The national accelerated food production project as a strategy for increased food production in Nigeria: A review of problems and prospects with particular reference to sorghum, millet and wheat

Over the years, Nigeria's food problems have prompted the initiation of various government-sponsored agricultural development programmes. The National Accelerated Food Production Project (NAFPP), is one of the more recent of such initiatives. The primary goal of this paper is to give an overview of the NAFPP system and to indicate major problems that tend to constrain its success, with particular reference to sorghum, millet and wheat. Problems highlighted by the paper include the introduction of seed varieties which do not meet farmers' traditional preferences, the shortage of field extension staff, poor funding by state governments and inadequate co-ordination of NAFPP activities with other related government agricultural programmes. Prospects of the NAFPP as a strategy for increased food production are examined. The paper concludes that the NAFPP, if well managed, provides the true basis of a ‘Green Revolution’ in Nigeria.