Nigerians, like many other Africans, believe that certain fruits like orange only grow in particular conditions. This can't be any further from the reality. In developed countries, most if not absolutely all the fruits are for sale to use all year-round. The trick behind this option of fruits is not so far-fetched. This write-up is targeted on year-round orange production in rural Nigeria. Growing oranges needs the maintenance of certain climatic conditions like heat and wind level although there are other issues less related to the environment such as pest control, irrigation and fertilizer software. These conditions control the progress of orange. In other words, if they can be managed at a certain level, creation can be done year-round. The Communication and Information Management Technology branches of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have an essential role to play here as they make it easy to reach majority of the rural farmers. Emphasis is positioned on radio because of this to the fact that it is readily available to most of them. Home elevators the basics of cultivating the berry throughout the year is handed down to the farmers through radio. The postulation here's that as the farmers get enough of this information, their orientation commences to improve and whatever financing or support they get from external sources can be put to good use. This increases the question of funding because of this orange production, and this is where in fact the great things about year-round creation such as job creation and increased revenue serve as motivation to potential supporters and lenders, like the federal government and microfinance banking institutions.
One of the most widely grown plants in the country today is orange. Its strong nutritional value and by-products such as orange drink are area of the reason for its popularity. First of all, it is vital to make clear that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) may be subdivided into three main branches particularly Computer Technology, Communication Technology and Information Management Technology. While Computer Technology is a essential component of ICT, Communication and Information Management Systems are equally as important (Wikipedia, 2010). Actually, so far as agriculture goes into the rural areas of Nigeria, Computer Technology will play a less essential role than any of the other two and the reason is not far-fetched. Although almost all of the farmers understand the conditions necessary for the crops to grow in practice, only a small number of them know this in theory. This theoretical knowledge is important in case a farmer will maximize production.
Methodology
An gain to the team is the fact the father of one of our team members is a sizable level farmer. Thus a number of your questions were aimed to him. Also, another team member made phone calls to his friend at the bank, a means where we obtained information about lending options and a few other financing questions. Some information was also extracted from books. Most of our options though are from the web, like articles and publications.
Year-round Production
One essential requirement of year-round development is the culture of the orange tree. Lately, it has been learned that close-spacing the crops within an orange grove might cause reduction in output, and addititionally there is the argument that in close-planted groves, it is very costly to prune. On the contrary, the ease with which pruning, fertilizing and harvesting can be carried out affects farmers' decision to engage in close-planting. Many groves in rural Nigeria have an average spacing of 20 X 15 foot (7. 5x6 m), which in comparison to the ex - standard 25 x 25 feet (7. 5x7. 5 m) can be considered to be really close-spaced. Conversely, it has been found out that by budding 'Pineapple' orange onto the rootstock of tough lemon, close-planting can in any other case improve the total produce. A chart is given below to illustrate the behavior of this new type of orange in relation to spacing.
This brings to light two new points of interest - types of orange and budding. These two points are incredibly essential to year-round orange farming. The first solution in growing orange year-round is in its varieties. Various kinds of oranges react in a different way to different climatic conditions. For instance, while Hamlin and Queen thrive well under extreme cold temperature, Valencia, on the other palm, does not do as well. In developing countries where orange is open to customers year-round, they simply expand the particular type of orange that will flourish in each season. You won't come as a wonder that many if not absolutely all of the types of orange can develop in many elements of Nigeria. In fact, Benue state in north central Nigeria alone accounts for the development of over ten varieties of orange. The implication of the is the fact with proper understanding of these varieties and how they thrive under different conditions, oranges can be produced year-round in the united states.
Budding is another important tool that can ensure the creation of the fruits during particularly severe seasons of the year. Although there are many types of the super fruit that survive in several seasons, there are a few seasons that are uniquely harsh to crops. For these seasons, budding is a practice that can ensure the development of more vigorous and productive trees and shrubs. The procedure ensures the quality of oranges produced. Budding involves grafting an integral part of a vegetable (called the scion) on another herb (called the rootstock) with an already productive root system, thus allowing them to expand as one herb. Rootstocks are mostly used for fruiting trees and with regards to the rootstock used, even with the same scion, properties such as large super fruit size, vigor, and resistance to diseases, drought and main pests can be induced in the resulting tree (Wikipedia, 2010). For example, when certain orange trees and shrubs are budded onto the rootstock of trifoliate orange, the effect is a tree that can survive in extreme cool and even low moist soils.
Irrigation plays an essential role in crop produce, especially through the dry out season when wilting is an imminent problem. Lots of the farmers in the rural areas know this, but there are still some limitations. One of them is the lack of water; another is the fact that many of the farmers have no idea how much normal water is necessary for irrigation. To determine how much water is needed, home elevators the depth of the earth is vital. Much like most trees and shrubs, the depth of the soil influences the reach of the main system. Deep soils allow for better main systems, and consequently better level of resistance to drought. Furthermore, the deeper the garden soil, the more the quantity of water that can be used in irrigation. For the condition of lack of water, it would be a good notion if farmers should work together as the circulation of normal water is usually uneven in this period. That is, although some farmers' wells have numerous drinking water, others become dried up. Cooperation between them wouldn't normally only assist in irrigation but in a great many other useful areas as well. Also because of the benefits to be reaped from this year-round orange creation (as discussed further down), the federal government should also improve the way to obtain new irrigation technology and supply of water.
Another hindrance to the year-round creation of orange in the united states is the challenge of pests and diseases. Oranges, like many other fruits, are damaged by plenty of pests. A number of the pests particular to orange include citrus rust mites, numerous size insects, mealy insects, aphids (seed lice) and super fruit flies. These various pests influence various areas of the tree including the leaves, stem, main, and even the oranges. On top of that, diseases are also a huge risk to the production of oranges. A number of the common diseases include blight, citrus canker, and some viral and fungal diseases. In some other cases, incompatibility between the scion and rootstock can also be a cause of reduced production. Experts have come up with some effective treatments for many of these diseases, but without ICT, it is impossible to pass these details to farmers in rural areas. However, sometimes farmers mistake things such as irregular coloration of leaves induced by mineral deficiencies such as copper and zinc for diseases.
Oranges can be maintained for as long as 5 calendar months at relatively low temperature (between 2. 22oC and 3. 89oC). That is another benefit of oranges that may be taken up to ensure that it is available for year-round use. Farmers in rural Nigeria do not take benefit of this property because they don't have the required storage facility, which should be large enough to carry a large amount of oranges and keep carefully the temp low enough to ensure preservation. Most of them have no idea that the fruits can even be maintained that long.
The Role of ICT
The most powerful tool that can be handed down to these farmers is information empowerment; hence the earlier laid base on Communication and Information Management Technology. There is no point in purchasing specialized equipment for farmers when they do not even know the way the things work. The first step is to open up their eye to the details of the fruits they are simply producing. With proper understanding, the farmers will begin to require the right tools. Without instigation from any exterior factors, they will begin to require loans and additional infrastructure to help in year-round production. In other words, they need to be informed that it is possible and with today's technology, there are numerous ways at hand down this information. Radio would be a powerful tool since almost all of these farmers have one. Agricultural programs should air on the air stations available to them, and in their dialect. These programs, targeted at the farmers, would help them better understand irrigation, earth depth, and many other factors related with their crops. As time passes, they will commence to ask questions, and then expansion brokers can be created to help answer them.
Consistency is an important factor in the use of radio. It takes time to change a person's values. The idea is usually that the farmers hear the info well enough which it begins to transform their ideas about the growth of their berry. In other words, unless these programs are kept on air long enough, making these rural farmers adopt the present day techniques created here would be an extremely difficult activity. Therefore, ICT sorts the foundation for this revolutionary project in the country's agricultural sector. It is the most effective way for passing information to the farmers.
Financing
Agriculture gets it funds from federal government and state government, private sectors, and international development associates. A number of the financial institutions like banks believe loaning to small scale farmers is much less risky as lending to big style farmers. This is therefore of the fact, as a number of lenders have described, that small range farmers unlike their large range counterparts have a tendency to pay back their loans (Mommoh, 2008). However, some other financial institutions have confidence in funding large level farmers somewhat than small size farmers. Basically, funding agriculture is classified as macro or micro fund, with respect to the source of the cash.
One of the major problems facing agricultural funding, especially in rural areas, is poor handling of loans. The targeted farmers scarcely have access to loans anticipated to obstacles or conditions fastened. Even when they get access to the loans, they are generally given less than what they applied for, because of inadequate funds. The very unfortunate thing is usually that the fake influential people who create to be farmers meet up with the conditions thereby access the lending options. Another problem is the actual fact that farmers do not necessarily channel the funds from what it was at first intended for (agricultural development); instead they make use of it for personal purposes. Because of this, some blame can be put on the plan that empowers them with money without the info what the money can and really should be utilized for. Many farmers are already used to their old ways of doing things, plus they can continue without the excess money. Thus, they have to be educated new agricultural techniques that will help them understand where to channel the money they receive, and this is where ICT comes into play.
There are different ways to address problems of agricultural financing. First of all, authorities should encourage permanent loans at low interest. Agricultural production consists of long gestation period. With such insurance plan (long lasting loans at lower interest rate) set up, there is propensity for a rise in agricultural creation. Financial institutions should also relax their financing criteria if you want to permit farmers to get easy access to loans. Small range farmers don't have acceptable guarantee (houses, moveable properties, companies, shares and so on) required by these institutions. Thus the standards should be user-friendly for easy convenience of loan. Administration can also make land open to farmers for farming.
Alongside the information how to develop their fruits, the farmers should also be encouraged to work with funds with the objective for which they can be meant and follow the terms and conditions of the program. They also needs to make their project and records accessible to lenders for inspection and verification. The lending body should ensure intermittent monitoring of the funded agricultural job under the design. On the part of the federal government, there shouldn't only be provision of sufficient money for agriculture, but also follow-up to guarantee the proper disbursement of the funds.
Marketing (especially the Off-Season Oranges) [Bitrus]
With year-round development or orange comes the challenge of acceptance. This is where marketing comes into play. Being Africans and Nigerians, especially keen on superstitious beliefs, we've made our heads that the orange is greenish-yellow and anything else is most likely genetically manufactured and hence posing hazards of cancer, waste, poisons, and food allergies. Because of this, any business that plans to market oranges of the highest quality during the year in Nigeria and Africa all together must have a way to convince the general public that the oranges are perfectly normal.
How will you assure the audience that the oranges aren't genetically altered because the company will be providing quality oranges all year round? The finished orange, although produced in the rural area but using state-of-the skill technology should be made available through the entire year, orange in color, juicy and large enough to meet international specifications if it's to be exported. Since what the majority of us ingest the country does not meet any of the above, then there's every probability that prospects will be skeptical about buying because they could feel it isn't natural. The advertising campaign must convince everyone that the oranges are naturally grown all year round under the right conditions; stating that the fruits increase under proper irrigation throughout the year, that different types of orange are produced with regards to the season; and pesticides and herbicides are used to regulate and control the pests and weeds respectively.
The marketers should have radio talk shows and Television set personalities educate everyone that individuals need to take their intellects off of the stereotypical way of thinking that fruits can be cultivated only in their conditions. By educating the general public that under the right conditions, a super fruit can be grown year-round, the producer can convince the customer that there surely is nothing incorrect with the berry. After all, in developed countries vegetables & fruits are gotten throughout the year. Take notice though that there are the genetically produced ones that happen to be usually tagged GM and there will be the naturally produced ones. The normally grown ones are simply grown under monitored conditions which is the same kind of thing which will be replicated by the rural farmers.
Getting endorsements from NGO's and other visible organizations including the Food and Drug Firm (FDA) and the National Organization for Food and Administration and Control (NAFDAC) will encourage individuals who the fruits are safe for utilization. Internet advertisings, billboards and commercials too will be instrumental in publicizing the naturally-grown oranges.
The typical orange in Nigeria is not packed. Proper packaging will get customers to buy the produced orange. A reliable price will further interest the clients and keep them, but this will be following the packaging will need to have served its purpose.
Another essential aspect to be considered is the vehicles of the oranges from the rural areas to the customers. The designer/supplier must consider how to transport the oranges from the grove in the rural area to the consumers. Theoretically the fruits will be transported in pickup trucks with properly cleaned, disinfected and ventilated containers which contain temperature-controlled atmosphere for specifically prolonging the shelve life of the oranges and keeping them in their best shape. The vehicles will be coated with the ad of the oranges showing the brand and a vibrant painting of the oranges which is a very good online marketing strategy. The temperature-controlled trucks should protect them until they receive to the customers.
Benefits of Year-round Creation []
1. Export: Over time of development, there will be a need to get started on exporting the oranges since creation is going to be done year-round. This can increase the country's revenue and consequently, the Gross Domestic Product of the united states. This would help the farmers to help make the most gain discovering opportunities in overseas countries that aren't present in the home market (Tekle, 2007). By doing this, the farmers would eventually turn their small level farm into international companies which will take part in today's fast growing global market and gain more knowledge from the highly diverse international market place. This could also go on to help fortify the value of the Nigerian Naira which means a noticable difference in the Nigerian overall economy.
2. Job Creation: According to INDEX MUNDI, the pace of unemployment in Nigeria has reduced by 21. 3% within the area of 2003 and 2010 as shown in the graph below (Barrientos, 2010). In this time, a huge reduction in crime rate in addition has been observed and this goes to show that individuals who aren't among the work force will be the ones in charge of the crimes being committed. If farmers are efficiently granted the possibility to go into larger scale production of these oranges they would need to employee more workers to benefit the cultivation and harvesting of the oranges. This might go a long way in abetting the drop in crime, unemployment rates, and poverty in the rural regions of Nigeria. Since these oranges will be the produced year-round, then your careers would be full-time jobs instead of seasonal.
3. Joint Development: Farmers can also become a member of their businesses jointly. This may become yet another source of capital and resources for all the parties involved. This might help aid and increase the growth of the business enterprise because they have more funds to accomplish the operation mixed up in development your oranges which would result to an increase in their profit percentage and revenue potential. In addition, it helps this farmer because they may have someone to talk about the responsibility with them which would also decrease the risk and effect of losing plenty money.
4. Environmental Benefits: In order to produce oranges, we need to plant trees and shrubs. These trees protect environmentally friendly biomes of microorganisms, supplying way to the reduction of Enhanced GARDEN GREENHOUSE Effects also known as global warming by remove surplus amount of skin tightening and and atmospheric air pollutants, including sulphur dioxide, ozone and nitrogen oxide (iloveindia. com, 2010). In addition they provide us with more oxygen necessary for living life. These trees would also enhance the quality of air and reduce its pollution. It would also enhance the visual effect of panoramas in rural area which could also increase revenue gotten from travel and leisure. Since most rural areas look like in North part of Nigeria it could help control the weather by moderating the consequences of sunlight and can also act as windbreakers. It could also reduce erosion and flooding in these areas given that they haven't any effective drainage system.
5. It'll accelerate the expansion of the agricultural sector: Since the breakthrough of crude olive oil in the united states, Nigerians have neglected the agricultural sector. Producing these oranges would also encourage the year-round creation of other agricultural goods and also change it to commercial agriculture and these would simple the stress that is put on the coal and oil sector. It will create more Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Gross National Product (GNP) and per capita income for Nigeria.
6. Investment funds: This provides a huge influx of foreign companies who package in food creation and pharmaceuticals. It could also raise the circulation of cash into the country and encourage financial activity in Nigeria. It could also curb the problems of low job opportunities and reduced GDP. The remaining farmers and companies must develop their labor to keep up with the much upgraded competition therefore causing an increment generally efficiency level. Plus the Nigerian Authorities will be studied much more really in the worldwide conferences because the amount of investors in the united states has advanced.
7. Infrastructural development: This will bring in new equipment's for companies who patronize in agricultural products and the agricultural sector will have to provide modern equipments to produce more produces.
8. Globalization: It would generally breach the difference between countries through trade. It would also reduce the cultural barriers which would boost the global village result.
9. World Trade Company (WTO): With agricultural opportunities, you will see economic growth which will make Nigeria a valuable participant on earth Trade Firm.
10. Skill development: As time passes, the rural areas will dsicover an evolution of skilled staff, both in the agricultural and industrial sectors.
11. Population Syndication: Like a great many other countries, the urban parts in Nigeria are densely populated as the rural areas are sparsely populated, but with the new careers created in rural areas, there will be a redistribution of human population. Places like Lagos and Abuja wouldn't normally be so densely populated. Which would help in the introduction of the rural areas in Nigeria.
Recommendations
Although there could be set-backs or even disadvantages to the entire year round production of orange in the united states, the advantages much outweigh these drawbacks. With this many advantages, the government and a great many other sponsors should become more than willing to aid the idea. Execution of this would be ground-breaking to food development in the country as it could open the entranceway for year-round creation of several other fruits. The implication is these fruits will become much cheaper than when they can be purchased only in their season. There would be advantages to every sector in the united states, but it is imperative that the federal government does not make an effort to push these rural farmers into creation as it can just result in another waste material of limited resources. The farmers must properly understand the procedure and the required techniques so that whenever they get the resources they will use them judiciously. For proper understanding, the ICT tools must also be used effectively, that is, the farmers must constantly be getting these details and it ought to be consistent. They must be encouraged to interact and execute these new ways of farming as many of these will be primarily resistant to them.
