farming as smallholder farmers forming a group to share resources and reduce the risks involved in agribusiness.

 Samson highlighted that most smallholder farmers cannot afford equipment like tractors and plowing machines, and that cluster farming allows them to share these costs.

Samson explained that cluster farming works like a cooperative society, where a group of farmers come together for the purpose of mutual development and collective action.

This approach, he noted, allows farmers to share resources and knowledge while minimising costs.

“One of the major problems of fruit and vegetable farmers,most especially cucumber farmers, is that the market determines the price rather than the farmer determining the cost of production. In this case, cluster farming can influence the market and that’s one of the solutions to market determining price for farmers,” he said.

According to Samson, cluster farming could have helped mitigate the impact of the recent flood crisis on the agricultural sector. He explained that if farmers had pooled their resources in a central treasury, they would have had access to funds and other resources needed to sustain production. Samson also pointed out that cluster farming allows for easier access to inputs and knowledge through training and empowerment.

Samson observed that financial organizations prefer to give funds to clusters of farmers rather than individual farmers.He also noted that distrust among farmers can be a challenge to the success of cluster farming.

 “ If we come together to form a cluster and we are doing the same thing,if a farmer is thriving and others are not recording the same level of success, it could lead to issues such as jealousy and unhealthy competition which is a disadvantage,” he said.

The chief executive officer, Agriwealth Integrated Farms, also advised farmers on  important actions to consider when establishing or joining a cluster farming group, which include:

-An ideal location and group of professional farmers.

-A name for the cluster registered under the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)

-A corporate account

– Official positions where people are assigned various tasks relating to the cluster’s objectives.

Samson also stated that by creating a community of smallholder farmers, cluster farming can overcome barriers like improving access to resources and expanding the availability of programs in a community.

Through such programmes, farmers can gain financial support, extension services, knowledge sharing, and a sense of community. Increasing awareness of available resources will help improve food security and support the needs of farmers,” he added.

Nigeria looks to boost wheat production with 50% subsidy

The Nigerian government is providing a 50% subsidy for wheat farmers for the upcoming dry season farming in an effort to boost wheat production in the country.

Abubakar Kyari, minister of agriculture,announced this while inspecting various wheat seed productions in Kano. Kyari said the government is committed to promoting substantial wheat production in the dry season for local and international markets.

Kyari elaborated on President Tinubu’s renewed agenda to ensure food production for Nigeria, noting that one of the main areas of focus is wheat farming in the upcoming dry season.

During visits to Kano and Jigawa, Minister Kyari praised local production as critical to the sector. Jigawa State has demonstrated a strong commitment to wheat farming, dedicating 40,000 hectares to the cause, nearing the federal government’s target of 70,000 hectares set aside for the year.

The minister clarified that the federal government was diligently working to ensure an adequate supply of seeds to cover the 70,000 hectares designated for wheat farming.

The breeder and foundation seeds underwent rigorous examination, and we are now content with our plan to phase out wheat importation before next year’s irrigation farming season,” he said.

Kyari explained that the move is necessary as wheat importation is draining a significant portion of Nigeria’s foreign reserves.

He  emphasized that the federal government’s strategic plan is to safeguard the nation’s food production and achieve self-sufficiency, with a particular focus on eliminating the need for seed importation.

The minister also assured that in the next 4-5 years, with the programmes the government have put in place, Nigeria will completely cease importing wheat seeds and become self-sufficient through local production, which will enhance food production and security.