Southwest Farming Systems Research and Extension Programme is the central rallying point for the Institute’s research and extension activities as the custodian of the Southwest Zonal Extension Mandate of the Institute.

The Programme evaluates and promotes technologies that are ecologically adaptable, socio-culturally acceptable and economically viable to millions of farming households in Southwest agro-ecologies.

These activities basically revolves round Farming Systems Research targeted at evaluating and adapting developed technologies to the Southwest farming systems. Other core activities include dissemination of proven technologies, technical training for extension personnel, farmers and entrepreneurs. Our activities also extend to conduct of adoption, impact assessment, policy and other socio-economic studies.

The Programme is endowed with experienced scientists across different disciplines of relevance to its mandates. The Programme’s pool of expertise covers Agricultural Extension; Communication, Rural Development and Sociology, Agricultural Production and Resource Economics, Agronomy, Entomology, Soil Physics, Water Resources and Agrometrology, Biometrics and Statistics, Wildlife Management, Fisheries and Aquaculture Management, Pasture and Range management and Poultry Nutrition. This is in addition to technical and administrative staff of proven proficiency in their different areas of concern.

· Conducts and coordinates research on efficient use and management of land and water resources for agricultural production in the agro ecological zones of Nigeria.

· Classification, characterization and mapping of Nigerian soils for Agricultural production and land use planning.

· Develop and provide low cost and efficient technologies for control and monitoring of soil erosion and land degradation.

· Develop efficient and effective techniques to solve irrigation, land clearing and tillage problems.

· Develop efficient and effective climate smart techniques for mitigation and adaptation to climate change

· Provide advisory services to farmers, agricultural institutions and industries through soil survey and mapping, land evaluation, soil testing, laboratory analyses of soil, plant, fertilizer, rock and water; and providing recommendations for appropriate management practices.

Research Focus

SUSTAINABLE LAND RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND FOOD SECURITY

The programme is focus on three major areas of Research and Service: Pedology/Soil Survey and Land Evaluation, Soil Fertility Studies and Soil and Water Conservation.

Focus is given to:

· Soil information system for Nigeria

· Integrated soil fertility management and production system

· Urban agriculture and dry season farming

· Soil and water conservation strategies for sustainable agricultural production

· Advancement in laboratory technologies

Current Activities

· Development of soil information system for Nigeria in collaboration with partners in the six major agro-ecological zones in Nigeria

· Digital mapping and production of digital soil maps, suitability maps and nutrient maps of local government areas in Nigeria (about 20 LGAs has been accessed to date)

· Development of web portal interface for dissemination of soil information in Nigeria.

· Accelerated Composting Technique (ACT) to further reduce the period of composting to 4 weeks through controlled environment and bio-fortication of IAR&T organic fertilizer

· Calibration studies for improved fertilizer formulation and recommendation.

· Use of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria for improved crop performance

· Production of pyrolysed compost for increased soil quality and availability/utilization of nutrients

· On–station research of bio-fertilizer as crop growth promoter

External Grants

African Plant Nutrition Outreach Fellowship for Excellence in supporting education, training and communication programmes for improved use of plant nutrients in African agriculture (2020- 2021)

Our Collaborators

· Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD)

· Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN)

· National Research Institutes (NARIs)

· State Agricultural Development Programme (ADPs)

· Bora Agro Nigeria Limited (BANL)

· International Institute of Tropical Agricultural (IITA)

· Private agro-input dealers e.g. Greenworld PLC, ISONEM Chemicals,

· Ogun –Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA)

· Biochar Initiative

· Commodity Farmers Association,

· Nigeria Institute of Soil Science (NISS),

· National Organic Association of Nigeria (NOAN),

· Organic Agriculture Project in Tertiary Institution in Nigeria (OAPTIN)

Past Achievements

· Soil information for agricultural development through characterization, classification and mapping of soils in Nigeria for land evaluation, sustainable management and erosion control of some strategic locations in Nigeria made available.

· Soil inventory focused on rice value chain in Ebonyi, Taraba and Niger as well as National Programme on Food Security (NPFS) in Niger Delta, Edo and Lagos States for land use planning for smallholder farmers.

· Detailed Pedological studies including clay mineralogy and micro-morphology. The Programme has repository of soil data bank which is the basis for the IAR&T soil information system being developed.

· Development of fertilizer rate recommendation and micronutrient requirements of crops as well as evaluation of rock phosphate as a source of soil phosphorous for crop production.

· Development of Passively Aerated Composting Techniques (PACT) that reduce composting time to six weeks and development of organic and organic-based fertilizer (cassava-based compost and vetiver based compost).

· Production of rainfall erosivity and erodibility map of Nigeria and amelioration techniques for degraded soils using legumes.

· Weather forecast for prediction of onset of rainfall for crop production in IAR&T outstations and use of low-cost irrigation technology (water harvesting, check dams and tube wells).

· Capacity building through training of stakeholders and production of farmers guide on sustainable land use, erosion control, compost production, flood control, soil fertility management and irrigation methods.

· Soil fertility evaluation for small-holder farmers.

Future Plans

· Production of functional soil maps of Nigeria based on agro-ecological zones.

· Correlation of Nigeria soils and development of National Soil Nomenclature System.

· Monitoring land quality/degradation.

· Testing and validating improved inorganic and organic fertilizer /biochar formulation to address current challenge of low soil productivity.

· Multiplication of identified inoculants for accelerated composting.

· Promotion of bio-fertilizers for crop growth among farmers.

Services Rendered

Advisory services to farmers, agricultural institutions and industries through soil survey and mapping, land evaluation recommendations for appropriate management practices.

Training of trainers and farmers on production and use of organic fertilizers.