Despite poor access to agro-inputs, Kano farmers optimistic of bumper harvest

Despite outcries from Kano State farmers on the lack of access to agricultural inputs due to high cost, farmers have expressed optimism of having a pumper harvest this year. It would be recalled that farmers in the state have been lamenting poor access to agricultural inputs as well as expressing fears that many of them […]

Despite outcries from Kano State farmers on the lack of access to agricultural inputs due to high cost, farmers have expressed optimism of having a pumper harvest this year.

It would be recalled that farmers in the state have been lamenting poor access to agricultural inputs as well as expressing fears that many of them wouldn’t be able to farm during the wet season. According to some of the farmers, the current economic situation of the country has forced many of them to reduce the size of their farm lands.

Isah Musa, a farmer in Bunkure Local Government Area of the state, said it was unfortunate that governments at different levels tried to assist farmers but the assistance ended up with the politicians and didn’t get to the real farmers. “As a real farmer, I and other real farmers heard that the state and federal governments distributed agricultural inputs to assist farmers, but we did not see anything. Farmers in Kano State have not seen what they claimed to have distributed to us even though we know they did.

“However, with what we are experiencing, it appears as though we will have a bumper harvest this year. The rain seems to be stable and encouraging even without the required fertilizer,” he said.

• Gombe farmer counts millions through tomato, pepper farming
• Poultry feed dealers closing shop as more farms shut down

Another farmer, Sama’ila Buba Dorawa, told our correspondent that despite being registered to access government’s intervention, none has come their way, adding that irrespective of that they still cultivated their farms.

“We were asked to register to have access to government’s intervention but we couldn’t access any despite the registration. We have learned to live without government intervention and by God’s grace this year’s harvest will be good,” he said.

Similarly, the state wing chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Abdulrasheed Magaji Rimingado, disclosed that the state was lucky that no incident of flood has been reported so far, adding that reports received by the association indicate that the state will witness a bumper harvest this year.

“Except for two local governments that raised alarm over rainfall seizure some weeks ago, all the 44 local government areas in the state have reported positive signs in farming activities. We have high hopes that despite reduction in the size of lands cultivated due to economic related issues, we will record a bumper harvest,” he said.