The ARMTI’s mandate includes dissemination of relevant management information that can further enhance efficient and effective management practice in the agricultural and rural sector. To fulfill this mandate, ARMTI, from time to time, publishes information from special studies, researches and annual lectures for the benefit of operators as well as policy makers in the agricultural and rural sector.
Some of these publications are available in the Publications Portal

The following are some of the publications of the Institute

Journal of Agricultural and Rural Management (JARM)

Published to enhance the performance and the ultimate development of the agricultural and rural sectors in Nigeria and other developing countries. The Journal publishes articles that address issues relating to the enhancement of the management of agricultural and rural development.

ARMTI Monograph

1. Creating a Sustainable Organization Performance through Strategic Management Practice, by Dr.O.E.Ofoegbu. Published in 1994
2. Community Mobilization for Rural Development in Bangladesh: Lesson for Nigeria. by S. O. Afolayan. Published in 1995
3. Funding & Performance of Management Development Institute (MDIs) in Nigeria, by Prof Ifeyori I Ihimodu (ARMTI) Monograph Series No 3, 2005.
4. The Role of Strategic Management Process (SMP) on Performance & Efficiency of Federal Parastatals in Nigeria by Samuel Taiwo Toluyemi and Titus Tunde Alegbe. (ARMTI) Monograph No. 4, 2009
5. Management Development Institutes (MDIs) & the Public Service in Nigeria: Reflections of a Chief Executive of an MDI by Prof. Ifeyori Ihimodu. (ARMTI) 2001-2009.
6. Performance Assessment of Rural Enterprise Groups in Benue State and the FCT of Nigeria by Dr. (Mrs.) Tope Sinkaiye and Dr. O. Windapo. Published in 2012.

Conferences / Seminars

1. Environmental Issues in Agricultural and Rural Development (out of stock).
2. T&V System of Managing Agricultural Extension in West Africa (out of stock)
3. Communication Support to Unified Extension System (out of stock)
4. Improving the Management Capabilities of Local Government: Towards Managing Agricultural & Rural Project (out of stock)
5. The Role of Traditional Rulers and Local Government in Nigerian Agriculture 29th – 31st October, 1984. Published in 1986
6. Financing Agricultural Development in Nigeria. Published in 1986
7. Record-Keeping and Agro-statistics Data Bank in Nigeria. Proceedings of a Seminar in ARMTI on 23rd – 25th April, 1984. Published in 1986.
8. Re-Positioning the Nigerian Agriculture for Expert: Challenges & Prospects,, Proceedings of a National Workshop. (ARMTI), 5th – 7th October, 2004.
9. Public – Private Partnership in Commercial Agricultural in Nigeria: Issues, Constraints and Prospects. Proceedings of ARMTI National Seminar 2nd December 2010
10. Challenges of Human Resources Development Sector in Nigeria (ARMTI) 4th – 7th April, 2005
11. Topical Issues in the Management of Agriculture in Nigeria (Proceedings of an interactive session with Course 22 participants of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS) kuru, 10th July, 2000.
12. Policy and Management Issues for Accelerated Transformation of ARD. Presentation at a Roundtable for Members of Senate in May 2001. Published in 2010.
13. Human Resource Development Issues in Nigerian Agriculture (Proceedings of Conferences of HRD Directors). Published in 2012.

Other Publications

1. Nigeria Agriculture and the World Bank: A Partnership for Development. Published in 1998
2. Funding, Enhancing and Evaluating Manpower Development in the Agricultural Sector (out of stock)

S/N	LECTURE THEME	GUEST LECTURER
19th	Youth in agriculture: Possibilities and opportunities for sustainable agricultural business in Nigeria	Mr. Paul Okpue
18th	Orange- Fleshed Sweet potato: An Untapped Resource for Health & wealth in Nigeria.	Dr. (Mrs.) Olapeju O. Phorbee
17th	Gender Inclusion and Youth Empowerment for Agricultural Transformation in Nigeria.	Dr. (Mrs) Louise Setshwaelo
16th	Managing Agriculture as a Business: A Practitioner’s Perspective.	Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
15th	The Role of Management Development Institutes in the Agricultural and Rural Ttansformation of Nigeria.	Garnet Brown
14th	Climate Change: Its Implications for the Attainment of Food Security in Nigeria.	Prof. Oladapo A. Afolabi
13th	Commercializing Agriculture in Nigeria: Public – Private Partnership Approach (The Kwara State Experience).	Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki(Rtd)
12th	Management of Agricultural Research for Sustainable National Development: The Role of Management Development Institute (MDI).	Prof. B. Y. Abubakar
11th	Agriculture, Rural Economy and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria Issues and Challenges.	Prof. Foluso Okunmadewa
10th	Potential of Agricultural Exports as a Major Foreign Exchange Earner: “Issues and Challenges.”	Vice Admiral M.A.H. Nyako (Rtd)
9th	Food Security in Nigeria: Challenges under Democratic Dispensation.	Prof. F. S. Idachaba
8th	Managing Agriculture in a Cash-Strapped Economy.	Alhaji Jibrin Salihu
7th	Managing Grassroots Resources and Facilities for National Development in a Depressed Economy.	Dr. Christopher Kolade
6th	The Role of Extension Services in the Strategies of Agricultural Development in the 90s.	Prof. Sadiq.K.T.Williams
5th	International Organizations and the Nigerian Agriculture: The case of the World Bank.	Ishrat Husein
4th	The Role and Development of the Nigerian Farmers.	Alhaji Aminu Tijani
3rd	Making Agriculture an Attractive Profession Profession.	Maj-Gen. George A.Innih
2nd	Strategies in Research on Improved Farming System to Facilitate Adoption and Management by the Nigerian Farmer.	Prof. Bede Okigbo.
1st	Management in Agriculture and Rural Development: A Practitioner’s View.	Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo

 

VILLAGE ALIVE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

BACKGROUND OF VADI PROJECT

The Village Alive Development Initiative, an action research project; initially took off in 1995 as Village Alive Women Association (VAWA) in the communities of Idofian, Elerinjare, Jimba Oja, Kabba Owode in Kwara State. But these intervention soon became inactive due to funding.

In 2011, the ARMTI Management resuscitated the project as the “Village Alive Development Initiative (VADI)” to include men, women and youth in the participating communities as beneficiaries in the project.  The participating communities include Falokun-Oja, Fufu, Apa-ola, Elerinjare, Ilota, Jimba-Oja, Igbo-owu, Amoyo and Omomere-oja  in Kwara State.  The project is aimed at creating village level opportunities for rural dwellers to alleviate their poverty and also use the result to strengthen ARMTI’s training programme. VADI aims at employment and income generation and good governance in the participating communities. The project employs a participatory approach in planning and implementing the fiel    d level activities by ensuring active involvement of the beneficiaries.

 

PRA session in Fufu community during baseline survey

VISION

To be world class change agent, facilitating the development of the rural areas through wealth creation, networking, knowledge and skills empowerment.

MISSION

To identify impediments inhibiting wealth creation, improving standard of living and peaceful co-existence among rural dwellers and proffering ameliorating strategies.

Presentation of PRA results at plenary session in Fufu community

 

OBJECTIVES

The aim is to create a sustainable and self-reliant community-based organization for rural dwellers through the implementation of programmes that will improve the standard of living and social economic status of the communities.  The specific objectives are to:

• promote rural enterprise development through provision of appropriate skills and opportunities;
• enhancing financial inclusion through establishment and management of micro credit scheme in communities to promote economic activities;
• stimulate and improve the management skills among rural dwellers through group activities;
• promote improved living condition within the community environments to achieve sustainable economic development; and
• provide specialized knowledge and skills in nutrition to VADI members communities

VADI adopts four actions namely enterprise, social, financial inclusion and special skills actions in its adopted communities.

ENTERPRISE ACTION

1. Promotion of off-farm and on-farm enterprises:

• Value addition in agricultural produce and agro processing;
• Value chain development (cassava, shea butter);
• Livestock and diary development;
• Fisheries and aquaculture;
• Handicraft and cottage industry; and
• Other income generating activities such as bee-keeping and honey production, poultry and sericulture.

1. Promotion of non-farm micro-enterprise through micro-credit.

SOCIAL ACTION

1. Linkages, Partnership and Collaborations with relevant organizations;
2. Group Mobilization and Dynamics; and

• Health Education

FINANCIAL INCLUSION ACTION

1. Micro Finance
2. Savings

• Credit

1. Financial Literacy Training
2. Account opening: individual, groups, community and VADI Management accounts.

 

SPECIAL SKILLS

1. Skills on Production of products on request/demand
2. Management and Leadership Skill.

• Provision of appropriate training for the facilitators and beneficiaries of the various components of the project, such as:

1. Record-keeping and loan management;
2. Basic skills for small enterprise management;
3. Home management, health and nutrition education;
4. Cooperative and group management;
5. Technical skills in small scale enterprises; and
6. Adult literacy.

Cross section of beneficiaries during flag-off of seed fund disbursement

 

Organogram of VADI

 

VADI model

The figure below shows the direction of activities and services in VADI, ARMTI is at the centre of the whole activities, linking up and facilitating process for all other stakeholders i.e. Commercial Banks, CBN (who are in charge of client accounts and disbursed loans, and who also pay request for mobilized savings on behalf of ARMTI), NAIC, support service providers like NCAM who provides tractors and equipment and VADI communities). VADI communities pay their savings and loan repayment through ARMTI field officers to the bank and pay insurance premium to NAIC (i.e. 2% in the case of crop, processing and produce buying and 2.5% in the case of livestock which insures loan to VADI through ARMTI and the bank. The services provide input and advisory services to VADI communities through ARMTI while ARMTI provides support services, in terms of training and consultancy directly to VADI communities.

VADI LINKAGES CHART

 

 

Front view of the cassava processing centre at Jimba-oja community

Cross section of beneficiaries during the training on the use and maintenance of the cassava processing centre

L-R: Special Adviser to Kwara State Governor on Agriculture-Mr. Anu Ibiwoye, some members of ARMTI Management and the Head of Kwara State DFO-CBN

 

 Cross section of one of VADI Communities during the flag off of seed fund disbursement

 

Cross section of Community Heads during a sensitization workshop on managing post harvest losses

 

Ag. Executive Director delivering an opening speech during a sensitization workshop on managing post harvest losses organised for all participating the communities

 

I wish to start by congratulating you as we witness the beginning of the New Year-2022. Making it through an entire year is not a mean thing and shouldn’t be trivialized or taken for granted. The times we live in today are not easy times, especially with the pandemic and other global challenges; the year 2021 was particularly filled with all kinds of upheavals, unrest, violence and economic hardship all around. So we thank God for sparing our lives. It is normal, as we stand at the portals of a new year to glance back, even as we project into the future. In glancing back, we cannot but recognize and acknowledge the support of all our clients, friends and partners for your patronage and support. In a time of harsh and biting economic conditions where no one is spared, we realize how difficult it is to be able to provide the necessary capacity building and staff development that should be done. It is your recognition of the importance of staff training that made us enjoy the patronage that we did last year, and we commend you all for recognizing that fact.Each year comes with the usual uncertainties. However, life must go on and work must be done. Therefore, we have gone ahead to anticipate your needs as always and to address ourselves to meeting those needs. Our over 30 years of providing excellent management training speaks for us and we also count on the assurance of your continued patronage and support.We pride ourselves on being able to situate ourselves squarely in the centre of the Federal Government’s policies and programmes and training staff and officers in the agriculture and rural development (ARD) sector to key into them. The world is changing and the modes of operation have also changed considerably. Economic crunch and insecurity have led to change in the dynamics of doing a lot of things. For instance, physical interaction and journeys are gradually being placed at the barest minimum, while everyone is transiting to doing as much as can be done through virtual means. However, we realise in the Nigerian space, where we operate, this transition may not be immediate, but we are already taking steps to poise ourselves in readiness for this. One of the steps we are taking is the process of establishing ARMTI Regional Training Centres (RTC) in each of the geo-political zones. These will achieve, among other things, the bringing of our Training and Capacity building services closer to the nooks and crannies of the nation thereby reducing the need for journeys and the distances to be covered. It would also increase our visibility and presence all over the country.In a similar manner, we also strive to feel the pulse of our clients and always design and structure our courses and programmes to meet their yearnings and needs per time. In addition, we have always been pleased to mount special courses tailor-made to suit the specific needs of particular organizations, at their requests.

This underscores our desire to ensure that as much as possible, when it comes to management training needs, our clients are always covered. Our clients have continued to give gratifying feedbacks on the impact of our trainings on their staff and the consequent effect on their output. We have endeavoured to ensure that we maintain and improve, where necessary, the serene atmosphere and world-class facilities on our campus to ensure that the standards we are known for are not compromised.Therefore, once again, ARMTI is poised, ready to serve you and give you the best.

We invite you to come and receive the best that we have for you as well, so that together, we can move our nation forward, because, as you know, the greatest assets of any nation are its people.

Dr Olufemi Oladunni