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Success story: high maize yield in Nigeria


March 19, 2015

An AGRA funded project in Nigeria is helping farmers in Nigeria achieve crop yields in line with their international counterparts.

About 2000 famers involved in the project are reporting their yields have increased from 1.4 tons per ha to 4-7 ton per ha, putting them in line with international averages.

With the project also linking farmers to a number of buyers, the farmers are able to maximize their profits for the higher yields.

Good practices for higher yields

The key to higher yields is not new. It involves the use of improved varieties (in this case Saman15, an open pollinated variety from IITA), soil nutrients and good agronomic practices, such as planting on time, having the right plant population and controlling weeds.

By being involved in the project, farmers are provided with access to agronomic advice throughout the growing season to help them maximize their productivity.

At planting, farmers apply 100 kg DAP and 50 kg of Urea. They apply an additional 200 kg per ha of urea 5-6 weeks later when the plant goes through a major growth phase helping boost crop yields.

Each farmer is geo-referenced and their soils tested regularly, thanks to partnership developed with IITA, this helps ensure the farmers know how much and which fertilizer to apply to their soil.

The maize crop is rotated with soybeans, a legume, which naturally increases soil fertility, helps enhance fertilizer use efficiency (get more kilograms of maize grains per kilogram of fertilizer applied), and once harvested provides an additional income source.

How the project works

The five-year project, implemented by Baba Gona, aims to improve the productivity and profitability of 5000 farmers over three years.

Farmers get involved in the project by forming ‘Trust Groups’. Trust Groups consist of three to five farmers who trust each other. In 2012, there were 16 Trust Groups with 100 farmers. In 2013, this number grew to 153 Trust Groups with 620 farmers, and increased to 451 Trust Groups in 2014 with 1820 farmers.

Each farmer pays US$ 422 per ha for the full service from Baba Gona. The service starts from providing high quality seed, to assistance in accessing high value markets, such as the poultry market, by providing farmers the opportunity to sell in bulk.

Throughout the growing season farmers, get access to tractors, pest and disease control and advice on good agronomic practices.

AGRA’s support to the project covers three key areas. First, increase the number of extension officers – known as MIKs – to ensure farmers get access to agronomic advice weekly during the growing season.

Second, support the establishment of 50 farmer-learning centers, where farmers can learn about Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), best-practice use of organic and mineral fertilizers and the benefits of improved seed.

Third, strengthen the farmer microcredit agro-dealer program, by helping enhance the effectiveness of the agro-dealer-led micro-credit program so that they can support farmers, with appropriate microcredit, extension services, inputs and market access.

The numbers

The total package cost to members of Baba Gona’s groups was US$422 per ha on average for the 2013 season.

In comparison the price of maize in the open market at harvest (when the price is typically the lowest) was US$312 per tonne, making the breakeven yield 1.35 MT per ha. 

Last year, Baba Gona was able to sell maize for US$425, bringing the breakeven yield 1MT per ha. 

Hence, the average BG member who got 3MT per ha, is walking away with a net yield of between 1.65 MT and 2MT per ha, and a net profit of $850 per ha. This is more than 100 per cent return on investment. 

BG’s top performing member is walking away with a net balance of between 5.55 MT per ha and 5.9MT per ha, or a net profit of $2,507 per ha.

Going from strength to strength

With news of the spreading, more farmers are eager to form trust groups.

‘The support provided by AGRA has given us the confidence to expand geographically and in the last six weeks we have had 1000 people a week, i.e., over 6000 people apply to be Trust Group leaders in adjacent communities. This recruiting is part of our efforts as we prepare for our expansion for 2015, to service 5,000 farmers next season,’ said Baba Gona’s Mr. Kola Masha.

Baba Gona’s key innovation lies in their ability to secure inputs (improved seeds and fertilizers) and remunerative output markets for their markets. Some high-end buyers of the produce include Nestle Foods Nigeria.

In practice, Baba Gona acts as an honest broker, and it has the confidence of the farmers. And it has, indeed, triggered the green revolution in Nigeria.



More news from:
    . AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa)
    . IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture)


Website: http://www.agra-alliance.org

Published: March 19, 2015

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