EFFECT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON CROP CULTIVATION: NEED FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ROBOTIC SYSTEMS IN NIGERIAN AGRICULTURE

Abstract

The effect of COVID-19 lockdown on crop planting mechanization and ,’e ne ed to use artificial intelligence and robotic systems as better alternatives in the early planting s ason in Nigeria was examined during the lockdown (April to July, 2020). The study are's include Oyo and Bayelsa states. The data generated were gathered through oral interview, discussions, e-questionnaires, live questionnaires and routine sources. Purposive and online sampling techniques were adopted and data were analyzed using Kobo Toolbox (KT), Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21, R-programming version 3.2.2 and word excel version 2013. About ninety-one (91) respondents’ opinions were sampled. The crops plated during the lockdown include maize (35.16%), cassava (24.18%), tomatoes (15.38%), V. g'+abrns (9.89%), pepper (6.6%), yam (5.49%) and undecided (3.30%) as indicated by the respondents. About 52.7% respondents observed that planting time was affected by COVID-19 louden while 40.7% said that planting time was not affected because of their system of farming and closeness to farm locations and 6.6% of the respondents were undecided. This gap created in planting time can be bridged with robotic systems while the farmers are observing lockdown and planting their crops using Artificial Intelligence (AI) at home. Farm implements (Traditional & mechanized) were discovered to be in deplorable conditions by 76% of our respondents that can be curbed with maintenance robots using AI while 16% of the respondents agreed *hat implements and tools were in good shape during the period. The use of mechanization for crop planting stands at 32% while the use of traditional implements (Hoes, cutlasses, hand sprayers) stands at 68% during the lockdown due to non-availability of skilled labour. Hiring of mechanized implements (Tractors, planters, seeders) and tools became difficult during me lockdown as agreed upon by 87% of the respondents and 9% of the respondents indicated that implements and tools hiring was not difficult and 4% of the respondents are undecided. The problems encountered by farmers are capital (60%), credit facility (63%), loan (61.54%), agricultural insurance (69.2%), high cost of labour (85%) and high cost of transportation (86.8%). The possible solutions suggested by the respondents are access to credit facility, free movement, special incentives, availability of loans at low interest rate, subsidized farm implements, agricultural schemes creation, provision of fertilizers and herbicides. Farmers observed COVID-19 protocols; Social distancing (54.9%), hand washing (26.4%), hand sanitizing (6.6%), Coughing into arm (4.4%) combined (4.4%) and undecided (3.3%). None of the farmers interviewed use robotic system for their farming operations. Government is therefore advised, to look into farmers’ plight by encouraging artificial intelligence and robotics systems to overcome challenges associated with crop cultivation during lockdown and human movement restrictions.