Adewale Dipeolu Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria

 Total land area of 92.4million hectares  About 32m hectares/ 34.6% are under cultivation.  Population of about 167 million people of which ~ 70% are involved in agriculture and allied services

 Agriculture - most important sector, after oil in Nigeria, with an average contribution of 42 percent to the GDP in  There is a complex network of interrelationships amongst all the agricultural sub sectors including fisheries, livestock & crop agriculture.  A country with comparative advantage in certain commodities should endeavour to intensify production in such commodities.  Nigeria’s food imports were growing at an unsustainable rate of 11% per annum.  Nigeria has the capacity to be food self-sufficient and still have enough to export.

 Renewed urgency and opportunity for relevant institutions in our countries to play a central role in improving food security and incomes.  Need for concerted efforts to be put in place by all stakeholders in agriculture and trade to improve capacity for effective service delivery.

 Federal and State Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development  Federal Ministry of Trade and Industry  Farmer associations/groups  International organisations  Private organisations  Educational Institutions

 Limited understanding of the relationships between institutional, human, and physical resources;  Limited understanding of the impact of policy on end- users at every level in the policy design, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation process;  Disparities among universities, research institutions, and policymaking authorities;  Ineffective use of trained capacity in universities; and  The lack of coordination among various organizations’ activities involved in knowledge management.

 Disconnect between universities, research institutions, and policymaking and implementation authorities  University faculties are generally poorly staffed  The student staff ratios are high (not enough attention can be paid to students)  Curriculum not attuned to the design and implementation of agricultural and rural development policies and strategies.  Disconnect between policy theory and practical applications (need for town and gown case studies and colloquiums?)

 Courses exist in economic theory and agricultural marketing  Elective courses exist in international trade / economics  Hardly any with topics on international trade negotiations and agreements  Staff not specialized in international trade negotiations and agreements (some say they are)

 Willingness to include trade negotiations and agreements in curriculum (has attendant challenges – curriculum committees, senate)  Willingness to run such courses (phd, msc, certificate and diploma)  Willingness amongst faculty to attend training to enhance capacities to teach courses

 Difficulties in getting information: non responses to communications  Creates an impression of rigidities in behaviour bureaucracy? Nonchalance?  General ignorance among officials on policies  Lack of expertise in government in negotiating and implementing agreements  Negotiations carried out at ministerial levels

 Public officials in agricultural and trade agencies  For effective participation in trade negotiations particularly as they impact on the agricultural sector  Training Advocacy Trade negotiations Policy reform and implementation  Practitioners in Agriculture  Standards for export trade  University Dons  Incorporating trade related agricultural policy in curriculum  Developing capacities in international agricultural trade

 Deficiencies in managerial, administrative, and organizational capacities within universities.  Cost of accessing information and knowledge products is very high.  The critical levels of information available are often obsolete  Data collection agencies often receive too low funding to allow for adequate collection.

 For some institutions that have access to updated information, some of the researchers do not have the capabilities to process the information or  the data is inadequate to address policy and research issues meaningfully.  Problems further exacerbated by the lack of power supply to run the computers and other equipment, poor internet facilities, and inadequacy of e-learning materials

 HEIs involved in agriculture are not a major drivers of learning for change as the content and methods used in teaching are often outdated and the quality of the curriculum weak.  Agricultural disciplines tend not to be considered of very great potential for good labour market outcomes, especially since governance structures are largely rigid and do not necessarily prioritize skill sets, according to those acquired in such disciplines.

 Strengthening institutions through education, knowledge, and communication  Improving the quality, gender sensitivity, timeliness, and circulation of policy relevant evidence  Appropriate and innovative solutions with respect to technology  Capacities required for improving the impact of agricultural and rural development programs on environment  Adequate and reliable management information system (MIS) in relation to data collection and processing  Creating an enabling environment

Opportunities exist for improving the policy analysis and research capacity of the agriculture sector in Nigeria 1. Revamping the higher education agriculture programs: Partnerships and linkages among academics and public servants are weak, so efforts should be made to strengthen such relationship. 2. Providing training: Significant strengthening of policy capacity within key institutions such as FMARD, Ministries of Trade and Industry, State Ministries of Agriculture (SMAs), and Local Government Councils (LGCs). The focus should be on policy analysis, interpretation, communication and program management

3. Support monitoring and evaluation Monitor and evaluate each policy and project implemented 4. Establishing a management information system (MIS) The aim of the MIS system will be to identify information needs for various users from both within and outside the FMARD 5. Improving export markets: This can be achieved by working closely with development partners in learning from their experience of pilot programs and seeking assistance on the role the government should play in supporting the private sector 6. Develop a more robust curriculum Invite specialists in the areas of trade and agriculture to develop robust curriculum