GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS RECORDED IN MAIZE VALUE CHAIN

1.0      GOAL:  The overall goal of the Value Chain is to increase maize production from the 8.0 million mt (in 2011) to 15 million mt in 2015 and ultimately to 20 million mt by 2020.

In 2012, the value chain formally promoted the increased production of maize in 15 States and the FCT. The States were: Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kwara, Oyo, Ondo, Katsina, Ekiti, Enugu and the FCT. Each of the project States and the FCT for logistics and operational purposes was partitioned into six clusters. It was also to enhance maize farmers’ accessibility to storage facilities as well as linkage to input, extension services delivery and grain collation and collections. Thus we had 96 clusters then.

2.0      ACHIEVEMENTS

• Deployment of 3,600 tons of improved certified seeds through the GES covering 15 States and FCT in 2012.
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•  Procured 5, 000(No) knapsack sprayers for maize farmers in the Project States in addition to other post-harvest technologies
•  Deployed 4,606.52 metric tons of improved certified seeds through the GES to 30% of registered maize farmers in 21 States and FCT in 2013/2014 season.
• Production: 10.3 million tons of maize grain while productivity increased from 1 ton to 3 tons/ha (National Average)
  
• Deployment of 120,000 (Nos) hermetic to registered small scale maize farmers free in the project states and the FCT
• Distribution of the 5, 000(No) knapsack sprayers procured in 2013 to young maize farmers free that were also trained on safe handling of chemicals and the effective use of the sprayers. Workshops were held on zonal basis (4 zones) on pre- and post-harvest handling of maize grains against mycotoxin contamination in fields and in storage.
• Promoted Dry-season maize production in 13 States and the FCT with a total of 6, 706 maize farmers covering 13, 412 hectares.
• Registered 3.5 million maize farmers nationwide, with 2,276,631 maize farmers covered and supported,

3.0      Future Prospect:

              i.     Periodic update of maize farmers’ data to ensure continuous registration of maize farmers;

              ii.     Improved partnership with MAAN in the implementation of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA);

             iii.     Continuous implementation of dry season maize farming activities to ensure all year round maize production;

             iv.     Capacity building for farmers on high yielding maize varieties and good agronomic practices to improve yield; and

              v.     Continuous follow-up on farmers’ activities to sustain maize productivity.