US embassy cable - 03LAGOS1851

UNCLAS LAGOS 001851 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, SOCI, TBIO, EAID, NI 
SUBJECT: SOWING THE BEANS OF HOPE 
 
1.   Summary:  The Shagamus of Ogun State have for many years 
grown only kola nuts, and sold them only to Hausas in 
northern Nigeria. Dr. Gabriel Ogunmola, the President of the 
Nigeria Academy of Science, recently told us of a hands-on, 
grassroots success:  showing the Shagumus near his university 
in Ogun State how to escape from generations-old practices of 
dependency and resentment stemming from this limited 
agricultural role.  His approach  holds promise of 
replication in other areas. End summary. 
 
 
2.  According to Ogumola, the Shagamus were unhappy with what 
they perceived to be their dependency on the Hausa market in 
the north and encroachment on their livelihood by the Hausas 
in their area.  Professor Ogunmola thought he saw a 
resolution to the problem in showing the Shagamus how to 
diversify their crops and gain more control over their lives. 
 
 
3.  He prepared a demonstration project using a borrowed plot 
of land. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture 
(IITA), a research facility, showed the famers a variety of 
products that could result from diversified planting relying 
heavily on soya beans, but also cassava and maize. Farmers 
learned that they could make soya flour, beer, and milk, 
among other products.  Representatives of the Agriculture 
Credit Bank, impressed with the results and the community's 
interest, offered to open bank accounts for any farmer with 
N500. These new accounts entitle farmers to be considered for 
bank loans.  The State's Commissioner of Industry offered to 
work with Professor Ogunmola and the farmers to produce soya 
milk for sale. 
 
 
4.  At the end of the program, this group of 100 mostly 
illiterate famers were the proud recipients of printed 
certificates attesting to their participation in the program. 
 The project has now been turned over to the community to run 
and there are plans for follow-up demonstrations. 
 
 
5.  Comment:  We find it interesting that a leading member of 
Nigeria's intellectual elite took the initiate to launch a 
grass-roots community project - one outside of his field, no 
less; Ogunmola is a chemist, not an agricultural specialist. 
The project had no outside funding and required some 
ingenuity and improvisation to get off the ground.  Few of 
the farmers involved could afford the N1000 ($7.75) per 
family it cost to participate, so he browbeat friends and 
acquaintances into sponsoring several farmers each.  Ogunmola 
hopes this was not just a one-off project; he is now looking 
for linkages with U.S. sponsors for follow-on projects 
elsewhere. End comment. 
HINSON-JONES