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From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Over 16,000 farmers in Kebbi State have started harvesting their potatoes, maize and other residual moisture crops. The farmers had suffered huge losses during the previous farming season. They were supported with seedlings and fertilizers by government.
Fourteen 14 local governments were adversely affected by last year’s flood. Hundreds of hectares of farmlands were washed away, while many rice and millets farmers went bankrupt as a result of the natural disaster.
To mitigate their losses, government through the Ministry of Agriculture, introduced the moisture crops to the affected farmers. These crops could survive on moisture soils and in less than one year of planting. They are already being harvested by the farmers.
Abubakar Walin-Raha, who represented District Head of Raha, said: “We are very happy that these seeds are extremely good. We used them and we saw how effective they are. We have started harvesting the crops now. Even marketers have been coming to our villages to purchase the crops from us.”
Tukur Umar, District Head, Bahindin Bagugo, remarked that after planting the seeds, they received three trucks of fertilizers from government, which was shared among 40 village heads in his domain. He applauded the initiative and appealed to government to extend the programme to the dry season to enable other farmers’ benefit.
A peasant farmer, Malam Abubakar Mai-Kifi, has been farming for over 40 years. He said he has never come across excellent maize seeds like the one provided to them by government.
Muhammad Sani, who is also the Marafan Mayalo said the community would never forget Governor Nasir Idris’ administration.
A marketer at Mayalo, Ismail Adamu, purchases the potatoes for onward transportation to other markets across Nigeria expressed delight over the bumper harvest.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Shehu Ma’am, visited some of the villages including Bahindin Bagudo in Bagudo LG, Raha in Bunza LG and Mayalo in Maiyama LG. He expressed confidence about the output of the government’s efforts on moisture crops.
Ma’am said: “The Residual Moisture Crop Production is an initiative of the governor aimed at assisting farmers affected by last year’s flood to recoup and continue their normal life. Under the scheme, the affected farmers received improved potatoes, cassava and maize seeds, fertilisers and chemicals free-of-charge from government as a source of encouragement.
“When the floods wreaked havoc on the communities, the ministry, had supplied improved seeds, fertilisers and chemicals free-of-charge to encourage recovery. We are happy that you used the seeds, fertilisers and other inputs supplied to you very well.”
