Nigeria’s agric research at risk over debt obligations to international partners

Onome Amuge

The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) has accumulated four hundred and thirty-four million, nine hundred and thirty-seven thousand, one hundred and one naira (N434,937,101.02) in outstanding financial obligations to its international technology partners, a situation that has persisted since 2014, according to a recent report.

The setback has been attributed to the federal government’s failure to discharge its financial obligations to international agricultural research organizations since 2014.

Given the situation, analysts assert that Nigeria risks forfeiting important benefits and expertise that could have been derived from its membership in these international organisations.

These benefits, which fall under the umbrella of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), include access to cutting-edge agricultural research, technological advancements, and knowledge-sharing opportunities, posing a setback for the country’s efforts to modernise and improve its agricultural sector.

In a recent proposal entitled “Reversal of Counterpart Funding Commitments to International Agricultural Research Organizations”, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria informed the council that the country’s current payment system had resulted in delays in remitting counterpart funding since 2014, leading to an accumulated debt of N434,937,101.02 as of the time of the proposal.

In light of the worrisome consequences of the accumulated debt, ARCN has requested authorisation to seek financial assistance through budgetary allocations in order to settle the debt and reestablish its critical collaborations with various international agricultural research organisations, including the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

Admitting its involvement in numerous international agricultural research organisations, ARCN acknowledged in its proposal that the existing payment system for counterparty funding, which provides funding to international agricultural research organisations to enhance collaboration, has been plagued by a number of challenges.

Experts warn of growing $100m deficit in agric. research

The agricultural research sector in Nigeria, which plays a vital role in driving innovation and boosting productivity in the country’s farming industry, loses an estimated $100 million annually due to its inability to secure research grants from domestic and international foundations and organisations.

Confirming the difficulty in securing grants for agricultural research, Olufemi Oladunni, the executive director of  the Agriculture and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), noted that grantsmanship, the process of acquiring funding for agricultural research, cannot solely rely on government support.

According to Oladunni, there are foundations both within and outside of Nigeria that are prepared to provide funding, but the sector has encountered challenges in obtaining these grants due to a scarcity of viable and compelling research proposals.

“Nigeria is not losing anything below a $100 million grant every year due to inability to attract both local and foreign grants. And you know what that can do in the research system only in agriculture.

“When you extend this and look at the value chain for research, there are lots to gain by research scientists among other actors along the research value chain that are losing this opportunity,” he said.

Oladunni, in his commentary, stressed that despite Nigeria’s agrarian nature, the country’s output of commodities such as crops, livestock, fisheries, and agro-forestry lags far behind international standards, reflecting a growing need for agricultural research and development to boost food production, alleviate food shortages, and create employment opportunities for the growing population.

Agricultural research, Oladunni explained, is primarily directed toward improving farmers’ knowledge of food production systems, advancing technology for increased crop yields and quality, and implementing analysis and solutions to address the various challenges facing agriculture productivity.

“That’s the essence of having research institutes and faculties of agriculture in our tertiary institution because agric research is not meant for research institutes alone. Every participant is supposed to be involved,” he added.

Challenges stalling agric. research development in Nigeria

In the perspective of economic analysts, agricultural research is a pressing concern for developing countries like Nigeria, where many of the advanced technologies, inputs, and methods that enhance agricultural productivity are created and developed through investments in agricultural research.

The Nigeria Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) defines agricultural research as a broad and complex undertaking that involves scientists and researchers in the generation, dissemination, and imparting of improved agricultural technologies aimed at optimising crop production and utilisation to achieve self-sufficiency in food and industrial raw materials for the country.

Given its far-reaching impact on the overall development of the agricultural sector, a robust agricultural research system is viewed as a critical component in achieving sustainable agricultural intensification, which is essential to meeting the food needs of the country’s growing population, and contributes to global economic growth.

The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) oversees a vast network of research institutions in Nigeria, including the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), National Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), and the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), among many others.

In addition to the network of specialised research organisations overseen by ARCN, Nigeria also boasts a substantial number of universities and academic institutions involved in agricultural research, with campuses and facilities spread across the country’s geopolitical zones.

Despite the presence of a vast network of agricultural research organisations and institutions, Nigeria’s agricultural research system has been hampered by various challenges, including inadequate funding and resources, an absence of clearly defined research priorities, suboptimal basic research outcomes, a shortage of well-trained scientific and technical personnel, and insufficient communication strategies and farmer engagement initiatives, resulting in a stunted development of the sector.

In an article published in the “Nigerian Agricultural Policy Research Journal (NAPReJ)”, Ambrose Alikidon Voh, an agricultural research analyst and professor of animal production at Ahmadu Bello University, observed that while the nominal funding for agricultural research in Nigeria has indeed seen some improvement in recent years, it remains inadequate to drive real progress in the sector.

Voh noted further that the existing research funding model in Nigeria is characterised by unpredictability and lateness in disbursement, which are often not aligned with the time-sensitive nature of research activities.

In his paper entitled “Challenges and Experiences of Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) in Making Agricultural Research Work for End-Users in Nigeria”, Voh explored the constraints imposed by inadequate funding, which hinder the ability of agricultural research to respond to the needs of its stakeholders and prolong the research and development cycle.

Voh posited that insufficient funding limits the capacity of researchers to conduct time-sensitive, demand-driven research that can effectively address the needs of farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs, and other industry stakeholders, ultimately weakening the relevance and impact of agricultural research in Nigeria.

Voh cited additional factors that include a shortage of well-trained and skilled researchers, inadequate research infrastructure, and insufficient capacity for effective management of the agricultural research and development (R&D) system.

These constraints, he contends, undermine the effectiveness of agricultural research efforts in the country, hindering the capacity for innovation, technology transfer, and the efficient transfer of research findings to industry stakeholders

Abiodun Adeloye, a professor of Animal Science at the University of Ilorin, provided additional insights on the obstacles hindering agricultural research in Nigeria, asserting that while researchers in agriculture-focused universities possess the knowledge and expertise to produce groundbreaking research that could drive innovation in the sector, many of these initiatives have been hindered by inadequate funding.

Speaking on the private sector’s role in supporting agricultural research, Adeloye noted that private sector engagement with universities and research institutes could facilitate the dissemination of technological innovations and up-to-date information to farmers, thereby advancing the agriculture sector.

However, he also observed that private sector involvement in this regard has been limited, with many companies reluctant to engage with the academic and research community to address the pressing challenges confronting Nigerian agriculture.

Finding solutions to Nigeria’s agric. research struggles

Kachalla Mala, the principal research officer of the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), presented several recommendations to stimulate agricultural research in Nigeria. These include: Augmenting research funding by both international and national research centres, enhancing the relevance and responsiveness of research to clients, and diversifying the institutional base for agricultural research.

The level of education among farmers has also been identified as a key determinant of the quality and effectiveness of information exchange between farmers and extension agents as well as agricultural researchers.