Experts Charge Farmers To Get Right Seed For Bumper Harvest
Farmers present at the emergency training and demonstration on climate resilient practices in yam and cassava production have been advised to always get the right seed from the rightful source so as to get the desired result.
This advice was given by their resource person at a training initiated by the federal ministry of agriculture to farmers in Lagos state at the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority (LSADA), Oko-Oba Agege.
The Lagos State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Olayinka Akeredolu while speaking at the training said that the farmers are to be trained on how best to produce yam and cassava to make more money.
Increase in production
She advised the farmers to get the right seed from the right source to get the right result, stating that the ministry will train farmers across the state so that there will be an increase in production.
Akeredolu, however, lamented that manpower is one of the major challenges as youths do not want to stay in the farm.
She called on the farmers not to keep the knowledge to themselves but share with others in their various localities.
Harvesting of yam
Kosoko Tawakaltu, the Programme Manager of LSADA said that the training is to assist the farmers on production, processing and harvesting of yam and cassava so as to increase their productivity.
This training has been done all over the state. The output that farmers have does not commensurate with what they should have. That is why the government is organising this training so that farmers will not face such problems again.
One of the challenges they also have is capital and ADA has come together to train the farmers on how to be more productive and once they have the training and capital comes they will use it meaningfully, she added.
Temitope Isaac, resource person for yam said that climate is changing and the farmers have been having problems with that.
He said they are to be trained on methods of producing yam and demonstrating how to do seed yam and how to manage pest and diseases in yams.
Samuel Olaleye, Resource Person for cassava said, We are here for emergency training on climate resilience in cassava production. It will equip farmers to be prepared because this year we have been told that there will be a lot of rain. It is to address all the challenges that farmers are likely to face and what to expect and correct them.
He said one of the things a farmer must do is to add organic manure to a loose sandy soil in order for it to bind together.
If you have bad seed no matter the level of feeding you will get bad results. Failure or success of farmers starts from the choice of seed planted.
He advised them to get the right seed in the right place so that they will get good results.
Some of the participants appreciated the government for the gesture and also called on the government to still assist them with seed so as to increase their productivity.
NP/Lateefah Ibrahim
