Kwara State educate farmers on weather accessibility for crop management

The Kwara state government has educated farmers in the state on the need to access and make use of weather data for crop management, under the Kwara Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) project.

Dr. Isiaka Busari, Project Coordinator, Kwara SAPZ, at the sensitisation on Friday in Afon, Asa Local Government Area of Kwara, said the weather was different from what it was some years ago.

The workshop was organized for Women’s Agricultural Cooperatives and Women’s Small Medium Enterprises on climate-smart agricultural technologies.

“It is necessary for farmers these days to follow and judiciously make use of the available data, from reliable sources.

“In fact, compliance with the tips suggested by authorised agencies like Nigerian Metriological Agency and adoption of some technologies related to agriculture will be of great benefit to farmers.” Busari said.

The coordinator, represented by the Project Livestock Specialist, Mr. Abdulfatah Ambali, affirmed that the government was committed to averting agricultural losses.

He posited that climate-focused agriculture should not be relegated to the background, in the implementation of the SAPZ project in the state.

According to him, the SAPZ programme is to enhance food security and reduce poverty among the people.

Also, Mr Gbadebo Elebiyo, the Resource person, during a technical session, highlighted the reduction in soil moisture, methane emission, rainfall pattern and windspeed as factors to be addressed

“The highlighted factors are some of the conditions that have to be addressed with technology related to agriculture,” he said.

Similarly, Mr Bakare Abdulrazaq, Weather Observation Department, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), enlightened the farmers on how to access weather data from the agency for crop management.

NAN / Foluke Ibitomi