Centre For Agricultural & Research Development

Agriculture is the principal source of livelihood in majority of rural communities in Nigeria. The agricultural sector continues to be challenged by several factors that perpetuate the marginal and subsistence nature of the Nigerian farms. Majority of farming households have very small landholdings, limiting their access to technology, capital and markets. Soil degradation and water stressed cultivable land continue to inhibit productivity, while prevalent farming practices add pressure to the environmental footprint of this sector. Limited post-harvest infrastructure and weak value chain linkages have resulted in post-harvest losses for perishable agricultural produce. Food processing levels continue to be very low, offering limited levels of value addition.
Increasing agricultural production with limited natural resources in a sustainable manner for ensuring food and nutritional security, creating a vibrant food processing sector and providing assured incomes to farmers remain key national priorities. To respond to these needs, Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development Studies (CARDS) of Federal University of Lafia (FULAFIA) has to play a pro-active role in the fields of environment, agriculture and rural development, to make a difference in its own way. Supports from relevant stakeholders shall be sought for FULAFIA-CARDS to realize its objectives and convert its noble idea into a concept, and finally into an institution for training extension agents and different categories of farmers to develop agricultural Entrepreneurship and rural economy.

Objectives of the entity (bullet point)
• Provide usef ul inf ormation f or ef f ective policy intervention in agriculture and rural development.
• Break the cycle of poverty and liberate f armers to improve their adoption of modern f arm technologies which could enhance productivity and farmers' income.
• Develop and promote agro - processing f or the evolution of virile agro-allied industries and rural micro-entrepreneurship.
• Build capacity of f arming communities towards improved marketing of f arm products.
• Increase the number of agricultural job opportunities so that unemployment may be reduced.
• Encourage capital f ormation among small holder f armers.
• Saf eguard security (of lif e, energy and f ood) in rural communities.
• Assist in f ormation of cooperative f or collective marketing and expansion of agricultural production.
• Address crimes, drugs and numerous other social ills.
• Ensure timely and appropriate agro-inputs f or f armers.
• Increase access to agricultural value-chain f inancing.
CORE PROGRAMMES
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT SCHEME (APES)
The scheme is aimed at improving the perf ormance of agricultural entrepreneurs. It shall identify factors responsible for low productivity in agricultural enterprises andproffer solution that will enhance smallholder’s agricultural productivity, improve rural incomes and strengthen
food security. APES will focus on some
of these areas.
• Crop production
• Livestock production
• Fisheries and aquaculture
• Soil and water management practices
• Pest management practices
• Agricultural marketing
• Post-harvest management
• Farm mechanization
• Resource planning and management
• Entrepreneurship development
• Biotechnology and seed production
• Agricultural extension