Introduction
There are three tiers of government in Nigeria, namely the federal, state, and local governments. These three levels of government share the authority and responsibility for the provision of agricultural services. The federal government is mainly responsible for regulating and funding agricultural research and development activities. It also provides subsidized inputs (fertilizer) and credit, and shares the responsibility for some agricultural services with the State governments. The State governments share the costs of agricultural subsidies with the federal government, and some of them provide additional fertilizer subsidies. The states are also responsible for providing agricultural extension services. Finally, the local governments are mainly responsible for the actual delivery of various agricultural services. Although the federal government provides subsidized credit, the state and local governments also play important roles in channeling these resources to their constituencies (FMARD, 2001).
Although agricultural extension is on the concurrent list of the constitution, the federal government to-date, has always taken the responsibility for a major portion of the funding,
policy formulation and direction, while the States’ ADPs are the primary agencies responsible for public extension delivery at the grassroots nationwide. The quality of staff and the resources of the LGAs are such that their participation in agricultural extension delivery has only been very minimal, as against the provisions of existing policies. Even with this policy in place, none of the three tiers of government has had the commitment and the will power to implement the tenets of the document with respect to the financing and provision of an effective and efficient agricultural extension service in Nigeria. Worse still, most of the local governments chairmen are neither aware of the document nor its provisions. (Arokoyo, 2009, FMARD, 2012).
The objective of this paper was highlight the role of the three tiers of government in the provision of sustainable agricultural extension service in Nigeria; and to suggest the institutional arrangements that would enable better performance in the delivery of extension services. The public extension delivery system operative in Nigeria was reviewed highlighting the major challenges and way forward.
Introduction
There are three tiers of government in Nigeria, namely the federal, state, and local governments. These three levels of government share the authority and responsibility for the provision of agricultural services. The federal government is mainly responsible for regulating and funding agricultural research and development activities. It also provides subsidized inputs (fertilizer) and credit, and shares the responsibility for some agricultural services with the State governments. The State governments share the costs of agricultural subsidies with the federal government, and some of them provide additional fertilizer subsidies. The states are also responsible for providing agricultural extension services. Finally, the local governments are mainly responsible for the actual delivery of various agricultural services. Although the federal government provides subsidized credit, the state and local governments also play important roles in channeling these resources to their constituencies (FMARD, 2001).
Although agricultural extension is on the concurrent list of the constitution, the federal government to-date, has always taken the responsibility for a major portion of the funding,
policy formulation and direction, while the States’ ADPs are the primary agencies responsible for public extension delivery at the grassroots nationwide. The quality of staff and the resources of the LGAs are such that their participation in agricultural extension delivery has only been very minimal, as against the provisions of existing policies. Even with this policy in place, none of the three tiers of government has had the commitment and the will power to implement the tenets of the document with respect to the financing and provision of an effective and efficient agricultural extension service in Nigeria. Worse still, most of the local governments chairmen are neither aware of the document nor its provisions. (Arokoyo, 2009, FMARD, 2012).
The objective of this paper was highlight the role of the three tiers of government in the provision of sustainable agricultural extension service in Nigeria; and to suggest the institutional arrangements that would enable better performance in the delivery of extension services. The public extension delivery system operative in Nigeria was reviewed highlighting the major challenges and way forward.
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