NATIONAL COCOA RESEARCH INSTITUTE AKURE MSC(ARCH) DESIGN RESEARCH REPORT

ABSTRACT

Research as this thesis is concerned and to other areas in particular, plays   a   very   important   role   in   improvement   in   all   facts   of   life. Improvements in industry, communication, education and other aspects of science even in agriculture.  Started largely from research.  For instance the exploitation of minerals both in the sea, the earth’s crust and moon even other outer space exploration could not have been possible without research. Before  Nigeria  started  prospecting  oil  for  commercial  purposes  in

1958, (that is, before the oil boom).  Its economy was solely dependent on the agricultural products, mostly cash crops.   These crops include coffee, cocoa, oil palm, rubber, timer and so on.  While cocoa is one of the leading crops that was the Hub of Nigeria economy that enhanced her foreign exchange before crude-oil was discovered.

In the days of the oil boom, Nigeria however turned its back to those cash crops, especially “cocoa” when it discovered that there is more money in crude-oil.  Agriculture generally was sadly neglected.

To improve this situation, as to bring back the glory of agriculture and to  improve   in  the  productivities   of  the  farm  produce  the  need  for agriculturally based research centers becomes pertinent.

In the area of agricultural research and agricultural extension services,  in  the  past,  were  directed  more  to  crops  than  to  the  farmers producing  them.     This  trend  has  led  to  the  apparent  decrease  in  the production  of cocoa and  lack of progress  in the cocoa  industries  in the country.   There is therefore the need to resuscitate and improve our cocoa production.  It is therefore evident from the issues mentioned above that for us to become self-sufficient and economically self reliant intensive research must be carried out in the cocoa sector.

It is on these grounds that I have decided to propose a cocoa research institute that will be located at Akure.  The capital of Ondo State, which is the largest cocoa producing state in the country.  The institute will carry out basic and applied research in the production area of cocoa and improve the quality producing.  It will also seek to find out other ways in which the bye products can be utilized through applied research.  This will encourage the take off of more indigenous industries that will use the local raw materials and its bye-products.

The institute will also help to improve our traditional farming techniques and agro-industrial production by rendering adequate agricultural extension services to farmers and industrialists alike.   This will be carried out  by  the  extension  unit  of  the  institute  which  will  ensure  that  new techniques and products developed reach the farmers and industrialists and  the  problems  from  the  requiring  solutions  are  fed  back  to  and investigated by the institute.

Presently, there is an existing cocoa research institute in the country, situated at Ibadan and it combines its research on cocoa, kolanuts, cashew and coffee.   But this proposal will concentrate only on basic and applied research on cocoa alone, including the staff quarters for efficiency. It should be mentioned here, at this juncture, that the existing cocoa research institute is not well planned.   It is therefore my desire, using the medium of architecture to contribute my own quota, not only to revamping agricultural production in Nigeria but to provide a suitable  and conducive environment  for  efficient  research  work.    I  strongly  believe  that  if  this proposal is implemented by the government it will go a long way to developing a virile cocoa industry in Nigeria.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     MEANING OF RESEARCH (BASE ON AGRICULTURE)

Research in agriculture or agricultural research may be defined as the quest  for  knowledge  on both  the technical  and theoretical  know-how  of Agriculture.  The know-how was never and more so in a complex economic world of today not only to technical knowledge on various farming practices but also embraces economic relationship.

The farmer’s interest does not cease in knowing how to coax the piece of land to produce a larger physical output, he is equally concerned with the technique  of  producing  more  most  economically.    Improving  the  ratio between  cost  and income  which  commonly  is measured  in terms of net return.  Therefore, in my opinion, agricultural research is much more broad- based and includes study of both technical and economic relationship.   It should not be narrowed down to research in natural sciences alone.  There may be some doubts and disagreements  on such an interpretation  of the nature of agricultural research.

In fact, in most areas in the past agricultural research was confined to technical investigations, namely, how to plant a crop; when to plant it; at what distance to plant it; what care to give to it in terms of inter-cultivation,

supply   of  nutrients,   moisture,   protection   against   natural   hazards, diseases and pests, improvement in varieties, etc.   Research projects were drawn up to throw light on relationships in the realm of natural sciences. Economics occupied only an insignificant place in such studies.   This bias still continues in many areas.

But for practical application, the research project should ensure integration between investigation of technical and economic aspects of the problem.  This does not mean that there are no purely technical or economic problems in agriculture.  There are many such areas, what needs to be made clear is that agricultural research deals with both.  The participants will be making a useful contribution by expressing their views on the exact connotation of the term “Agricultural Research”.  This is important also for a correct assessment of the role of agricultural research in agricultural development.

In fact, there appears no end to man’s ingenuity in unraveling, the secrets of nature and in coaxing and subduing it for agricultural production, this can be achieved through proper research and findings, thus bring about this project, to provide a conducive environment in carrying out the research for economic development.

1.2     RESEARCH CENTRES IN NIGERIA (FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE)

Research centers dealing with various aspects of agriculture have been set up in the country over the years.  In 1939 the oil palm research station (ORS)  in  Benin  was  established  by  the  then  Nigeria  Department  of agriculture to improve Nigeria’s oil palm production.   The station later changed its name to the West African Institute for Oil Palm Research (WAIFOR) when it was taken over by the West African Research Organization.   In 1964, WAIFOR was dissolved and became the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR).   It is presently under the federal ministry of science and technology.

Other research centers that have been set up in the agricultural sector include  the rubber  research  institute,  Benin,  in 1961  and  cocoa research institute, Ibadan in 1964.  These handle the major cash crops.  There are also the National Horticultural research Institute and the Institute of agricultural research  and  Training  both  at Ibadan.    There  is the  Federal  Institute  of Industrial  research,  Oshodi  in  Lagos,  which  was  set  up  in  1956  as  the Institute of Applied Technical research, assuming its present name in 1958. Its mandate includes food processing and development and agro-allied areas of textiles, pulp and paper among other areas of industrials research.

In the defunct east central state, research centers were also set up to address agricultural problems in that part of the country.   At Umudike Umuahia,  a provincial  experimental  farm was  started  in 1923  under  the Nigerian Department of Agriculture with headquarters at Moore Plantation, Ibadan.  Its objectives was to carryout small plot experiments for root crops and to solve problems of soil fertility in the region.   In 1955 a school of agriculture  was opened at the station and in 1956 it became  the eastern Nigeria agricultural research station.   In 1965 it became the Umudike Agricultural Research and Training when the research station and school were amalgamate.  It is presently the National Root Crop research Institute (NRCRI) under the aegis of the Federal Ministry of Science and technology. Other centers include  the Akwete Research Station and the Horticultural research and Development in the state.

It is pertinent to note, however, that there is a death of well planned agricultural research institutes in the country, especially in the western part, despite  the  fact  that  this  part  of  the  country  has  large  potential  for agricultural  production.   The existing  ones are old fashioned.   Architec- turally not functioned and poorly planned.

Although cocoa constitutes a major part of the agricultural produce in the region and its economical buoyancy depends on cocoa in some areas.

Ondo, Ekiti and Osun states among others.  There is a lack of adequate research information on coca and its products.  This is probably the reason behind  the  low  in  the  production   area  for  improvement   concerning exportation of the products.

1.3     MOTIVATIONS

The values that motivated me to take up this project are divided into two fold:

•     Socio-economic

•     Architectural

From the socio-economic point of view, Nigeria used to be self- sufficient in cocoa exportation and one of the world leading producer, but her over dependency on petroleum exports brought about a sharp decline in agricultural  (cocoa)  exports.     A  research  institute  of  this  nature  will definitely be of immense help, therefore provide the need of designing a national research institute with articulated environment to increase the production of qualities and quantities of produce per year to enhance the country foreign exchange.

Moreover, most of the research institutes dealing with agriculture in this  country  are  poorly  planned  and  lack  the  required  infrastructure  for

efficient research work.  One is therefore motivated to propose a project of this nature in order to solve these problems.

More so, the socio-economic motivation is to contribute through research and ultimate designing a research institute of high standard and educative which will to some extent solve some existing problems and improve the qualities produce, preservation, storage and provides marketing policies and strategies in the world market.  It is therefore expected that the motivation values of this project if finally executed and commissioned shall increase the teaming populations standard of living by establish processing factory and be exporting the products.

The architectural motivation stems from a desire to enhance the environment for efficient research.  One of the major problems with research institutes  in  this  country  is  the  communication  gap  between  research findings and those who can benefit from such findings.  The issue here is not providing  more institutes but that the established ones should be able to arrive at meaningful research findings and also make sure that these findings are not just stored in the archives of the institutes but are disseminated to industrialists, farmers and other interested members of the public, through provision of standard libraries, information centers etc.  it is my firm belief that  through  coherent  and  comprehensive  architectural  design  research

institutes can be made more effective.  Moreover, most of the research institutes dealing with agriculture in this country are poorly planned and lack the required  infrastructure  for efficient  research  work.    One  is therefore motivated  to  propose  or  project  of  this  nature  in  order  to  solve  these problems.

1.4     AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The primary aim of this project is not just to satisfy the functional requirements  of  a  research  institute  but  to  provide  an  environment  for efficient research work by proposing a new visual and spatial experience. This   will   be   achieved   through   coherent   design   that   will   take   into consideration,  uniformity,  feasibility  and versatility  through the judicious use of spaces.

I therefore have in mind to propose the design of architecturally befitting national research institute with the following aims and objectives:

(i)      Building up of a body of reliable data of facts and information for intensive research capable of serving a standard for the designing of research institute that will be over the existing ones.

(ii)     To  providing  adequate  spaces  for  the  maximum  utilization  of most modern facilities available in the science laboratories in carrying out effective research methods.

(iii)    Providing a high safety standard in the research environment, such as creating safety spaces, fire safety, burglar (security), the use of materials, tools or instrument handling environment and so on.

(iv)    Grouping together components with similar characteristics so as to be adjacent to both those they serve (users) and those with similar structural and services characteristics to achieve efficiency, easy maintenance, and to save cost by avoiding duplication of components.

(v)  Providing  adequate  spaces  and  facilities  for  effective accommodation of the researchers and the generality of the staff, due to some time taking or monitoring of certain research method by creating adequate useful spaces for both staff and researchers, through staff housing and guest chalets.

(vi)   Providing spaces for ultra-modern information techniques and educative facilities.

1.5     PROJECT SIGNIFICANCE

The  institute  will  conduct  basic  and  applied  research  on  different types of cocoa  available  in Nigeria  so as to enhance  their qualities  and quantities.     This  will  make  them  more  suitable  as  raw  materials  for beverages, thus, improving the quality of food that requires minerals and vitamins in the country.  It will also boost our exchange rates and improve our economy, thereby compete favourably in quality and quantity with those exported from Cot Devoir.

Through research findings, many other method of growing the crop (cocoa), improvement in varieties, other uses of the crop and its products etc, hitherto unknown, may be discovered.   This will involve applied research and will help encourage the establishment of indigenous industries.

The significance of the project will therefore include the following:

(i)      Improvement and development of farming system, including soil and crop management practices, genetic potential and agronomic practices,   that   will   provide   viable,   stable   and   sustainable alternatives to traditional systems of shifting cultivation in Nigeria.

(ii)     To develop and implement research programs which will elad to improve varieties, including processing and storage of the crops.

(iii)    Identification  of  the  ecological  problems  and  methods  of control of pets and diseases affecting the crops.

(iv)    Investigating  the effective utilization  of the crops and their by- products, and the feasibility of small scale production of such end use products.

(v)     Publish  and  widely  disseminate  research  findings  to  scientists, policy makers, national research programme development and extension personnel through publications, conducting conferences, seminars, symposia, and workshops to review new research, consider current problems and discuss needs for the future.

(vi)    Translation  of  research  results  and  improved  technologies  into practice  among  farmers  and  manufacturers  in order  to improve production and socio economics life of the people.

1.6     SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

The research institute will provide infrastructure for basic and applied research and functions.  However, these will be narrowed down to just those that are very necessary in order to make the institute economically viable, not too elaborate and reduce running costs.

The scope of this project will therefore be limited to providing most major standard requirements of Research institute in terms of building and equipments, including the following departments or sections.

(i)      Research sections: This section will comprise the various research laboratories and their ancillary and support facilities, such as, the plantation field (nursery stage) demonstration farm or field, screen plot or green house, etc.

(ii)     General support services: This include:

(a) Central Administration: This will comprise the offices that will cater for day to day running of the institute as well as services to the public. These offices will include accounts public relations,  extension  and liaison etc.

(b)  Canteen  and  Staff  Quarters:    This  will  take  cake  of  the  staff housing units that will house the entire staff both senior and junior staff.

(c) Maintenance and Transport:   This section will take care of maintenance unit and transport section, both mechanical and electrical including carpentry and general labourers.

(d) Educative and Sport Facilities: Provision of sport arenas, recreation center and so on.

(iii)    Library Services: The library will serve the research workers, staff, other members of the public such as students and others.  The facilities  provides  will include,  research  records,  modern information facilities, archives and so on.

(iv)    Auditorium:   There shall be a multipurpose auditorium for staff seminars, lectures hall etc, even it will be designed in such a way that it can also serve the public.

(v)     Exhibition  and  Display  Area:  Spaces  will  be  provided  for displaying   or   exhibiting   new   findings   or   products,   slides, machines, models and so on.

(vi)    Storage Facilities:   This services provides storage of the cocoa beans to be worked on and the storage of the specimens and findings, keeping the important stocks, and also provision of silos for storage.

(vii)   Research   Engineering   Section:     This  will  include  a  small processing unit where the processing of the product will be carried out.

(viii)  Pilot plant: This is where trial of new products will be carried out as well as determination of optimum production process and layout for large scale production.

1.7     RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A lot of work and information is required to design research institute of  this  nature.     Sources  of  information  were  mostly  texts,  journals, magazines,  published  and  unpublished  articles.     Oral  interviews  with research personnel of some research centers as well as with some senior staff of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and other individuals  versed in this field of study were arranged  for during which pertinent  information  was  obtained  with  regards  to  research  findings, problems  and  potential  solution  necessary  for the design of this project. There was some unwillingness however on the part of some personnel to part with needed information.

Case  studies  were  also  made  on  some  of  the  existing  research institutes centers in the country (with concentration on agriculture).   There were intensively examined and analysed in order to assess their problems. These will help in proposing an adequate design approach to the project at hand. In order to resolve environmental and other related design problems, visits to the proposed site and analysis of the inherent problems and existing site features was carried out. On  the  whole  the  process  of  research  was  best  with  many problems  ranging  from difficulty  in obtaining  floor  plants  of some  case studies to lack of adequate research information on the cocoa by-products. This notwithstanding enough information was gathered and analysis carried out in other research centers to identify the architectural problems posed by the proposed research institute and to effect solutions.

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