This is Akinremi Peter Taiwo from Nigeria. I am an ICT consultant. I work with the commissioner of Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Calabar, Nigeria.

I would like to add a few points to the wonderful ideas circulating on this platform on question 4.2 (What are the current gaps in rural advisory services for smallholder family farms?), based on the recent meeting of the Niger Delta Development Forum (NDDF) in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, on 25-26 November 2014, with the theme “Unlocking investment opportunities in agriculture in the Niger Delta for regional competitiveness” (http://www.pindfoundation.org/news/niger-delta-development-forum-unlocking-investment-opportunities-in-agriculture-for-regional-competitiveness/).

The following points I noted as what farmers agitated for concerning advisory services: Unskilled extension workers, poor relationship and dedication, lack of right and appropriate information to market as well as agribusiness generally, lack of practical training, processing and best practices, playing political game with farmers, low knowledge of technological tools and it's uses and lots more. The farmers need well trained and skilled extension committed workers to help transform agribusiness.

I personally would say it is high time we take advisory services beyond face to face (although not totally neglecting it) and maximize the advent of information communication and technology to deliver effective advisory services.

Akinremi.
ICT consultant
2 barracks road,
Calabar
Cross River State
Nigeria
e-mail: compsoftnet (at) gmail.com

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