In Kaduna, rains dampen spirit of irrigation farmers

As the rains commence in earnest, farmers along the banks of River Kaduna have begun to express fear over flooding and its effect on their crops. The first major flood in Kaduna a few years back had caused rivers to overflow and wash away farmlands. This was as a result of heavy rains and the […]

As the rains commence in earnest, farmers along the banks of River Kaduna have begun to express fear over flooding and its effect on their crops. The first major flood in Kaduna a few years back had caused rivers to overflow and wash away farmlands. This was as a result of heavy rains and the release of water from dams in Nigeria’s eastern neighbour Cameroon. Since then, there have been other floods with the farmers bearing the full brunt. This is why many of them are more at ease during the dry season when they apply irrigation techniques without bothering about torrential rainfall and subsequent floods.
Investigations revealed that in spite of poor mechanization, irrigation farming is often practised by the farmers along river Kaduna and this has made it possible for many crops to be in circulation the year round. Also, many irrigation farmers from time immemorial have continued to breed newcomers in farming of crops such as maize, rice, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, vegetables, sugarcane, tomatoes, and so on.
A farmer, Dattijo Sarki, told Weekly Trust that whenever rainy season sets in, it affects their farms along the river banks, making them relocate to places farther away.
“The rain usually helps us, but if it is too much, it kills our crops. The only advantage of rainy season is that we don’t have to bother ourselves with the stress of getting fuel to power our generators which usually pump in water from the river, but the damage is often great as it usually spoils our crops every year. Sometimes we are lucky to harvest some of our crops before the rains destroy them. But at other times, it destroys everything and we are left with nothing. However, that has never discouraged us from farming throughout the rainy season,” Sarki said.
“During the dry season when we use the irrigation technique, we only apply fertilizer to crops twice before we harvest. But during the rainy season we have to apply fertilizer up to four or five times because the rain often washes it away. It bothers us so much since we put in our money and effort. I have been farming along this river bank for about 15 years now and we never give up or get discouraged. Last year, the rains destroyed all our crops. But this year we are hoping that things will be better and we shall harvest in full,” the farmer added.
Another farmer, Na Ali, aged 80, who has been farming by the river bank for about 60 years, said another problem is the lack of fertilizer: “Recently, they wrote our names among those to be given fertilizer. But on reaching there we were told that our names were missing. The most annoying part is that it’s not as if we are being given the fertilizer for free because we still pay for it. That is why I like irrigation farming where we don’t require much fertilizer to grow our crops.”
The veteran farmer added that: “Also, whenever we plant maize, the rains and overflow from the river covers everywhere and destroys the maize before we harvest. Even the trees in this farm and the nearby houses are often flooded when the rain is at its peak.”
Na Ali also made this revelation: “Most of the land here, including that occupied by the Ahmadu Bello Stadium and Kigo area, were farmlands owned by my father before the government bought it from him to build the stadium. I was already following my father to the farm then and it was in my presence that the payment was made and they began building the stadium. I inherited the remaining farmland from my father and for the past 60 years now, I have been farming here. Through this farm I have built houses and catered for my family.”
Na Ali’s son, Babawo, said he has decided to compliment his farming with fishing because of the challenges they face in farming during the rainy season: “Whenever the rain is much, I prefer to fish than farm. Farming is easier during the rainy season in dry areas far from river banks. But during dry season, farming is better along the river bank. We don’t benefit much from farming during the rainy season because of the destruction to our crops. That is why I prefer fishing at such times.” Babawo adds that: “It is sometimes frustrating to watch helplessly as water covers our farm. We always try to go to higher ground and farm, but the water often gets there too. We can’t control what happens to our crops at the river banks during rainy season but leave things in God’s hands.”
On whether he will help his father on the farm, Babawo reiterated that he would rather concentrate on his fishing until the rainy season is over.
Another young farmer, Tasiu Mallam, said if not for the river’s tendency to overflow he would have preferred the rainy season because then the stress of carrying the pumping machine and struggling to always fuel it during irrigation farming would not be there. “My farm is not flooded yet because the rain is still falling lightly. However, it has already washed away my hard-gotten fertilizer which I have already applied,” he said.
Agriculture still remains the major occupation of Nigerians in rural areas and also a potent force in the nation’s economic transformation. However, the sector still begs for government attention as farmers struggle to acquire modern farming implements and sufficient fertilizer to nurture their crops.