Farmers in Rivers State have expressed worry over climate change that has ushered in the unexpected January early rainfall in the state.
Speaking to The Tide last Wednesday in Isiokpo, a farmer, Mr. Isreal Amadi, said the early rainfall would have a negative effect on the traditional farming routine.
He stated that this period was set aside for sharing and allocating portions of farming lands to the beneficiaries at a piece of land deemed matured for cultivation and approved by the youths and elders of the family.
“Within this January and February, cutting of bush would be at its peak, as scanty rainfall would set in and by ending of February to early March, burning of bush and planting of corn, vegetables, cassava among others, must have being completed before the outburst of rainy season,” he explained.
According to him, the early rainfall this year raises a lot of fears that farming season might be distorted with its adverse effect on food supply in the state.
The Tide reports that the State largely depends on subsistent farming as against mechanised and large scale farming practiced in some states of the federation.
The Manager of Jubes Integrated Farms, Mr. Jonas Ude, who spoke to our correspondent said subsistent farmers have the cause to worry about the early rainfall due to the fact that “they depend and are guarded by nature, and all their traditional farming routine are set upon the season; so any shift in this regard affects them grievously.”