| Project Detail |
In Niger, about 80% of the workforce is engaged in agriculture and about 40% of GDP is occupied by the agricultural sector. 80% of the population lives in rural areas and most are involved in subsistence agriculture. In recent years, the Nigerian government has formulated a food production policy called i3N (2012-2021) to promote cereal and horticultural production with the aim of improving agricultural productivity and quality of agricultural products.
In order to promote the policy, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock adopted the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach introduced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as a standard agricultural extension approach and during the JICA implemented "Project for the Valorization of Water Reserves and Self-Promotion of Local Communities in the Sahel (VRACS)", it has been proven that even small scale producers were able to introduce improved agriculture practices, increase productivity, diversify their crops and increase their income through FFS.
In terms of sales of agricultural products, however, producers in Niger still have limited knowledge and access to the market information. In order to increase the profit of producers, it is necessary to incorporate market-oriented approach into current agricultural extension system and strengthen the capacity of producers to fully understand the market context and more profitable way of business.
To overcome such problems, the Directorate of Extension and Technology Transfer (DVTT), the Institute for Practical Rural Development (IPDR), and the Department of Regional Agriculture Directorate (DRA) Niamey have assigned their senior officials to attend JICA training course for "Market-Oriented Agriculture Promotion (SHEP) in African region" in 2016. After the experimentation of SHEP Market-Oriented action plan developed during the training, the improvement of livelihood has been observed in local horticultural producer groups, and in response to these achievements, the Ministry of Agriculture requested the Government of Japan to implement the "Project for Improving the Agricultural Extension System" in order to develop an appropriate framework for agricultural extension and modality in this regard.
Objectives
The Overall Goal
Improved agriculture extension service in Niger is continuously implemented.
Project Purpose
The quality of agriculture extension service in Niger is improved.
Outputs
Mission to train extension agent of Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock is enhanced.
Capacity of serving extension agent(including technicians of other organization) is enhanced.
Students majoring in agriculture understand extension service suitable to the Regions situations.
The extension model integrated market-oriented agriculture is developed.
Extension policy of Niger adopts market oriented agriculture.
Project Activities
1-1 Organize the Project Task Forces among project stakeholders (PTF).
1-2 Conduct participatory capacity assessment (analysis) on extension class in IPDR.
1-3 Formulate the module on training for serving extension agent.
1-4 Formulate the curriculum on extension class in IPDR.
1-5 Prepare training tools for training for master trainer.
1-6 Conduct training for master trainer.
1-7 Conduct the exam to certify the master trainer.
2-1 Select the target of training for serving extension agent.
2-2 Conduct training for the target serving extension agent according to the module.
2-3 Evaluate the trained extension agents.
2-4 Each participant makes action plan.
2-5 Each participant implements some extension activities according to action plan.
2-6 Monitor the activity of each participant at each level (District and National level).
2-7 Evaluate the training module and revise as needed.
3-1 Conduct the extension class according to the curriculum developed on 1-4.
3-2 Conduct the final exam of the extension class.
3-3 Evaluate the curriculum and the training modules and revise as needed.
4-1 Select the farmers groups in the project target areas.
4-2 Develop the extension package (manual and tools) on training for target farmers.
4-3 Conduct participatory baseline surveys of the target farmer organizations.
4-4 Conduct training for the target farmer groups, based on the package.
4-5 Conduct participatory monitoring and evaluation on the activities of the target farmer groups.
4-6 Evaluate and revise the extension package for market-oriented agriculture as needed.
5-1 According to the results of 4-4 and 4-5 above, elaborate the national guide on market-oriented agriculture.
5-2 Validate the national guide for market-oriented agriculture.
5-3 Organize some workshop for the internalization of the national guide on market oriented agriculture.
Inputs
[Japanese side]
Dispatch experts.
- Chief advisor/Extension
- Deputy chief advisor/Extension
- Horticulture
- Horticulture/Training
- Training/Project Coordinator
Vehicles, office equipment.
Operational cost.
Training in Japan/Third countries.
Inputs
[Niger side]
Counterparts.
Office space, furniture, and equipment.
Utility cost of above mentioned.
Operational cost such as allowance and transportation. |
