Agriculture
2014 Flood: Expert Advises Farmers Against Panic
Following the recent
alert of possible flooding in some local government areas of Rivers State, by the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and its Water Resources counterpart, farmers in the state have been charged to remain calm.
An agricultural engineer, Mr Umor Ekpelu who made this known to our correspondent in Port Harcourt last Monday said the advice had become necessary in order to avert a repeat of last year’s farmers’ withdrawal from cultivating their farms.
According to him, the problem of the flood in 2012 and 2013 discouraged a lot of farmers from planting.
He said this development made a lot of the farmers to lose in come as the flood did not come at last after receiving the alerts.
Engr Ihuzan said in as much as predictions were good, it should also be noted that they were subject to probabilities.
He said nature in itself could not be manipulated 100 per cent even as he called on farmers who were engaged in their farms to continue.
According to him, in July, the rains were supposed to be contineous but today, the reverse was the case, a condition he attributed to the work of nature.
He said since the year was almost gone, upland farming should be vigorously done with such crops as cassava, potato, beans among other short term crops.
It would be recalled that in 2013, the relevant metrological agencies predicted a high level flooding that made most farmers to abandon their fields but the floods did not come.
Recently too, there are predictions by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and its Water Resources counterpart of possible flooding in 14 LGAs in Rivers State.
Some of the LGAs include Abua/Odual, Andoni, Degema, Bonny, Emohua, Etche, PHALGA, Tai, Ogu/Bolo and Okrika LGAs among others.
Livestock being transported for sale, grazing in Zaria in Kaduna State, last Thursday. Photo: NAN
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.
