INNOVATIONS IN THE COWPEA
SECTOR OF NORTHERN NIGERIA:
RESEARCH INTO USE NIGERIA
Jokthan Grace, Ugbe Utiang, Sanni Adunni
INTRODUCTION:
Research into use (RIU)
 A follow up of UK – DFID 200m USD
investment on agriculture under RNRRS
 Represents a shift in emphasis from generating
new technologies to ensuring that existing ‘best
bet’ research outputs are promoted and out scaled
 Orchestrated the formation of multi-stakeholder
Innovation Platform in 3 agricultural commodities
Cowpea/soybeans, Cassava and Aquaculture
RIU-Nigeria programme Intervenes through
Field level activities in each platform
Engagement with policy makers
Capacity development
Inter-linkages with other public sectors and development
programmes that have interface or impact on target
agricultural sectors
Pre-implementation tasks in the cowpea sector
A baseline study was conducted to:
 Characterize cowpea farmers in the project sites
(Fig 1)
 Examine farmers’ awareness and adoption levels
of cowpea innovations (Fig 2)
 Access farmer’s and traders level of involvement
in cowpea production, storage and marketing (Fig
3)
 Identify the constraints and opportunities for
increased cowpea production, storage and
marketing
Profile of farmers involved in cowpea production
Fig 2: Farmers’ awareness and
adoption levels of some cowpea
innovations
Fig 1: Socio-economic
characteristics of farmers
involved in cowpea production
Improved crop residue storage
18.75
% of crop residue sold
Improved processing technique
71.25
% of total harvest sold
Crop rotation
1.21
Farm size for cowpea (ha)
Improved storage method
9
Experience in cowpea production (yrs)
Soil and water management
66
% of income from farming
Application of inorganic fert.
7.77
Total farm size )ha)
16
Farming experience (yrs)
Use of inorganic fertilizer
44.5
Age of respondent (yrs)
Pest and disease management
6
Level of education ( years in school)
0
10
Improved cowpea variety
20
30
40
50
Averages/%
60
70
80
0
20
Adoption
40
60
Awareness
80
100
Fig 3: Farmers’ involvement in cowpea storage
and marketing
100%
90%
80%
63
70%
60%
73
70
76
67
86
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
25
26
10
7
12
Kano
Kaduna
7
7
4
3
0%
Immediately after harvest
Katsina
1 - 3 months after harvest
25
21
Jigawa
bauchi
4 - 6 months after harvest
8
Gombe
PICS-RIU COLLABORATION
Table 2: Roles and responsibilities
of stakeholders
In order to address a major challenge
of cowpea storage
Stakeholders
IITA
RIU
 RIU- Nigeria brokered a multistakeholders collaboration with IITA
in 2009 to contribute to the
dissemination of Purdue Improved
Cowpea Storage (PICS) technology
(Table 2)
Federal Government Agency (NAFDAC,
SON)
Role in the collaboration
Overall coordination, training, technical
backstopping and evaluation in Nig.
Coordination and funding activities in additional
villages in some states
Receive information for possible policy
Formulation
State level agencies – ADPs
Extension services
Local Government Agencies
Extension services
Resource persons
Training of extension agents
Bags’ producer and supplier
Produce and sell PICS bags
Community /religious leaders
Broadcast PICS messages Reinforce message on
health benefits
 Builds on PICS strategy
Mass media ( TV, Radio)
Farmers’ /Marketer’s associations within the
IP
Relay PICS message
Relay PICS message
Perception of farmers about hermetic cowpea
storage
before PICS intervention
Hauwa Mohammed is a small
scale bean cake (kosai)
processor based in Kwalli,
Gombe State. When she
volunteered to provide some
cowpea for demonstration
using PICS bag other women
laughed at her saying her
cowpea will be fed to
chickens after the storage
period as a result of high
weevil
infestation.
They
asserted that it is not possible
to store cowpea in a bag
without chemical.
After PICS intervention
During the ‘open the bag’
ceremony six months later,
they observed that the
quality of the cowpea was
retained after storage and
that the quality was better
than that of cowpea stored
with chemical.
Hauwa made more profit from
her business that season
(2010) because she bought
cowpea at harvest time
when price was low, stored
in PICS bags and used it for her
business throughout the year
Economic and health benefits of hermetic storage
 Increase in income of
farmers/traders by about 48% for
cowpea stored within 4 – 6 months
5 – 10% additional increase in
price for cowpea stored in triple
bags
Less reported cases of human
fatalities
Better viability of seeds
especially when chemicals
involving H2O are applied
Fig 4: Analysis of land area allocated to cowpea,
estimated production and prices 2008 - 2010
Economic potential of the technology intervention
in Nigeria
Dr. Oyebanji officer in
charge of Nigerian Stored
Product Research said
“there are huge economic
and business potential for
large industries that
manufacture hermetic
technologies for cowpea
storage in Nigeria”
The estimated total annual
production of cowpea grains in
2009 was 2.44 million MT
Suppose one third of production is
consumed without storing,
About 16.3 million bags (1.63
Million MT/100kg = 16.3 Million
bags) will be needed annually to
meet market demand.
SUCCESSES OF THE INTERVENTION
 Extension methodology
Effective in creating awareness and enhancing rapid and extensive adoption of the
technology among farmers
Multi-agency partnership
 Hastened spatial coverage, increased target beneficiaries and facilitated wider
adoption
Quality assurance
 Impromptu on the spot check (thickness and sealing) of the bags produced
Challenges in production and distribution of
triple bags
There seems to be a disconnect in information
between the producer and the end users
Inadequate number of vendors
The cost of bag (300.00 naira) is considered too
high by most farmers and grain merchants. This
appears to be the major reason for poor adoption
by grain merchants
Low private sector drive -The company plays little
role in advertising the product and relies to a large
extent on IITA and the ADP to market it
Way forward
Identify major distributors in each senatorial district
Number of pieces in a bale should be reduced
The cost of the bags should be built into the selling price of
the cowpea
Various bag sizes should be introduced
Advocate for policies to create enabling environment for
private sector involvement and sustainability of the
innovation
Collaborate with other related public agencies such as
NAFDAC, SON, and CPC to enforce laws
Identify credible retail outlets and organise financial
arrangement that will encourage new entry into the PICS
Conclusion
Agricultural innovations requires brokering role by neutral
party that is trusted by all stakeholders (PICS & RIU) for
effective up and out scaling
Addressing policy obstacles to adoption of innovations is
challenging especially where reforms run counter to
powerful vested interest ( chemical use in cowpea storage)
Due to public over investment in agriculture over a long
period, it will take time and creativity for a neutral entity to
broker meaningful, effective and sustainable roles for
private sector participation even though there is a strong
potential for it to happen (bag companies)
THANK YOU