CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
“EDUCATION IS THE BEDROCK OF A NATION”
This
statement gives evidence to the pact that knowledge is power and this is an
essential ingredient nutrient required by any nation for development and
growth. With the rapid increase in human population and decrease in the world
food production, it is vital that agriculture should be held at a high esteem
which is the only solution to this problem. Also necessary measures should be
put in place in the area of food storage and preservation to help reduce post
harvest losses. It is in this light that agriculture as a course was
established in schools. Agriculture is a practical course and does not end up
in the classroom practical’s holds the key in agriculture hence the mandatory
field practical braining for all agriculture students to bridge theory with
practical.
To have an adequate knowledge of the
course, the course, the practical aspect cannot be over emphasized. The Field
Practical Training (FPT) is a program undertaken by every 400 level students of
agriculture in all Nigerian Universities as a pre – requisite for the
qualification of a Bachelor Degree in Agricultural disciplines. FPT was
introduced to complement the theoretical aspect of agriculture practices. This
is so, because it is imperative that students of agriculture have a practical
experience in order to be self dependent and self employed. With the escalating
increase in the population rise in demand for food, there is need for well
trained farmers who would make up the bridge and improve food security in the
country.
The importance of this programme is
to enable students have a practical knowledge in the field of agriculture so
that they can help reduce the high rate of unemployment in our societies by
being self employed and help reduce the high rate of unemployment in our
societies by being self employed and also create employment opportunities for
others, as well as to boost food production in Nigeria thereby leading to food
security in Nigeria.
1.1 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDENTS INDUSTRIAL
WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME (SIWES)
The
objectives of this programme include;
1. To train production graduates in the
various areas of agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
2. To produce graduates who will not
useful to themselves, but to the public and private sector.
3. To produce graduates who will
profitably put their skills into operation by establishing and operating their
own farming enterprises.
4. To enable students of agriculture see
the promising prospect of their profession.
5. To expose the students to different
factors that determines the success and failure of the production of
agricultural produce.
1.2 BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT
BACKGROUND
National Root Crops Research
institute, Umudike, Started in 1st
January, 1923, on a 122 hectare land as a provincial research farm under the
Nigeria Department of Agriculture with headquarters at moor plantation, Ibadan
following regionalization in 1955, it came under the Eastern Region Ministry of
Agriculture was established and located close to the research farm. Subsequent
acquisition of 165 hectares in 1960/61, 162 hectares in 1965 and some swamp
land in 1974/75 brought the total area to 418 hectares in 1965 the research
farm became known as the Eastern Nigeria Agricultural Research Station (ENARS).
Both the Research Agricultural Research station and the school were merged in
1965 and called Research and Training Station (FARTS). On April 1st
1972, the Federal Government took over the station and re – named it the
Federal Agricultural Research and Training station (FARTS) by the Agriculture
research institute decree of 1973, the station came under the Agricultural
Research council of Nigeria (ARCN).
The station was upgraded to a
commodity research institute in 1975 by the Federal Military Government Decree
No 33 and re – named National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) on 1st
April, 1976. The institute came under the aegis of National Science and
Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) by decree No 5 of January 1977. In 1980
it was transferred to the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. Since
1996, the institute has been under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture Rural
Development, with the transfer of the college of Agriculture to Ishiagu in
Ebonyi State in 1993 and the cession of the area formerly occupied by the
college to the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUA), Umudike, the
total area now occupied by the institute is about 308 hectares.
1.3 LOCATION
The institute headquarters at
Umudike is situated on longitude 07o33’E and latitude 05o29’N at about 8km East of the Umuahia Ikot – Ekpene
Road. It is 140km North of Port Harcourt international airport, 135km south of
Enugu Airport and 80km East of Owerri Airport. It has sub – stations spread
across the country. They occupy a total land area of 600 hectares.
The
six Sub – Stations and their Geographical Zones are:
- Kuru, Plateau State North Central Zone
- Otobi, Benue State, North Central Zone
- Igbariam, Anambra State, South East Zone
- Nyanya, karu, Nasarawa State, North
Central Zone
- Gussol, Taraba state, North East Zone
- Maro, Kaduna state, North Central Zone
1.4 COLLABORATION
NRCRI
collaborates with research and donor agencies at the international, regional,
national and local levels. The collaborators include the International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) Rome; International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Austria,
International Plant Genetic Resource Institute (IPGRI), Rome; International
Centre for Tropical Agriculture (USDA), USA; International Laboratory for
Tropical Agricultural Biotechnology (ILTAB), USA; and National Centre for
Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Abuja. Other include Shell
Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC), Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC), the 9 Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPS) in the South East agro
ecological zone of the country, faculties of Agriculture in the South – East
University such as Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike; Federal University
of Technology Owerri; University of Calabar, University of Uyo and University
of Nigeria Nsukka. Also included are the West and Central Africa Regional
Development (WECARD), Strategic Food Reserves (SFR) Abuja, NGOs, as well as the
World Bank and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
1.5 SUBSTRATION/MANDATE
The institute has the national
mandate for
i. Research into the genetic improvement,
production, processing, storage, utilization and marketing of root and tuber
crops of economic importance namely yam, cassava, potato, sweet potato,
cocoyam, ginger, and other root crops such as Hausa potato, rizger turmeric,
sugar beet and radish.
ii. Research into the farming systems of
South – East agro – ecological zone of Nigeria in order to improve the standard
of living of the resource poor farmers. The zone covers Abia, Akwa Ibom,
Anambra, Bayelsa, cross river, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and rivers states. Executing
this farming system mandate also implies integration of fisheries, livestock
and agro – forestry component into the arable crops production system.
iii. Agriculture extension delivery to farming
in the south east Agro – ecological zone in liaison with relevant federal and
state ministries industries and companies, NGOs (non - governmental organizations) and other user of
research result in collaboration with the national agricultural extension
Research
and Liaison Service (NAERLS)
1.6 MISSION STATEMENT/ VISSION
The mission statement/vision of the
nation root crops research institute is to provide the necessary environment
for the production, processing and marketing of value added production from
root and tuber crop for national food security, income generation, gainful
employment and industrial development.
1.7 ORGANISATION
The national Root Crop Research
Institute (NRCRI) is organized in such a manner as to enable it fulfill its
national its national mandate. It is administration supervises in a governing
board which is accountable to the minister of agriculture and Rural Development.
The board is responsible for policy initiatives which the director of the
institute, as the chief executive is responsible for day to day running of the
institute. The Director is assisted by Assistant Director Internal Management
Committee (IMC).
CHAPTER
FOUR
PERFORMANCES
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF THE ORGANIZATION
4.0 ACHIEVEMENT
The
National Root Crop Research Institute Umudike has very reason to pride itself
as the leading Agricultural Research Institute in Nigeria. This is because
since its inception in 1923 it has continued to leave up to its expectations as
for as research into roots and tuber crop is concerned.
The
efforts of the scientific research officers of the institute have helped to put
Nigeria as one of the world’s leading cassava, yam, cocoyam and potato
producing countries in the world today.
The development of ministering
techniques for rapid multiplication of yam and cassava has help farmers in
alleviating the problem of inadequate planting materials.
In the area of breeding, the institute
has so far released 17 cassava varieties for farmers, used thereby alleviating
the problem of late maturity and susceptibility to pest and disease.
In
the area of post harvest technology, the production of cassava flour for
odourless Fufu. The making cocoyam chips as snacks and cassava root meal and
pellets for livestock feed put them ahead of other.
The efforts of extension workers who
ensures that news about the new technologies and innovations in roots and tubes
crops based systems are properly disseminated 70 farmers are not left out in
the institute’s achievement.
4.1 STAFFING
The institute has over 1000 staff
including over 40 PhD holders, numerous Msc. B Agric and HND holders referred
to as scientific staff, support staff and administrative staff.
4.2 STAFF CONTROL, DISCIPLINE AND INCENTIVES
The institute has outstanding
disciplined committee who makes sure that an earring staff is disciplined
appropriately if the offence committee is mild. He person will be warned orally
by the senior personnel who the staff is under or will be given query but if
not the person will be suspended while the disciplinary committee looks into
the case.
4.3 TECHNICAL ASPECT
The national root crops research
institute, Umudike is really trying in providing the required structures,
machines and equipments, plans other working materials used for research.
Notwithstanding, more is needed for effective production and research findings
and this is why the governing board of the institute recently embarked on
supervisor of the headquarters at Umudike and its branches nationwide to know
the area that needs attention.
4.4 MANPOWER AND SKILLS
The institute is currently employing
over 40 PhD holders. The first degree and masters holders and also working
towards finishing their degree (PhD). The institute also encourages those who
have distinguished themselves in terms of dedication of service and/or research
by assisting them to further research or acquire more skills abroad.
Nonetheless, the institute needs to
absorb more research officers so as to effectively utilize the available
materials.
In
addition, the institute organizes short times courses to train farmers and
extension agents the Federal College of Agriculture; Ishiage Ebonyi State is
the training wing or arm of the research institute. The college which was
relocated to Ishiagu from Umudike in 1993, trains students both at National and
Higher National Diploma levels, there by middle level manpower to the nation.
It also organizes short courses to train farmers and extension agents. The
school is currently undertaking the following courses:
A. Preliminary
National Diploma (Pre – ND), in Science and Technology.
B. National
Diploma (ND) in general agriculture
C. Higher
National diploma (HND) in
(i) Animal
production
(ii) Crop
Production
(iii) Pest
Management Technology
(iv) Agriculture
Extension
(v) Horticulture
and Landscape Technology
4.5 MANAGERIAL ASPECT
Each of the units and division in the institute
has befitting structures and required working materials, tools, machines and
equipment. Each unit or programme also has a director and assistant director
who coordinated the research and other activities going on there. The director,
assistant director or HOD in any division is accountable to higher authority
with the executive director (Dr. K. I. Nwosu) at the help of affairs. When the
machines in any unit have fault, technicians and/or engineers are invited to
repair them through an application from the head of such unit to the head of
engineering department. Some units like the soil science laboratory unit has a
technician attached to them.
4.6 FINANCIAL ASPECT
The funding of the research institute
both for research, researcher, salaries, etc, is being carried out by the
federal government of Nigeria. The funds released by the federal government is
utilized adequately in renovation works, expansion of research scope of the
institute and in the production of Agriculture products, extension to farmers
in the urban and rural areas of the
country and most importantly in raising the farmers standard of living.
CHAPTER
FIVE
5.0 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED DURING SIWES -
PROGRAMMES
As we all know that man cannot live
without problems I encountered numerous problems during my stay at NRCRI
Umudike which includes.
i. Finance: This was as a result of
nonpayment of allowances to student on SIWES program by the institute.
ii. The
problem of accommodation made many of us to either squall with students of moue
Umudike or rent houses in the town at a cut throat price.
iii. The
problem of lack of cooperation by some of the staff to student.
iv. Some
of the staff are trainee and either give us wrong information or confuse us,
Which took us much time to consult the experts for correction.
5.1 RECOMMENDATIONS
Having
stayed in the institute for more than six months, I hereby recommend as follows:
1. All
outdated (e.g., the microscope in the plant protection laboratory and one
centrifuge in the soil science laboratory) should be replaced by the federal
government of enhance quality) federal government to research findings.
2. Serious
disciplinary action should be taken on ghost workers and those that are serious
with their work.
3. More
offices and residential lodge should be constructed to encourage the workers.
The scientists and other workers within the institute lodge will help them to
be more focused.
4. The
Federal Government of Nigeria should also encourage the I.T. student by
providing them with some stipends or accommodations because the students are
future researchers of Nigerians and have so many potentials.
5. Finally,
I will like to advise other students who are yet to do such at the National
Root Crops Research Institute Umudikes for knowledge acquisition supersedes
money.
5.2 CONCLUSION
The 2012/2013 academic session field
practical training programme was educative, enlightening and practical oriented.
The holistic learning approach agricultural production, crop production and
soil science. The training to the outstations was an eye opener to the
practical applications of the knowledge that had been acquired within the
confines of the lecture.
Most
importantly, the training period has enabled me to secure a job upon
graduation. Conclusively, what I have gained from the NRCRI – Umudike, both
academically and otherwise cannot be overemphasized. To this junction, may I
finalized by saying that Nation Root Crops Research Umudike is qualified for
training student both in theory and practice.
A TECHNICAL
REPORT ON
STUDENTS INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE
SCHEME (SIWES)
CARRIED OUT AT
NATIONAL ROOT CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
(NRCRI) UMUDIKE, ABIA STATE
DEPARTMENT OF CROP PRODUCTION AND
LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE COURSE
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING (AGR 402)