Weather Change Will Affect Food Production – AFAN Chairman

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Enugu State, said on Thursday that the current change in the climate would impact negatively on food production during the year.

Commenting on the sudden harmattan haze instead of rain, the Chairman, Mr. Alfred Eneh, told newsmen that crops, such as maize and vegetables, would be scarce due to the lack of rain that would have enabled them to grow.

He observed that experts in agriculture and weather analysis had not enlightened farmers on what to do to avert the impending food scarcity.

“If nothing drastic is done about this situation, the nation’s dream of food security would not be actualised and the cost of staple food items will be too exorbitant for the common man.

“From the year 2000, we have not experienced this type of weather whereby in March farming has not commenced.

“Maize and vegetables that are supposed to be harvested in May/June are yet to be planted,’’ he explained.

Eneh noted that farmers had yet to buy the hybrid maize seeds from the association for fear of losses due to the weather condition.

He also noted that farmers had not been advised on how to avert the recurrence of low cocoyam yield experienced in 2009.

The chairman stressed the need for farmers to be exposed to modern farming techniques that would boost agricultural production in the state.

He suggested the introduction of agricultural show at the state and local government levels as a means of encouraging farmers to do better.

He said the failure of the state government to launch the 2010 farming season had deprived farmers the opportunity of presenting their problems for possible solutions.