AN OVERVIEW OF SIX MONTHS WORKPLAN FOR BNARDA ELECTRONIC AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION NET WORK (BAESN)

1. Introduction: Electronic Agricultural Extension (E-Agriculture) is a global community of practices, where people from all over the world exchange information by use of Information Communication Technologies (ICT) for sustainable development. By using ICT tools, more farmers can be easily reached within a short time. Extension Agents and farmers in Nigeria lack ICT skills and thus the need to train them in the use of ICT tools.
2. Training of the 23 LGA Desk Officers on the use of ICT tools for extension.
   The ICT tools were:-
   (a) SMS (Short message Service)
   (b) MMS (Multimedia messages service)
   (c) Whats App
   (d) Facebook
   (e) Video clips
   (f) Websites
   (g) Registered phone lines – 09050670857
3. A review challenges of livestock farmers and suggested copping strategies.
   (a) Poultry
   (b) Sheep and goats
   (c) Pig management
   (d) Fisheries management
   A review of challenges of livestock farmers with emphasis on appropriate housing, appropriate feed health care.
4. The challenge of Arable crop farmers Tree Crop Farmers and vegetable farmers and suggested coping strategies.
   (a) CEREALS

• Rice, maize, sorghum and millet

(b) LEGUMES

• Soyabeans, Groundnuts and Cowpea
  (c) ROOT AND TUBER CROPS
• Yams, Cassava, Sweet Potatoes and Ginger
  (d) OIL SEED CROPS
• Egusi and Beniseed
  (e) LEAFY VEGETABLES
• Amaranthus. Hybridus (aleoho), Chorchorus Olitorius (atiever), Rossel (ashwe), Emilia coccinia (aninge)
  (f) TREE CROP
• Citrus, Mangoes, Kolanuts, Irvingia, African pear, cashew and oil palm, plantain/ banana.
  Emphasis for the production of the above crops was on Harvesting, Processing, Storage and Marketing.

1. CONTROL OF POST HARVEST LOSSES IN CROP AND LIVESTOCK.
   (a) What are Durable Agricultural products?
   These are low moisture food commodities with a long shelf-life when properly handled and stored.
   Examples include the following and their products:-
   • CEREALS:- Maize, Millet, Rice, Sorghum and Wheat.
   • PULSES:- Cowpea, Groundnuts and Soyabean.
   • OIL SEEDS:- Sesame, Melon, Sheanut, Oil palm.
   • DRIED ROOT AND TUBERS:- Potato, Yam and Cassava
   • DRIED FRUITS AND VEGETABLES:- Mango, Pineapple, Tomato, Pepper, Pumpkin.
   • DRIED LIVESTOCK AND FISHERY
2. POST HARVEST ACTIVITIES

• These are the various activities performed on Agricultural produce immediately after harvest until they get to the consumers.
• They include the following:
  • Processing:- Sorting, cleaning, drying, cooling, packaging etc.
  • Storage
  • Transportation
  • Marketing
  • Utilization/Consumption

1. TYPES OF FOOD LOSSES
   • Direct Losses:- Due to loss of weight, quality Nutrition value, seed viability and germinability
   • Indirect losses:- Attributable to disease causing organisms, distribution, increased storage cost, lack of information for farmers.
2. FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR SPOILAGE OF DURABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
   (a) These include poor agronomic factors.
   Therefore:-
   • Plant disease free and insect resistant variety
   • Control weeds on time
   • Use recommended chemicals to control pests
   • Harvest on time to prevent insect pest attacks from the field.
   (b) Physical /Abiotic Factors
   • Temperature:- The lower the temperature the longer the shelf-life of durable agricultural products in storage.
   • Moisture content:- High moisture reduces the shelf – life of durable agricultural products in storage. The moisture level at which a crop can continently store without mould damage is called safe moisture content as shown in table 1 below:-
   Table 1: Safe moisture content (SMC) of some durable agricultural products.
   S/NO Type of product Moisture content at Harvest (%) Safe moisture content (SMC) %
   1 Shelled maize 14.00-30.00 13.00 and below
   2 Paddy Rice 18.00-22.00 13.00 and below
   3 Sorghum 10.00-25.00 13.00 and below
   4 Millet 10.00-25.00 13.00 and below
   5 Wheat 18.00-20.00 13.00 and below
   6 Cowpea 14.00-18.00 13.00 and below
   7 Soyabean 13.00-15.00 7.00 and below
   8 Tomato flakes 60.00-70.00 12.00 and below
   9 Cocoa Above 60.00 7.5 and below
   10 Mango Chips Above 65.00 Not above below
   11 Yam products 40.00-70.00 17.00 and below
   12 Cassava Products 40.00-70.00 14.00 and below
   13 Fish Products Above 70.00 15.00 and below
   14 Meat Products Above 70.00 15.00 and below

Source: Adapted from Appropriate seed and grain storage symptom for small scale farmers (FAO, 2014).
Note

1. Rural Farmers are strongly advised to construct cribs on their farms or their home for safe storage during the raing season.
2. Grain that cannot be dented when pressed with finger nail is evidence of safe moisture content. Moisture meters are can be used but are not accessible to rural farmers.
   • Air Composition:-
   Air composition proportion (oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen) in the storage environment after biochemical reactions such as oxidation, fermentation and other physiological processes within the crop must be adequate. Suppression of biochemical reaction reduces crop damages.
   • Chemical Factors
   • Agricultural commodities contain carbohydrates, proteins, fats and other nutrients
   • Prolonged storage in the presence of oxygen and heat results in oxidation of carbohydrates and fats while heat reduces amounts of vitamins.
   (c) Biological/Biotric Factors
   These factors have to do with living organisms such as insects, rodents, micro organisms, birds and man.
   • Insects, mites, booklice attach stored produce creating wounds and reducing quality.
   • Rodents (rates, mice, squivebs) cause damage by growing activities; contaminate with droppings hair, urine and transmit disease like lassa fever to man and livestock.
   • Microorganisms (fungi and bacteria) cause loss in grain seed germination, discoloration and loss of markets value. They also produce mycotonins that cause ill health on consumption.
   • Man causes considerable loss in quality and quantity by inappropriate harvesting and storage practices of heaping produce on top of each other.
3. APPROPRIATE HARVESTING METHODS
   • Harvesting is a very important activity that involves removing a crop from the farm to a more suitable location for processing, storage and consumption.
   • Harvesting methods and conditions differ according to the crop.
   • Harvesting is by manual or by mechanical operations.
   • Manuel harvesting is labourious and time consuming but most suitable for small-sized farmers.
   • In all categories, maturity, timely and careful harvesting are pre-requisites towards practical storage of crops.
   Harvesting of grains, oilseeds and beverage crops
   • Harvest the grain when they are matures, either fresh or partly dried on the plant
   • Timely harvesting is essential to prevent seed shattering and prevent seed pest infestation.
   • Harvesting the grain by picking or cutting wholly.
   Harvesting of roots and tubers, fruits and vegetables
   • Harvest fruits and vegetables when they are mature but not overripe by careful picking to minimize bruises and other damage that could attract disease infestation.
   • Harvest roots and tuber crops when the soil is soft to prevent breakage and damage.
4. PROCESSING (DRYING)

• Process crops such as roots and tubers and fruits by drying them into more shelf-stable products.
• The sequence of activities in processing (drying) of root crops and other high moisture crops includes:-
  Harvesting → Sorting → Washing/cleaning and size reduction (grating, chipping→ sticking) → Drying/Cooling → milling (optional, depending on final product) → Packaging → Storage.

1. STORAGE OF DURABLE AGRICULTUTAL PRODUCTS
   • Storage of durable agricultural commodities could be at two levels.
   (a) Small scale/House hold level.
   • This level of storage is usually with produce less than two tones
   • Storage structures recommended are hermetic including.
   • Polythene – lined jute bags
   • PIC bags, zerofly hermetic bags, zerofly combi bags, airtight-fitted containers, hermetic steel drums, plastic containers and zerofly insecticide impregnated bags (non-hermetic).
   (b) Medium scale level storage
   • Storage of produce in capacity ranged of 2-100 tonnes
   • Use appropriate stores, ware houses or silos
   (c) Large scale level storage
   • This is produce storage involving hundreds of tones of produce.
   • Use large warehouses or silos.
2. STORAGE STRUCTURES
   (a) The Rhumbu is a traditional storage structure use for storage by rural farmers.

• It is cylindrical and made of clay, tree stems or bamboo.
  (b) Improved Rhumbu
• The Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute has made the following modifications to the traditional Rhumbu to improve efficiency:-
  • Raised the structure with short poles (1.2m) from the ground to prevent moisture and surface runoff from rain.
  • Placed rodent guards on the poles to prevent rodents from entering.
  • Inserted polythen in between the day to ensure air tightness.
  • Constructed willet (opening) at the top to local grain and outlet (opening at bottom to discharge grain.
  • Improved Rhumbu can storage grain for over six months.
  DRYING OF DURABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
• Available drying methods include
  • Sun drying
  • Solar drying
  • Mechanical dryers
  • Other specialized dryers
  DRYING OF MEAT AND FISH PRODUCTS
• By use of modified metal drums
• Use of khans especially with fish products.
  CONTROL OF INSECTS IN STORED PRODUCTS
• Use of traditional pest control methods
• Biological control methods using natural enemies of insects e.g. predators and pathogens that feed an insects.
• Non-synthetic chemical method e.g. Hermetic storage.
• Synthetic chemicals methods, which involves application of synthetic chemicals of various formulations.
• Rodent pests are controlled by use of poison, traps, nets screen.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM). This is the use of all available methods, tools and techniques at the same time in a well coordinated manner without use of chemicals e.g. improved cultural practices, good sanitation and hermetic storage.
• Use of Chemical methods only as a last resort.