COURSE TITLE BASIC AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES COURSE CODE GST

COURSE TITLE: BASIC AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES COURSE CODE: GST 230 MODULE I

COURSE OUTLINE Definition of Agriculture and economic development Definition of Agricultural Economics Basic decisions of an agricultural economist Basic terms in Agricultural Economics Agricultural Policies and Programmes in Nigeria

DEFINITION OF AGRICULTURE Agriculture involves the planting of crops and rearing of animals for man’s use and consumption. The term agriculture include crop farming, livestock farming, forestry, fishing and hunting Agriculture may also be a source of capital needed for industrial development to extent that it provides a surplus that may be converted into funds needed to purchase industrial equipment

AGRICULTURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Agriculture is crucial to the economic development of a nation as it serves the following roles: � Provision of employment � Source of food � Provision of raw materials for industry � Source of government revenue � Source of foreign exchange � Provision of market for manufactured goods � Source of labour for industry

DEFINITION OF AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS Agricultural Economics is the social science that deals with the allocation of scarce resources among competing alternative uses found in production, processing and distribution of food and fibre.

BASIC DECISION OF AN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMIST What to produce How to produce it How much to produce When to produce For whom to produce

CETERIS PARIBUS This is a Latin phrase that means everything else being equal or all else being equal.

OPPORTUNITY COST It is the alternative forgone. It is the value of the best alternative forgone.

DIMINISHING RETURNS Diminishing return is the decrease in the marginal output of a production process as the amount of a single factor of production is incrementally increased, while the amounts of all other factors of production stay constant.

LAW OF DIMINISHING MARGINAL UTILITY The law states that the amount of total utility gained from consuming a good eventually increase at a decreasing rate assuming consumption of everything else stays constant. Utility means satisfaction

MARGINALITY The term marginal refers to an additional or an incremental unit of something. Regardless of current level of satisfaction or utility, if marginal utility is greater than the marginal cost, the consumer can increase total utility by consuming marginal unit As additional unit of fertilizer are applied to a given amount of land, ceteris paribus incremental or marginal return to that fertilizer decline.

AGRICULTURAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA Agricultural policy is a statement of action and a fundamental tool employed in achieving agricultural development. Agricultural programme is a comprehensive plan that includes objectives to be attained, specifications of resources required and stages of work to be performed. The agricultural policies and programmes in the colonial era was predominantly the surplus extraction policy whereby immense products were generated from rural areas to satisfy the demand for raw materials in metropolitan Britain The Farm Settlement Scheme (FSS) 1959

AGRICULTURAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA Agricultural policies in the post colonial era � 1 st October 1960 to 15 th January 1966 focused on the pursuit of an export-led growth. Western region (Cocoa), Northern region (Groundnut) and Eastern region (Oil Palm). � 15 th January 1966 to 29 th May 1999 (military era) � Agricultural Development Projects (1974) � Operation Feed the nation (21 st May 1976) � Green Revolution (April 1980) � National Fadama Development Project (1990).

AGRICULTURAL POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES IN NIGERIA Agricultural policies from 29 th May 1999 to 2018 � National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (1999) � National Special Programme on food security (January 2002) � Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (16 th April 2003) � Agriculture Transformation Agenda (2011 - 2016) � Agriculture Promotion Policy (2016 – 2020)-current policy

GAPS IDENTIFIED WITH THESE POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES Non interaction between and among stakeholders Weak agricultural policy Role of conflict between different programmes and projects Short duration of agricultural policies and programmes Emphasis on mainly food animal production Delay, embezzlement, misappropriation and lack of funds to pursue specific policy/programme to an expected end Inadequate virile technical advisory/ extension services Lack/ inadequate monitoring and evaluation of programme/ project.

ROLE OF EXTENSION SERVICE act as an intermediary or go between or link between agricultural development institutions such as research institutes, universities, colleges of agriculture and target groups (which may be the farmer, women group, youths etc. ) q carries out the formulated agricultural extension policies q links the farmer with sources of farming inputs and credit facilities q provide the timely information on new innovations and practices meaningful agricultural development q Provides educational services to farmers, and plays active role in the rural community development of any nation. q

ROLE OF AN EXTENSION WORKER An extension worker helps farmers increase the productivity of their farms and improve their living standards. An extension worker has many roles. He is an adviser, a technician and a middleman operating between agricultural research institutions and the farm families. He is a change agent, consultant and advocate helping farmers to identify their problems and find their own solution. He works for the creation of community harmony essential for group projects. He is a manger planning and organizing his work and that of his assistants.