Kwara irrigation farmers begin land preparation

Investigations by our correspondent at the Osin community where dry season farming activities usually take place, however, indicated that government has yet to commence distribution of inputs and fertilisers to the farmers.Osin community is known in Kwara State as a home for dry season farming by peasant farmers who converge on the community from different […]

Investigations by our correspondent at the Osin community where dry season farming activities usually take place, however, indicated that government has yet to commence distribution of inputs and fertilisers to the farmers.
Osin community is known in Kwara State as a home for dry season farming by peasant farmers who converge on the community from different parts of the state.
Farmers in the community are mostly supported by the Lower Niger River Basin Authority (LNRBA) which used to provide them with dam and water sprinkling equipment.
Efforts to speak with the management of the authority proved abortive but sources in the organisation disclosed that the authority was presently in the stage of land preparation, saying the agency will soon intervene to the farmers.
However, farmers who spoke with our correspondent, last week, called on the federal and state governments, especially the LNRBA, to provide them with the requisite logistics to boost their productivity.
Apart from dams provided by the authority, farmers are also provided agricultural services, pipes, fertilisers at subsidised prices, chemicals and  land clearance only to pay for services rendered them after harvesting their produce.  
Mallam Nuhu Saidu, Secretary, Osin farming community, urged the government to provide more inputs to farmers under the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES).
He recalled that last year, many of the farmers who registered for the GES scheme could not get the inputs, adding: “Many of our farmers here cannot afford to buy more than two to three bags of fertiliser in a season.  Some buy and share amongst themselves.  During the last Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES), some of us registered but could not get the inputs due to some computer errors and illiteracy on the part of some of the farmers.  Those that were lucky got theirs late during the rainy season.”
Speaking on the activities at the community, he said: “The rain has stopped and this is the period we usually start nursery preparation before land preparation, especially for vegetables.
“They are usually prepared between two to three weeks before transplanting.  Other plantations you see here are tomato, pepper, onion, garden egg, watermelon, cucumber and so on.”
A dry season farmer, Jibola Johnson, said: “We would appreciate support in the area of tractor, inputs like fertiliser and chemicals.”