Improved seeds bring smiles to Benue soybean farmers

Apart from reaping high yields, the socio-economic fortunes of the farmers have received a boost with increased income generation that better their lot at the rural environ.One of the farmers, Joseph Chia, who lives in Ucha village, Makurdi, said he built a house last year from the proceeds from his one hectare farmland where he […]

Apart from reaping high yields, the socio-economic fortunes of the farmers have received a boost with increased income generation that better their lot at the rural environ.
One of the farmers, Joseph Chia, who lives in Ucha village, Makurdi, said he built a house last year from the proceeds from his one hectare farmland where he harvested 22 bags of soybeans.
This year, Chia said he has cultivated two hectares on an expanse of land and is hoping to harvest his crop in the next three weeks and generate more money. He expects to get a minimum of 40 bags to double his income of the last harvest season.
“I bought a motorcycle from the sales of my soybean. Before I was introduced to the improved seed, I used to harvest less than two bags of soybean from my farm but I got five bags in the last harvest,” he said.
Godwin, an agriculture extension agent in Mbakyor village, lamented that the state government didn’t  provide fertilizer for the community but that with improved seeds and sound agric practice support made available to them by the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, farming has become enjoyable rather than a burden.
“No state government input, no information from them on the federal government Growth Enhancement Scheme either,” Godwin lamented.
Corroborating Godwin, Molecular genetics plant breeder at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Dr. Lucky Omoigui said that one way to encourage farmers and the youth to go back to farming and make it a business is to provide improved high yielding seeds to interested youths and also train them on improved management practices.
“Many of the youth have taken up this challenge and are already deriving high returns from the sales of soybean and grains. For now, we are working in four local government areas of the state in collaboration with the Benue State Rural Development Programme (BARNDA).”
He opined that the cultivation of soybean in the state has increased and that is because it is a major food as well as a cash crop since it is widely used in the food and feed industry.
“A number of improved high-yielding and disease resistant soybean cultivars have been developed but they have not reached many farmers.
“In the light of this, the University of Agriculture, Makurdi is collaborating with the International Institute of Agriculture (IITA) on soybean seed systems and delivery funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,” Omoigui said.
He said the project is aimed at improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the drought-prone areas of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.