Farmers face rice, beans, millet harvest loss as rain fails to fall
Nigerian farmers have decried water scarcity that has hit rice, beans and millet farms across the North.
In an interview, Idris Musa Sarkin Noman Abakwa, Kaduna, said he was afraid that local farmers might lose their crops due to lack of rainfall in the past three weeks.
As the rainy season stopped, many local farmers feared crops yet to mature might be lost without adequate water, Mr Abakwa.
According to him, floods and other ecological challenges have affected this year’s bumper harvest, causing scarcity of crops and food items in the markets.
A two-week survey conducted by a team of volunteer environmental journalists from various media outlets across the 19 northern states showed how many local farmers farming along the Riverbanks were forced to use irrigation to save their crops.
Mr Abakwa explained that most of the crops on his farmland had started drying up gradually, which was a sign of a huge loss for him.
According to him, beans, rice, millet, and sorghum farmers battle to salvage their crops. Some of them were forced to hire generators to pump water from waterways or rivers to their farms.
He further explained that most farmers across the North practised subsistence farming, few practised mechanised farming.
Mr Abakwa added that many farmers did not start planting their crops on time due to the nature of this year’s rainy season.
He mentioned the need to educate more farmers on averting the damage to their crops and other harvests.
The farmer called on state and federal governments to embark on sensitisation of farmers on the latest farming techniques to join the world in the fight against hunger and inadequate food in the market.
Piman Hoffman, the director, African climate reporters, cited climate change as posing numerous threats to animal farming operations.
According to him, climate change can disrupt food availability, reduce access to food, and affect food quality.
He also called on governments to redouble their efforts towards sensitising rural farmers about climate change and adapting to new farming systems.
(NAN)
More from Peoples Gazette
World
Hamas to hang two men over collaboration with Israel
The men were alleged to have passed on sensitive and accurate information that would have led to the killing of Palestinian militants by Israel.
Economy
Investors in tears as Nigerian couple flees with N22 billion from Imagine Global Ltd
Several victims on social media detailed how they lost between low five figures to as high as N500 million.
World
Israeli scuba diver finds 900-year-old Crusader sword
The scuba diver discovered the sword on Saturday and took it with him, fearing that it could be stolen or covered by sand again.
World
Taliban agrees to door-to-door polio vaccination
In the past, vaccination teams in areas controlled by the Taliban had repeatedly encountered difficulties.
Education
China moves to ban work overload, internet addiction among children
The law will require parents to play their part in preventing their children from being addicted to the internet.
Education
Yobe College of Education provost dies
The provost died from injuries sustained in a car accident on October 4.
