The Role of Communication in the Agricultural Industry in Africa

Abstract

The present effort by the Federal Government of Nigeria and some African, countries like Kenya to alleviate poverty through mass production of food may not be achievable without effective communication. Communication will enhance cross-pollination of ideas, interchange of thoughts, opinions and information between or among various agricultural industries continent wide. A case in point was the recent control of the spread of bird flu in Nigeria. In this paper the use of communication in the promotion of Agricultural Industry will be x-rayed. The use of Radio, Television and Film to educate farmers on the current techniques of fertilizer application and the advantages of various species of crops will be discussed. The role of agricultural centres like the IITA Ibadan Nigeria, the Africa Rice Centre, the cassava industry, and the banana and plantain industry will be highlighted. The Nigerian Federal Government effort in the promotion of sustainable agricultural industry in Nigeria is among the practical steps in the right direction. Only with effective communication will all the foregoing be coordinated for the benefits of the agricultural industries in the continent.