AGRO SOLUTIONS: Coping with dry spells for optimum yield

Farmers in Nigeria have continued to suffer from so many challenges, hindering them from obtaining optimum yield on their farms, sometimes despite huge investments on the farm.  One of the challenges which farmers are faced with is climate change. This has further compounded the already existing problems of Nigeria’s agriculture sector.  120 hospitalised in Kano […]

Farmers in Nigeria have continued to suffer from so many challenges, hindering them from obtaining optimum yield on their farms, sometimes despite huge investments on the farm. 

One of the challenges which farmers are faced with is climate change. This has further compounded the already existing problems of Nigeria’s agriculture sector. 

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Although the manifestations of climate change could be seen in many areas, in agriculture, for example, its manifestations are seen in late onset and late establishment of rainfall, dry spells and early or even untimely cessation of rainfall, resulting in poor yield. And all these are what farmers are currently experiencing. 

Last season, many farmers suffered losses and reduced yield due to intermittent dry spells that hit most of the northern states. Sharing his experience of last year’s season, Malam Ibrahim Kamaru, a farmer in Maigatari Local Government Area of Jigawa State, said he replanted his crops three times before finally obtaining a yield he described as below average when compared to previous seasons.

While it is true that farmers, in recent years, are experiencing delayed onset of rainfall, some farmers seem to be in a haste, sowing their crops at the false onset; such periods of early rain – usually followed by dry spell lasting for days – before the full establishment of rainfall. The advice given to them is to sow only when rainfall is established, when moisture in the soil is enough to nurture the seeds to germination. With little or no moisture, all the processes leading to seed germination are stopped, causing crop failure.

According to predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET), the earliest onset of planting season this year is expected around February 28, 2022, in the coastal parts of the country, while onset of rainfall is expected between April and May in the central states and between June and July in the northern states. While weather information helps farmers in guiding their farming decisions, especially with regards to timing of planting activities, majority of the farmers—especially those living in rural areas—don’t usually get the information disseminated to them.

This, perhaps, explains the reason why farmers in some northern states started sowing their seeds earlier. But even if the information gets to rural farmers, some would regard or see it as going against their indigenous way of farming, especially if techniques of information dissemination were not used by the people transmitting the message. 

In Dukku Local Government Area of Gombe State, for example, some farmers planted their seeds about two weeks ago after the town received rainfall. These farmers believe the rain was enough to guarantee seed germination.

Kabiru T. Zubairu, 26, a lecturer with a College of Health Technology and farmer in Dukku, said he planted his seeds a fortnight ago based on the idea he has of early planting. “I planted because I’m of the view that if one’s farm isn’t fertile, one should go for early planting. I planted early this year, and rainfall has ceased now. So, we are now waiting for the establishment of rainfall to see the reaction of the crops before deciding on any action.” Zubairu said.

Alhaji Muhammad Sulaiman, a farmer in Dukku, said he rescheduled his planting calendar so that his plants would receive abundant rainfall, hence his reason for planting earlier than usual for him. However, with no rainfall in the area two weeks after planting, he said he couldn’t tell if the crops would do well at all. 

The situation is almost the same in Jigawa, Bauchi and Kano states. Some farmers planted and rainfall ceased. But this, one would reckon, may be the farmers’ idea of coping with the adverse effect of climate change. To stem incidences of plant diseases, some farmers adopt early planting as mechanism for altering the expected period in which insects inflict damage on crops. While this is the justification many farmers give, others think it best to wait for the full establishment of rainfall before planting their crops.

Shamsuddeen Muhammad, a farmer in Sara community of Gwaram Local Government Area of Jigawa State, said he hasn’t planted yet because he was afraid the rain wouldn’t be stable for days. He, however, said some of the farmers who planted just after the first rain are now having the seeds shrivel because rainfall has ceased and the weather is too hot for the seeds to sprout. 

This view was also shared by Muhammad Sani Salisu, a farmer in Kura, Kano State. “I think it’s a little early to plant anything, especially with the current situation of delayed establishment of rain. Some of the farmers who planted their rice in my area may have to replant because the seeds are just getting burnt by hot temperature as there is no rain.”

But Mu’azu Sani, a farmer in Shika, Zaria, Kaduna State, said the short dry spell they experienced in their area lasted for only eight days. “Yes, farmers have planted. I’m among those who planted, and because we didn’t experience the short dry spell until recently, all our crops have emerged. It was after the emergence that the rain ceased, but we received rainfall this week, and it’ll be only a matter of time before the plants bounce back. If the rain continues, I don’t foresee any challenge.” 

But what exactly should farmers do to cope with erratic rainfall?

Dr. Yunusa Muhammad Shu’aibu, an expert in Agronomy and lecturer with the Department of Crop Production, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, advised farmers to adopt climate smart agriculture in order to address climate-change-induced challenges. 

Some of the drought mitigating methods include use of early maturing varieties, supplemental irrigation, use of drought tolerant varieties, among other practices.

With advancement in technology, agriculture is now made easy, in that solutions to agronomic challenges have been provided to enable farmers cultivate optimally. Use of drought tolerant, early maturing varieties by farmers solves, for example, the challenge of intermittent dry spells usually experienced after the early onset of rainfall, especially in northern Nigeria which has a monomodal pattern of rainfall. If you, as a farmer, aren’t able to plant early, you can always get a variety that matures early, and drought resistant so that when dry spells occur, the plant can withstand the stress and absorb the shock till rain falls. 

Seeds with these characteristics can be obtained at Agricultural Development Programs, seed companies, research institutes and, sometimes, out-grower farmers who are registered with ADPs or private seed companies.

Farmers can also adopt supplemental irrigation where drought occurs, so that the adverse effect of climate change could be cushioned. This method, however, is only feasible where there are good sources of water near the farms. But the method, when appropriately used, could help in supplementing, nay supplying for the amount of rainfall lost, making it possible for the critical stage of plant growth and development to coincide with the period of peak rainfall.  

Rilwan Muhammad is an AgricTech professional and sent this piece from Jigawa. He can be reached via [email protected] 07061124918