‘I’m expecting 700 bags of onion from my farm’

What led you into onion, mango and orange farming? I picked interest in farming since I was very young and this accounted for why I am used to planting various crops and fruits that you see in my farms. I purposely planted onion to introduce it to farmers here at Bagudo community. We are not […]

What led you into onion, mango and orange farming?

I picked interest in farming since I was very young and this accounted for why I am used to planting various crops and fruits that you see in my farms. I purposely planted onion to introduce it to farmers here at Bagudo community. We are not familiar with the planting of onion here like it is in Aliero area but considering its economic value I decided to go into it. I know with time many of the farmers here will also start planting it. My reason is to support the Federal Government’s initiative on diversification and food sufficiency in the country. I feel it is time to start showing our people how to engage in crops with commercial value to help them improve their economic conditions.

My people are known for rice, maize, guinea corn and millet farming but as part of my contribution to the initiative of the Federal Government I decided to go into commercial production of onion which is not common in my part of Kebbi community. In the next one month my onions will be ready for harvest. I am looking forward to about 700 bags of onions after harvest. Some farmers have also started planting onion and pepper in my community, with time many of them will get used to it and this will translate into economic breakthrough for them. 

I believe with time government will come in to assist them with the seeds and other inputs so that they can do it in large, commercial quantity like what obtains now in Aliero area of the state.

How many mango and orange trees do you have in your farm?

I started planting mango and orange trees over five years ago. At present I have over 3,000 mango and orange trees in my farm. I started gradually but I can tell you now that the size of the farm is over six hectares and the fruits are doing wonderfully well.  Aside this, I also engage in pepper and rice farming which we are known for in this area. 

How do you plan to make your community contribute to the food sufficiency policy of the Federal Government?

We are already creating the awareness among the farmers to make sure that they plant the right crops that will improve their economic well-being and by extension contribute their quota to the food need of the Nigerian society. We have land in Kebbi State and God has so blessed us that we can cultivate any type of crop here. 

In rice farming, Bagudo being the largest local government area in the country is the largest producer of rice in Kebbi State. If we cannot produce the total requirement of the food that is required in the country I believe we can produce more than a quarter of it in Kebbi State alone. My appeal is for government to assist our farmers to plant the right crops and stop their dependency on government.