‘How I multiply the profit I make from rice farming’

With his eyes fixed on the weeds and a sickle in his hand cutting and removing grass on his farm, Mallam Sani Umar was too busy to  notice that someone was approaching him. He is a rice farmer and the chairman of the vigilante in Naharwa Village in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State. […]

With his eyes fixed on the weeds and a sickle in his hand cutting and removing grass on his farm, Mallam Sani Umar was too busy to  notice that someone was approaching him.

He is a rice farmer and the chairman of the vigilante in Naharwa Village in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

Umar, 40, with six children, shared with Daily Trust the challenges he faced as a rice farmer and the gains recorded in the last 10 years.

He said during the last wet season he harvested 30 bags of rice, which he sold and reinvest part of the money in dry season production.

Mallam Umar said he was projecting 45 to 50 bags of paddy rice from the dry season farm in the next few weeks.

“Although I spend between N12, 000 and N13, 000 on fuelling the pumping machines that supply water to my farm monthly, I am happy with what I make at the end of the season.

“At the end of every season, I buy calves which I raise into bulls and cows and they multiple very well. That is how I multiply the profit I make from the rice farm. One bull can fetch good money for you,” he said.

Mallam Umar who said the Kebbi State government helped them with necessary farm inputs further appealed to the government to do more in the area of agro chemicals, especially fertiliser, as they were becoming more expensive.