Economic Importance of Farm House: The perspective of Agricultural

Economics and Extension Service Providers in Kwara state, Nigeria

by

A. O Owolabi (Ph.D)
• Farm house vividly describes the siting of buildings on the farm in order to
be able to carry out specific farm operations and activities without any
stress.
• They often come with specific purpose attached to their establishment on
the farm. This often relate to the various farm enterprises that farmers often
engaged in within the farm premises, which subsequently necessitates the
establishment of these structures on the farm.
• This often facilitates optimum plant growth, plant and livestock
management, excellent storage system, processing, packaging and
marketing of farm produce.
• Without the establishment of these structures on the farm, it could limit
the rate at which each of the various activities carried out on the farm could
be well managed, thereby leading to a lot of production deficiencies on the
farmers’ part.
• Several studies related to this study has either worked on single unit of farm
structure on the farm stead, some on storage and feeding system and many
others worked on intricate details in constructing these structures on the farm.
• This paper tends to bring in a new dimension by emphasizing the role played by
agricultural economics and extension personnel in the establishment of these
farm structures. Previous studies reviewed by Blakely, Aviagen, Simpson,
Campbell and Macklin (2007) studied the economic importance of poultry
house and ventilation management, also Mississippi State University Extension,
(2018) also worked on feedstuff handling, storage and feeding system for
livestock. Moreover, Ojedele, Ezejiofor, Ehiomogue and Orji (2018) investigated
the necessity of farm structures in Nigeria.
• However, there is need to ascertain the economic importance of these farm
structures in relation to the perspective of agricultural economics and extension
service providers, in order to minimize loss, wastage of farm produce, improve
plant and livestock management, maximize profit in agricultural production as
well as promoting value additions to these produce on the farm.
• Economic Importance of these structures to the farmers
• Establishment of farm buildings or structures comes with great economic value to the
farmers in diverse forms. Starting with the construction of the maize cribs, it helps the
farmers to prevent unnecessary wastage and spoilage of their unsold or leftover maize at the
farm gate.
• The left over maize are preserved from rot and infection by storing them in the cribs. It also
provides increment in the shelf life of the crop due to the efficient storage system along with
the provision of adequate aeration of the maize crops within the crib (Manandhar, Milindi,
and Shah, 2018).
• The use of silos poses an advantage in prolonging the shelf life of variety of grains stored
inside them. The preservative environment within the structures is usually prepared by farm
workers, which helps in warding off susceptible insects, weevils, rodents, as well as regulating
the moisture content of these grains over a long period of time.
• Certain factors such as moisture content, relative humidity, temperature and oxygen are
carefully controlled by these service providers (Manandhar, Milindi and Shah, 2018). Grain
contaminations through microbial or fungi infestation during storage are also eliminated
during this period. The quality of grains would have been enhanced and as such tend to
attract a higher purchasing power from the consumers.
• The economic advantage of using barns tend to be well pronounced during
marketing, as reduction in transportation cost based on the number of tubers
being transported to the market are minimized.
• This comes into play when excess tubers are carefully stored in the barns;
these help farmers in preserving those tubers for the next cropping season as
well as reduce the proportion of tubers that would have been damaged in
the process of sorting, grading and packaging during marketing (Umogbai,
2013).
• Farm processing buildings helps in reducing the stress of conveying farm
produce to processing centers outside the farming premises. Hence it
promotes proper coordination of women processors who are able to mobilize
themselves for optimum productivity of those farm products with better
processing and packaging skills (Manandhar, Milindi and Shah, 2018).
• Roles played by Agricultural Economics and Extension Service Providers
in the use of these structures
• First and foremost before the establishment of any structure on the farm,
there is need to engage in rigorous planning.
• This entails getting specific details of areas to be mapped out during
construction, the size of the enterprise the farmer is involved in i.e.
whether it’s a crop or livestock, small or large scale; which could
determine how small or big the farm structures will be in the long run.
Agricultural economics provider has a major work to play by intimating
the farmer on the pros and cons of siting the structures on distinct areas
of the farm.
• The extension provider also guides the farmer to where he can purchase
those tools or machineries at affordable prices as well as making sure
they are of good quality to ensure durability of these tools (DLEC, 2019)
• They practically guide the farmers on making optimum use of these structures
through thorough managerial procedures, regular check- up, daily maintenance
before every farm operations and harvesting period. In relation to the Agricultural
Economics providers, they equally help in supervisory roles with the assistance of
farm managers.
• Farm managers and extension agents’ offers practical advice to farmers by assisting
farmers in taking sound decisions regarding current and up to date structures that
will be very relevant to their various enterprises (FAO, 2016). This consequently
have a way of improving the productivity of such farmers, especially those farmers
that are embarking on going on a larger scale in their farming business.
• Farm managers and extension providers also engage in educative roles by educating
and training the farmers on the benefits derived in having adequate and functional
structures on the farm. These structures could also have further sub-structures
where different home products can be produced. For example, siting of oil-palm
processing center on the farm can further lead to production of soaps, detergents,
palm oil, shea butter, body creams, etc
• Challenges encountered in the course of establishing and maintaining these
structures
• Part of deficiencies that could be experienced during production if these farm
structures are not in place include: physical loss such as glut of farm produce like eggs,
spoilage of grains, wastage of fruits, theft, loss of energy, fatigue and experiencing
unnecessary financial stress in the transportation of these produce. All of these
challenges poses a great threat to the health of the farmers (FAO, 2016).
• Also the challenge of inadequate land allocation or land space in constructing a
durable structure also poses a threat to the farmers. Farmers that are struggling to buy
more land in expanding their farming business might find it very difficult in ensuring
standard structures for each of the various enterprises they are engaged with on the
farm due to poor access to funds (FMARD, 2020).
• There is also the issue of post- harvest losses which originates from poor construction
of farm structures which could affect the crops that are stored in the storage facilities
or houses. This has the tendency of facilitating deterioration easily, if adequate care
and proper farm building recommendations are not taken into consideration when
siting these structures
• Another issue that could be encountered on the farm is rodents and pest
attack during storage. These include grain borer, moths, beetles, weevils, etc.
All of these are facilitated through other physical conditions that are not well
managed. These include openings or cracks along the farm structures like
the roof, walls or floors. Other factors that could influence these also are
unstable room temperature; moisture level of the materials used in
constructing these farm structures
• Another factor that can affect building of farm structures is inability to
contract farm building experts who are competent in establishing these
structures for small-holder farmers. Poor financial capacity in setting up
these structures on his farm (Ruwaichi and Werema, 2018).
• Solutions to ensuring elongation of life span of farm structures
• a. Farmers can receive mutual support from other farmers by soliciting for help from
others in siting farm structures on their farms and also making sure the same help is
rendered back to farmers’ that gives them a helping hand. This way unnecessary spending
can be reduced by getting extra hands to assist in farm labor in the siting of farm
structures. This emphasizes cooperative support among farmer groups by forming viable
farmer cooperatives
• b. Economics and extension providers should ensure that farmers have access to good
farming materials by advising and encouraging them on the benefits of using durable
materials for the farm structures to be sited on their farms. This will help them to have
minimal loss and rodent attack as regard the produce stored in these structures (FAO,
2020).
• c. Economics and extension providers should also link the farmers with viable credit
institutions where they can have access to credits, loans in order to equip their farms with
current and relevant farm structures. Institutions like micro finance banks, agro-allied
banks and non-governmental organizations will be relevant in accessing adequate funds
for the farmers’ need of standard structures on the farm. (Ruwaichi and Werema, 2018).
• d. Economics and extension providers can also ensure that environmental
conditions are well monitored and properly controlled. For instance, in the
case of siting of screen house, one will have to ensure that optimum flow of
air, sunlight, water and humidity is carefully monitored and maintained all
through the growing period of the crops (Kittas, Katsoulas, Rigakis, Bartzanas
and Kitta, 2012).
• This will increase the quality of the crops produced under this stable
environment. The same applies to other structures like silos, livestock
structures and machinery structures on the farm. It will prevent spread of
diseases, erosion of farm implements as well as pollution of farm produce
(DLEC, 2019).
• Conclusion and Recommendation
• The establishment of farm structures on the farm is very vital for the
farmers’ economic virility and feasibility as regard agricultural production all
through the farming season and beyond. It helps in building cohesive units
for marketing, storage and processing of the farm produce harvested.
• The role of agricultural economics and extension service providers over the
siting of these structures vary from giving practical advice, educating
farmers, planning on how to establish these structures, monitoring and
supervising how they can utilize these structures effectively for the
development of their farming business.
• These service providers are also capable of giving hands on learning on how
to operate and maintain the structures over a long period of time by using
durable materials

• They can also help in the provision of necessary farm supplies or services
such as source of labor from other farmers within the farming settlements

• Challenges encountered while using these structures can be effectively

monitored and curbed by the relevant and current information received on
the sustainability of these structures through the advice and training given
by these service providers.
• It is therefore recommended that government should work hand in hand
with these agricultural service providers in order for the latter to have a
sustainable impact by ensuring the establishment of viable structures on
farmers’ farm.

• They can also help in linking farmers up to agricultural financially based

institution so that they can have access to credits. They can also do well in
advising the farmers on how to procure durable farm materials and
structures that can boost the farmers’ standard of living and farming
conditions.
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