BACKGROUND PAPER FOR US-NIGERIAN DISCUSSIONS OF THE NIGER CEREALS PROGRAM (ATTACHED PAR 77-1)

A QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DEVELOPED & ADMINISTERED IN 5 VILLAGES; DATA NOT YET COMPILED. 3 AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION MODLES ARE DISCUSSED. THE 1ST IS COMPOSED OF A PROFESSIONAL AGRICULTURAL STAFF WITH A NETWORK OF PEASANT DEMONSTRATORS ELECTED BY VILLAGE MUTUAL COOPS. INADEQUATE TRAINING OF DEMONSTRATORS HAS RESULTED IN LOW FARMER RECEPTIVITY. IN ADDITION, FERTILIZER IS DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN ONCE FARMERS HAVE BEEN INTERESTED. MODEL II EMPLOYS AIDE-ENCADEURS WHO UNFORTUNATELY ARE USUALLY SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF FORMAL SCHOOLING AND/OR PERSONAL CONTACTS RATHER THAN ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE & SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY. THEY DOLE-OUT LARGE AMOUNTS OF FREE FERTILIZER, IMPRESSING FARMERS WITH REMARKABLE RESULTS. MODEL III IS A VARIATION OF MODEL II,WITH AIDE-ENCADEURS CIRCULATED THROUGH VILLAGES IN A MULTITUDE OF JOBS. IN BOTH CASES, AIDE-ENCADEURS ARE POORLY TRAINED AND NOT WELL-SUPERVISED. TRAINING PROGRAMS WERE DEVISED FOR YOUNG FARMERS, BUT WERE ATTENDED MOSTLY BY SONS OF WEALTHY, INFLUENTIAL FAMILIES. PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED INCOMPLETE UNITS OF EQUIPMENT AND HAD NO SYSTEMATIC DEMONSTRATION ROLES. IN THE UNCC COOP STRUCTURE, MAJOR EMPHASIS WAS PUT ON MARKETING GROUPS, BUT FARMERS DISLIKED THE INCREASED EXPENDITURES OF TIME AND TRANSPORT. LOCAL-LEVEL COOPS REMAIN UNDER TRADITIONAL AUTHORITIES AND COOP EDUCATION EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MISDIRECTED. THE VOLUME OF LOANS AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT REPAYMENT IS GROWING STEADILY, BUT ACCORDING TO UNCC FIGURES DEFAULT IS VERY HIGH. LOAN RECORDS AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL HAVE BEEN FOUND TO BE INACCURATE, WHICH CASTS DOUBT ON THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.