Songhai Farm Initiative and Agricultural Development in Rivers State

International Journal on Integrated Education e-ISSN : 26203502
p-ISSN : 26153785
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Songhai Farm Initiative and Agricultural Development in Rivers State
Dagogo, Doctor Farah

Department of Sociology, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumini, Port Harcourt
[email protected]
Abstract: This work examines Songhai initiative farm and agricultural development in Rivers
State. The Songhai farm, since its inception in Rivers State, has invested in a rural
transformation strategy in agriculture which was referred to as green rural agroagro-revolution. It was
a well-established
established agricultural initiative for training, production, processing, research and
development centre for sustainable agriculture that takes a holistic approach to linking producers
locally to meet consumers at home and abroad in mar market
ket quantity. The Songhai initiative farm
trades only in organic products and enforces its own internal standards for organic agriculture
through its training programme and through its internal quality control system for the traceability
of its products. However,
owever, this lofty agricultural initiative went into extinction due mainly to
irrational conception of the benefits of such engagement. To address the issues herein, we
employed the Rational Choice Theory so much espoused by Mancur Olison with its basic
assumption
sumption that rational choice indicates that objectives, whether selfish or unselfish, should be
pursued by means that are efficient and effective for achievable results. A sample size of 200
respondents was used for the study with a specific target on fou fourr (4) local government areas that
share boundary with Bunu Tai, which is the location of the farm. Finding shows that if such
farming initiative like Songhai farm were present before the discovery of oil, the culture of
agriculture could not have been so rrelegated
elegated as it is today. In this regard the work recommended
among others tings that Songhai initiative farm be sited in all the local government areas of
Rivers State because of its benefits.
Keywords: Songhai, Development, Agriculture, Initiative
Initiative.
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I. Introduction
Agriculture as the life blood of any nation holds its very importance in Nigeria and its
subordinate States.
tates. In Rivers State, agriculture is an important branch of the economy. Ind
Indeed, it
represents the ideal livelihood source and potential means of income in most rural communities
of the state and contributes to the reduction of rural
rural-urban
urban migration. This sector in Rivers State
bureaucratic organ is presided over by the ministry ooff agriculture through which the Songhai
Rivers Initiative was anchored. Such farming initiative combines livestock, aquaculture and agro
tourism and other purposes like research, training, production, demonstration as well as
development of sustainable agr agricultural
icultural practices. Terms of agric and agro base practices, with
special focus on the rural areas and urban slums in Rivers State was the main idea. This Songhai
farming scheme was sighted at Bunuin Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Songhai Rivers Initiative
nitiative farm has different unit functions execution referred entirely to as unit
of a unique feature. They include all of the following; Administrative center and hospitality,
technology and industrial complex, production, cow and goat farm, concrete fis fish ponds, earth
pond, fish hatchery, artificial lake, greenhouses and earthworms, broiler production, cassava
processing unit , feed mill, rice mill machinery production, brick production barn, poultry Free
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pasture, banana farm, pineapple orchard, cassava and moringa planting units, coconut production
unit, animal feed, mango for chips, juice, orange for juice and inputs for animal processing and
snail production unit (Okoye, 2010), p. 10).
Records prove that the emergence of Songha Initiative farm in Rivers State led to the production
of yam, cassava, cocoyam, maize, rice and beans in marketable quantity for the entire state. The
federal ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources in a sample survey carried out in 2015
estimated that about 40% of the rural farmers in Rivers State and its inhabitants were benefiting
from the Songhai initiative farm to boost their local farming by means of raw materials and other
proceeds (Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, 2015).
Apparently, Songhai's scheme is to impose mass agricultural production, research and
development of agricultural practices and their sustainability, so their model seeks to develop
new approaches or flights and the agricultural organization to rely compulsively or largely on
observations and composites associated with topical aesthetic sense, dependent subjective
fulfillment and the vibrant communities of business and research institutions (Okoye, 2010, p.
14). The consequences here have been a rich, waste-free integrated agricultural model that
promotes rural growth through training, technological adaptation, and a strong business and
marketing strategy.
Statement of the Problem
The pursuit for food security is dependent on self-reliance through sustainable farming which
influences the involvement of many countries, both developed and developing, in farming
schemes of different sorts. Such concerted efforts in agro-business and farming scheme have
been very conspicuous in some countries of Africa today. We have examples of such schemes in
countries and areas like the Gezira farming scheme in Sudan, the Alto Benin scheme of Bolvia,
Uganda Nyakashaka farming scheme, the Songhai farm of Binin Republic, replicated in some
areas in Nigeria including Bunu, Tai, Rivers State and the Western and Eastern Nigeria farming
scheme to mention a few (Ojoko, 2004, p. 33). However, it is a categorical statement that the
initial euphoria that welcomed this scheme in Rivers State was later dampened because this
scheme was not able to fulfil its objectives. Somehow, the Songhai farm, Binin Republic (an
initiative replicated in Rivers State) seem to be a success story and the Rivers State government
sent some youths to learn the art of farming there (Igbanibo, 2012).
In his own assertion, Anowor (2010) avers that:
In partnership with Songhai international, Porto-Novo, Republic of Binin, as technical partners,
its major objective and adaptable technologies in agriculture make people socio-economically
viable, self-reliant and help to change the perception that agriculture is an occupation of the poor.
Consequently, the Songhai Rivers Initiative, in order to promote values and inculcate discipline
of agro-farming amongst youths, involved about 105 youths across the 23 local government
areas of Rivers State. These youths were trained for 18 months in various specialized agro-
farming at the Songhai Headquarters at Porto-Novo, Binin Republic. Accordingly, 50 of them
were absorbed after the training into the centre as junior animators, basically to acquire
knowledge that will empower them to start their own agro-business in their respective localities,
with the support of the centre (Anowor, 2021, p. 17).
With the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) as its parent organisation, the
Songhai Rivers Initiative (SRI) became the nerve centre of an agricultural development
programme. Considering that over 70 percent of farmland in Rivers State is less than 2 hectares,
the Songhai Rivers Initiative focuses on transforming subsistence farmers into active commercial
entrepreneurs and generating sustainable income (Okoye, 2010, p. 8). Correspondingly, this
farming scheme was not a stand-alone deal, but rather operates within a cluster industry, which is
directly linked to 6 regional farms through the application of innovation. Again, it has an
agreement with the Songhai International Centre in Porto-Novo, the terms of which agreement
expressly state that:
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The Songhai International will run the Songhai Rivers Initiative (SRI) for five years. Within this
period under review, they will also employ appropriate experts and professionals from Rivers
State, who are going to work behind them and understudy them, so that by the time they are
leaving in five years, that culture has permeated the entre way in which work is done in Songhai
Rivers (Pepple, 2012).
Regardless of this brilliant and calculated effort by the administration of former Governor
Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi to propagate agriculture and food security in Rivers State, the lofty
idea was thrown away by the successive regime.
Indeed, the Songhai Rivers Initiative, like every other agricultural facility, scheme or programme
was not subject to scrutiny to ascertain whether its capital investment and the result of its
activities and engagement in content so far are in consonance with its philosophy and objectives
before its abandonment.
Subsequence to the context or circumstance of these problems presented herein, the research
chooses to provide answers to the following pertinent questions: (i) what positive influence has
the philosophy and objective of Songhai Farm Initiative had on agricultural production and
distribution of food stuffs in Rivers State? (ii) What impact has the scheme on economic
empowerment of the people? (iii) Has the farming scheme been able to sustain the test of time in
terms of poverty alleviation?
Objectives of the study
The general aim of this study is to examine the Songhai Farm Initiative and agricultural
development in Rivers State. The specific objectives arising from our stated problems would be:
i. To investigate the philosophy and objective of Songhai farm initiative on agricultural
production and distribution in Rivers State.
ii. To ascertain the impact of the farming scheme on economic empowerment of the people.
iii. To examine its self-sustainability in terms of poverty alleviation.
Research Questions
1. What positive influence has the philosophy and objective of Songhai Rivers Initiative on
agricultural production, and distribution of food studs in Rivers State?
2. What impact has the scheme on empowerment of the people and economic development?
3. Has the farming scheme able to sustain the test of time in terms of poverty alleviation?
Hypothesis
The following statement guided this research:
i. The tendency of the philosophy and objective of Songhai farm to improve on agricultural
production is consequential to food security.
ii. The more the people are engaged in functional farming scheme the greater the possibility
of eliminating economic decay.
iii. The sustainability of any agricultural or farming scheme is dependent up on the character
of the state.
II Literature Review
Songhai Farm Initiative
If we are to make progress on both economic needs and human demands, African’s food
production need to be at least twice what it is now, by the middle of the 21st century drastically.
Our inability to meet up with any genuine increase will sincerely retard economic prominence
and add to our generation’s uncomfortable degree of poverty, hunger, food-insecurity and
disease. Given this fact, every effort of the rich and the poor, government and non-governmental
organizations, and all in between should endeavour to show interest in the idea of the continued
improvement and expansion of food production within Africa, in such manner that will improve
our natural resources foundation (Uphoot, 2002, p. 25). As though maintaining enough food
provision is not a guarantee to secure food security and economic successfulness, yet it is a
necessary tool. It is very fundamental that enviable attention be given to agro-business and
farming schemes in a holistic manner given an ideological independence, in order to forestall the
futuristic danger.
Doubling food production will be a difficult task, with at least one-third less land available per
capital by 2050, even with reduced rates of population growth. The supplies of water available
for agriculture will probably be reduced even more, and neither crops nor livestock can survive
without adequate water (Uphoff, 2020, p. 30).
All through the period of advancement of agricultural extension in Nigeria, its main objective
include experimental production of export crops, primarily for the British market – by the central
department of agriculture. His central department, in order to complement such ideas, pursued a
policy aimed at improving the quality of the produce, introducing agricultural education and
establishing a rudimentary extension services to accommodate the youth and women as at then
(Ojoko, 2004, p. 10). In contemporary Nigeria, for instance, the Songhai International (an
independent conception of a Nigerian), the brolly for Songhai farms in collaboration with other
Songhai farms around different countries of Africa undertake a curriculum, contrived as an
accelerator for a wider, multiple partnership programme to advance opportunities for the youth,
women and men alike in order to inculcate agri-business entrepreneurial, leadership and
management skills embedded in disciplined creation of wealth and investments in commercially
workable agri-business in designed West African States (Okoye, 2010). The general concern is
yet to generate adequate opportunities and advancement in agricultural schemes as an important
aspect that affects the very essence of life technologically.
Agriculture has been one of the progressive sectors of the world economy in technological terms.
However, many millions of farmers, indeed the majority worldwide have not been able to take
advantage of these new opportunities, because of cost and other constraints. In some areas,
indeed new technologies have led to displacement and increased poverty for rural households
(Uphodd, 2002, p. 23).
According to Ojoko (2004, p. 10), Shell rural community development in its agricultural
schemes aim directly at improving the lot of small farmers, who make up 70 percent (%) of the
population in Nigeria and contribute between 80-90 percent of the nation’s food production. The
objective basically is to help farmers and encourage non-farmers to participate and grow from
subsistence to a commercial level of farming, thereby improving their level of income, eliminate
hunger, poverty and criminality amongst youths, and yet no emphasis on the new technological
model. Creating an alternative to what could be regarded as unrealistic approach by Shell
Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), the Songhai model was introduced in Nigeria. In
2002, Songhai model centres were established in Amukpe, Delta State; in 2010, Songhai model
centres were established in Bunu Tai, Rivers State, and Adani, Enugu. Nigeria gained the lead in
Songhai model replication. Several Nigerian states, including Enugu (Heneke), Lagos (Avia),
Katsina (Dutsinma, Sabke, and Maruwa), Cross River (Abi), and Ebonyi (Abakaliki), applied the
Songhai model in 2011 and 2012 (Okoye, 2010, p. 28).
Songhai international, based on its general philosophy and objectives, is an extension space that
produces functional individuals who function essentially in line with the contemporary
advancement in agro-farming and businesses to create a sustainable agriculture that will become
a weapon of mass construction, food sufficiency, and poverty alleviation (Anowor, 2010, p. 9).
Given the foregoing realities, literature of the genuine approaches to contemporary agricultural
advancement geared towards food security, poverty alleviation and increased productivity in
Nigeria generally and Rivers State in particular, this study is specifically designed to critically
examined the philosophy and objective of Songhai Rivers Initiative (SRI) on agro-farming and
its intermittent result in production and distribution.

Agricultural Development
Some scholars have worked on the concept of agricultural development. According to Aziegbe
(1989, p. 45), the meaning of agricultural development has evolved over time in line with the
constant meaning of "development". The meaning of development has evolved from its former
narrow conceptualization of economic growth expressed in terms of economic aggregate GNP to
a more boring conceptualization as a multi-dimensional process involving changes in structures,
attitudes and institutions, as well as the acceleration of economic growth. , reducing inequality
(among) the sexes and eradicating absolute poverty.
Agricultural development is confused with rural transformation. They are not the same thing,
because while "transformation" implies a change in form, appearance, nature, condition, or
character, "development" implies gradual growth or advancement through progressive change,
while both mean something that change, development means change with speed and direction.
Considering the nature of development, a recent UNDP study characterises agricultural
development as “a process of socio-economic change, involving the transformation of agrarian
society in order to reach capacities and need of the people”. Obioha (2003, p. 15) regrets that the
disparate meaning of agricultural development has given rise to efforts to articulate ways of
establishing priorities and time phasing between and among both productive and social service
activities. These are further complicated by problems arising from financial manpower and
institutional resources in rural agricultural development. We can therefore define rural
agricultural development as “a broad based reorganization and mobilization of the rural masses
which include women so as to enhance their capacity to cope effectively with the daily task of
their lives and with changes consequent upon this” (Nwabara, 1995, p. 74).
This definition has three important features:
(1) Improving the living standards of the subsistence population involves the mobilization
and allocation of resources so as to reach desirable balance overtime between the welfare and
productive services available to the rural subsistence population.
(2) Mass participation requires that resources be allocated to how income regions and classes
and the productive services actually reach them
(3) Making the process self-sustaining requires development of appropriate skills and
implementing capacity and the presence of institutions at the regional and national levels to
ensure effective of existing resource and to ensure the effective mobilization of additional
financial and human resources for continued development of subsistence sector. Self-sustenance
means involving, not reaching the rural people through development programmes.
According to William (1978, p. 72), a government or international organisation could engage in
private or public agricultural development. It is distinct from community-based development
activities, which are incorrectly referred to as community development. Community
development should complement agricultural growth, not replace it, in cases where the
government is fulfilling its expected role. Agricultural development is a process of planned
improvements for which one or the other strategy is taken to better or transform the lot of the
populace. Rural agricultural development is a method for guaranteeing that the poorest segment
of the population receives a portion of the benefits of economic activity. It is the means through
which the provision of social services to rural populations should be integrated with the
development of economic growth, which is not just an economic issue. It is more accurately
characterised as a social phenomena with cultural, political, and economic dimensions (Bello,
1986, p. 44). In actuality, agricultural development is the most practical and long-overdue means
of delivering government infrastructure and services to the doorsteps of Nigeria's dense rural
population.
III Theoretical Framework

The paper employ the Rational Choice Theory of Mancur Olison. Generally, it can be presumed
that rational choice theory started in the 19th century, and even beyond. However, we decided to
begin with Mancur Olson and his major work as postulated in Akikibofori (2018). “The entire
logic of collective action”, based on Olson’s line of argument is replicated on the fact that
rational behaviour is not certainly selfish or unselfish. Here “Rational” distinctly indicates that
objectives, whether selfish or unselfish should be pursued by means that are efficient and
effective for achievable results (Olson, 1965, Akikibofori, 2018). For instance, it is essential to
bear in mind that all human choice according to Hardin (1982) is a dynamic process. Hence,
humans take time to pull some choices through, thus the condition governing them, might
change over time. Basically, a choice often gives room to another that rationally enforces
growth. Africa, very rich in agricultural potential, continues to import food to feed its people as a
result of rational choice defects. Rural area and producers are constantly neglected and over
exploited. Food transitional corporations in alliance with indigenous elites have initiated a
dependent food policy which has mortgaged political stability (Ihonvbere, 1989). The rational
choice approach of the people remains redundant to exploit the available resources to change
these perceptions of Africa development in its entity.
Consequently, rational choice theories infer that humans are rational in nature and in that regard
they need their entire actions on whatever they see as the greatest productive way to achieving
their ambition. This rational nature of man is what is supposed to be employed in the Songhai
Farm Initiative for the best of results to be achieved to the benefit of all and sundry in Rivers
State and Nigeria at large in terms of food security.
IV Methodology
The paper adopted both case study and descriptive design. The use of case study enabled the
researcher to examine the differences cases of farms iniative in Africa and particularly in Nigeria
while the use of descriptive design helped the researcher to sample the opinion of the
respondents on the successes and challenges of various farm initiatives in Nigeria and Africa in
general.
Area of Study
The study area of this work is Songhai farm and the four (4) Local Government Area of Eleme,
Oyigbo, Gokhana, and Khana located around Bunu community in Tai Local Government Area of
Rivers State. This farm has in it an administrative centre, a few centres for production, some
stables where horses are kept both for sale and tourism, a store that has all sorts of things to buy,
including fresh juice, clay pots, water filters and chicken. The farm is 3.14 square kilometres in
length and breadth, about 20 times the size of Songhai model in Binin Republic. As an integrated
farm it combines livestock, arable farming, fisheries, snail farming, piggery and poultry.
Population of the Study
The study population is 184,678 that consists of men and women, youths (boys and girls)
including those from Tai the immediate local government area and the four surrounding Local
Government Areas, which are Eleme, Khana, Gokhana and Oyibgo (National Population
Commission, 2016).
Sample Size and Sampling Technique
The random sampling technique was used in this study. The sample is 200 respondents drawn
from different categories of persons including staff of Songhai farm through a random sampling
technique. In this regard, sampling was limited to staff of Songhai farm, farmers (including:
men, women, youths), taking into consideration the host community and the surrounding Local
Government Areas of Eleme, Khana, Gokhana and Oyigbo.
Instrumentation
The paper developed and administered a ten-item structured five-point questionnaire to collect
data, on respondents independent perception of the positive and negative influence and
relationship between the philosophy and objective of Songhai farm in Rivers State and its
production, distribution, poverty alleviation and socio-economic development.

In mode of administration, who are adequately exposed (including the youths) respondents were
served each with a copy of the questionnaire and given some time to respond in writing while
respondents who are not adequately exposed were subjected to interview with the instrument
questions and each of their responses were filled on their behalf. Entirely all the administered
questionnaires were retrieved as the researcher did a proper follow-up of the respondents to
ensure that the questionnaire were comprehensively retrieved given the sensitive and significant
nature of this study.
Reliability and Validity of Instrument
Our questionnaire reliability was detected by original examination apart from the ones exploited
for the study. Here, the popular Cronbach Alpha Reliability Coefficient was established to be
0.77. In correspondence with the outcome, the instrument was face-validated by two agronomist
and two sociologist in addition to it believable esteem of 3.5 on the FOG Legibility Index
Number (Maxwell, 2004, p, 67).
Methods of Data Analysis
The respondents’ independent perception of the positive and negative influence and relationship
between the philosophy and objective of Songhai farm in Rivers State and its production,
distribution, poverty alleviation and crime reduction were computed by simple percentage
employing the equation below: Table 1:% = positive response = (strongly agree + agree)/200 x
100% = Negative Response = (strongly disagree + disagree)/200x100 chi-square (x2) statistical
analysis was used to examine the connection between the philosophy and objective of Songhai
farm and its outcome in terms of production, distribution, poverty alleviation and crime
reduction.
V Data Presentation
Before exploring the research questions at this stage of the study, it will be proper to present in a
tabular form the outcome of some interviews with some members of staff of the Songhai Farm.
Table 1: Benefits of Rivers State Songhai Initiative from in-depth interviews with Songhai
management:
Benefits Number of
Mentions
Creates jobs 9
Community benefits 7
Builds capacity or skills 6
Creates strong work culture 5
Addresses environmental degradation, reduces waste 3
Develops entrepreneurs 3
Develops infrastructure, rural areas 3
Improves regional economy 3
Improves the perception of agriculture as employment 3
Self-sustaining project 3
Builds market linkages 2
Empowers community 2
Garners government and community support 2
Reduces food costs 2
Builds awareness of food security 1
Provides research space 1
Source: Field Research, 2021
Table 2: Key Challenges of the Rivers Songhai Initiative from In-depth Interviews with Songhai
Management:
Challenges Number of
Mentions
Issues with crops and farming methods (see subgroups of 11
challenges below)
Crops not suitable to the environment 6
Crops not profitable 1
Lack of soil test 2
Outdated farming methods 2
Issues with management (see subgroups of challenges below) 9
Benin staff do not take suggestions from managers 3
Benin staff has culture clash with Nigerian staff 1
Benin staff not concerned with employee welfare 2
Bureaucratic bottlenecks 1
General management problems 1
Management is confused about bottom line 1
Project needs more time to develop 3
Security issues 3
Funding concerns 2
Underdeveloped tourism potential 2
High operating costs 1
Inadequate labour 1
Lack of government oversight 1
Needs auditing 1
Needs better prioritization 1
Needs more efficient marketing 1
Source: Field Research, 2021
From the two tables above, it is obvious that the Songhai Farm has its benefits and challenges.
Ideally, what should be done is to increase the benefits potentials while there should be a control
on the challenges for this farm to make progress to the benefit of the people of Rivers State and
all other dependants on this project.
Now we have to move on to addressing the research questions put forth in the on-set of this
study for proper analysis as presented below:
Research Question 1: What positive influence has the philosophy and objective of Songhai
Rivers Initiative on agricultural production, and distribution of food studs in Rivers State? (Refer
to table 1). From equation 1 and 2
% positive response = (90 + 100)/200x100 = 95%
% negative response = (5 + 3)/200 x 100 = 4%
% undecided = 2/200 x 150 = 1%
From the given result, it depict that 95% of the total respondents sampled agreed that the
philosophy and object of Songhai Rivers Initiative has influenced positively the agricultural
production and distribution of food stuffs, in Rivers State. We have just 4% of the respondents
disagreeing to the staff.
Research Question 2: What impact has the scheme on empowerment of the people and
economic development? The analysis in table 1 which represent the research elicit response from
the field clearly demonstrated that a high percentage of 95 (%) as against 4% maintained that the
youths and women benefited enormously from the farm as both substantial ad-hoc and contract
workers. This is in tandem with the averment of one traditional ruler during our interview
session in Bunu Tai:
Well I cannot criticize them now. But what is there is that they are doing fine with us, they were
helping my boys, my women and other inhabitants here because we had to work with them and
that opportunity helped seriously to empower the youth and eliminate petty crime and restiveness
(Field work, 2021).
Research Question 3: Has the farming scheme able to sustain the test of time in terms of
poverty alleviation? Again from the response of the structured questionnaire sampled on
respondents, 95% supports the government while 4% are in disagreement. Meaning that, their
perception of the relationship between the farm and poverty alleviation remains realistic. Hence,
we concluded the data analysis by stating that out of the sampled respondents, an average of
58.8% strongly agreed, 35% agreed, 3.5% disagreed and 1.1% strongly disagreed, while 0.8%
was undecided. However, wherein the calculated chi-square value of 547.5 is entirely greater
than the calculated table value of 55.8 (at 36 degree of freedom, and 5% coefficient level), the
null hypotheses is hereby rejected. Therefore, it goes to show that there is a statistical implication
in association between the philosophy and objective of Songhai farms and the people in terms of
production and distribution of food stuffs, poverty alleviation and empowerment and socio-
economic development in Rivers State.
VI Discussion of Findings
Based on the respondents’ response and the subsequent data analysis, it can be cited that the
Songhai farm’s philosophy and objectives has dramatically influenced agricultural proceeds,
empowerment of the people, their socio-economic development and poverty alleviation. A
statistical implication as shown in table 1 has a correlation between the philosophy and objective
of Songhai farm in Rivers State. Whereas the philosophy states that: the Songhai farm will serve
as an extension space that produces functional individuals who function to create a sustainable
agriculture that will become a weapon of mass construction for food sufficiency, and poverty
alleviation (Anowor, 2010, p. 26), the objectives of Songhai farms include:
i. Develop a programme that interconnects agriculture with industry and commerce.
ii. To cultivate human capabilities to empower people and groups.
iii. To widen the state's socioeconomic spectrum and contribute to economic growth via
aggressive production, processing, and selling of agricultural goods and associated
services.
iv. Maximize commercial agriculture and agricultural tourism in the state of Rivers.
v. To halt the growing trend of rural-to-urban migration among high school graduates and
vi. To expand food production for both domestic use and export (Anowor, 2010, p. 26).
From the philosophy and objectives stated herein, we could deduce that the perception of
Songhai Rivers Initiative is similar to an idea that preoccupies the minds and holds the attention
with the methods that brought us the Green Revolution and imposed some reserved
considerations for opportunities that increased food supply as at then. For instance, if the skills
evolved by Songhai were present before the discovery of oil, we could not have relegated
agriculture to the background as we have regrettably done today.
Implication of the Findings
Globally, the agricultural sector is proportional to greater percentage of the unemployed, as a
major source of income and livelihood and labour absorption. However, effort to consolidate
agricultural inputs through viable opportunities has continued to lack access to its productive
resource as a result of inefficient administration, lack of physical infrastructure, farming
implements and credit facilitates. According to Okoye (2010, p. 15), the Songhai Rivers
Initiative was designed to fill this gap because, when fully operational, it will stop the subpar
agricultural output caused by antiquated farming practises and replace it with cutting-edge
contemporary technology in the agriculture industry. As a radical step to impose food

sufficiency, poverty eradication, and youth empowerment in Rivers State, women and youths
were required to undertake training in order to acquire an entrepreneurial culture with the option
to drive their own farm units. Therefore, the management of Songhai Farm transforms farming
into a technologically based business that attracts young people and even unemployed graduates
to take advantage of the opportunity to become large commercialised farmers using the Rivers
State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA(RSSDA) )'s instrumentality based on the
concept of training. As it was categorically stated in this averment:
We teach them how to recycle things that are considered to waste to enable them apply acquired
skills into their practice. For instance, what is considered to be waste is used, like the food we eat
and the crumbs, instead of disposing them; you bring them back, and use them to create what we
call “mug guttery” which you use to feed the fish. Again, the model teaches farmers
entrepreneurial skills and how to get more value from their primary products. It provides
participants with access to a network of satellite farms (Pepple, 2010).
The basic idea behind such enduring training is to have a mother Songhai farm connected to
subsidiary or smaller farms across the state with the capacity to boost agricultural production and
to stretch food sufficiency, poverty alleviation and youth empowerment. Since independence in
1960, our agricultural productivity is still where it was because less than 1% of GDP is being
ploughed back into it. The United States of America, France, Great Britain and even China with
their alarming population growths, got to where they are today in terms of food sufficiency and
poverty alleviation because agriculture were subsidised and opportunities given to
commercialized farming. Commercial farming requires huge capital investment for the
procurement of large expanse of policy, land and labour saving machinery, specialization,
managerial capability and alertness (Okaba, 1999, p. 39). These itemized features are the
ingredients needed for successful commercial farming, which can only be attainable through a
realistic approach from the government.
VII Conclusion and Recommendations
The characteristics of African counties which were dominated, enslaved and colonized is the
manifest absence of craftsmen able to apply their knowledge to modern science and technology
for development in all ramifications. In this circumstance, every avenue of natural self-
actualization became eroded and distorted, while opening the channel for reliance and
consumption of what the colonised do not produce or need with addicted mentality. These
propositions challenged Rev. Father Godfrey Nzamujo who saw the characteristics of Africans
as being advantageous rather than an impediment came up with a farming model first at Songhai
in Porto-Novo Binin Republic with a small number of persons and in the event of time was
replicated in other countries of Africa.
Originality by virtue of introducing new ideas in agricultural practices, geared towards food
sufficiency, poverty eradication and development in Africa was key. However, the methodology
and mechanism of Songhai International influenced the replication of such farm in Rivers State
by former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, because to him underdevelopment is not a
separate problem that can be solved bureaucratically in isolation from other factors like
agriculture and technology. Indeed, the sociological implication is a robust agricultural scheme
that would generate food sufficiency, poverty alleviation, and youth empowerment that will
drastically eliminate criminality amongst the vulnerable youth population as its philosophy and
objective.
Recommendations
In order to break away from this long and tedious recital problems prevalent in our country’s
agricultural enterprise (as observed by Rev. Father Godfrey Nzemujo, the founder of Songhai
farm) and move Nigeria and indeed Rivers State in the direction of a self-reliant agrarian
economy, a radical farming and agricultural blue print has to be evolved. This can possibly be
made realistic in the following ways:
1. There is the need to reintroduce the Songhai farm initiative for the improvement of the local
economy, job creation, and food security in Rivers State given its virtues.
2. Maximum emphasis in all fields of agriculture in this context should be conceived and
directed towards refining and improving indigenous skills to promote productivity in
farming, and inculcating in the perception of our youth that farming or agriculture is an
attractive means of employment and not occupation of the poor.
3. There should be market accessibility policies that will become favourable to create market
both within local government headquarters and urban slums partners, such that, where there
are bottlenecks, or man-made situations that prevent or impede the free flow of agricultural
products, could be checked and possibly put to extinction.
4. There is the need for prudent management of the resources invested in the Songhai Farm
Initiative for it to yield positive food security dividends.
References
1. Akikibofori, J. S. (2018). Contemporary sociological theory. Glory of the Latter Housing
Publishing Co.
2. Altieri, M. A (1994). Biodiversity and rest management in agro ecosystems. Hayworth
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3. Anowor, O. (2010). “Government intervention and economic development: Lessons from
Songhai development initiative farm in Rivers State Nigeria”. Retrieved on the 27th of July,
2021 from www.songhaifarm.org.
4. Aziegbe, S. A. (1989). “Women and their participatory role in rural agricultural
development”. A Paper on Social Mobilization and Development Presented at Alvan Ikoku
College of Education, Owerri, January.
5. Bello, I. (1986). “Local government as agency of rural agricultural development in
Nigeria”. Development outlook journal, Vol. 1, No. 6.
6. Igbanibo, S. T. (2012). “The defunct Rivers State School to land scheme: A dream deferred:
Can the objectives of the Songhai farming scheme in Rivers State be achieved?
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works of Claude Ake. Jad Publishers Ltd.
8. Maxwell, O. G. A. (2009). “Conceptualization of petroleum crisis and technology education
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11. Ojoko, S. (2004). Agricultural extension theory and practice, Votex House.
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13. Okoye, G. (2010). “Why Amaechi brought Songhai farm to Rivers State”. Retrieved on the
27th of July, 2021 from http//www.riversstaterssda.gov.ng.
14. Osila, K. (2012). “Songhai: Creating world class farmer in BunuTai”. The Tide Newspaper,
412, pp. 18-20.
15. Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture (2015). “About us”. Retrieved on the 27th of July, 2021
from http//www.riverstateministryofedcation.org.ng.
16. Pepple, N. (2012). Songhai: Creating world class farm Bunu Tai. Pearl Publishers.
17. Uphoff, N. (2002). Agro ecological innovations: Increasing production with participatory
development. Earths Publication Ltd.
18. Williams, S. K. T. (1978). Rural agricultural development in Nigeria. University of Ife
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International Journal on Integrated Education e-ISSN : 26203502

Songhai Farm Initiative and Agricultural Development in Rivers State

Dagogo, Doctor Farah

Copyright (c) 2022 Author (s). This is an open

its intermittent result in production and distribution.

III Theoretical Framework

production, distribution, poverty alleviation and socio-economic development.

contemporary technology in the agriculture industry. As a radical step to impose food

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