(a) Name six Government and four Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that are involved in the improvement of agricultural production in West Africa. (b) M...

(a) Government and Non-Governmental Organisations improving agriculture in West Africa

Six Government organisations:

• Ministry of Agriculture (Federal/State).
• Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs).
• National agricultural research institutes (for example NIFOR, IAR, NRCRI).
• Bank of Agriculture / agricultural credit agencies.
• National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS).
• Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service / commodity boards.

Four Non-Governmental Organisations:

• Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
• International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
• Sasakawa Global 2000.
• USAID / Oxfam (development partners).

(b) Five ways NGOs contribute to agricultural productivity

• They provide credit, grants and farm inputs to farmers.
• They train farmers and provide extension education on improved practices.
• They supply improved seeds, breeds and technology.
• They fund agricultural research and rural infrastructure.
• They help farmers form cooperatives and find markets for produce.

(c) Six ways science and technology have boosted crop production

• Development of improved, high-yielding and disease-resistant crop varieties.
• Use of chemical fertilizers to improve soil fertility and yield.
• Use of agro-chemicals (herbicides, pesticides) to control weeds and pests.
• Mechanisation with tractors and implements, speeding up operations.
• Irrigation technology allowing all-year cropping.
• Improved storage, processing and preservation techniques that reduce losses (and tissue culture/biotechnology for rapid multiplication).