Pests, lack of inputs forcing farmers off farms in Abuja

Farmers in Kabusa community, an Abuja suburb, have expressed worry over pest attacks and absence of farm inputs like fertiliser and other agro-chemicals. The situation, they say, is forcing many of them to abandon their farms. The farmers said the pests and absence of agro-chemicals to remedy the situation have made them to abandon their […]

Farmers in Kabusa community, an Abuja suburb, have expressed worry over pest attacks and absence of farm inputs like fertiliser and other agro-chemicals. The situation, they say, is forcing many of them to abandon their farms.
The farmers said the pests and absence of agro-chemicals to remedy the situation have made them to abandon their farms as they expect little or nothing from the fields.
Our reporter, who visited some of the abandoned farms, reports that in addition to these problems, the issue of produce theft is also cause for worry among the lucky farmers whose farms were not attacked by the destructive insects.
Mr. Bryam Jodah, popularly known as ‘Baban Dangote,’ who hails from Gombe State, has lived in Kabusa for the past 17 years.
He said the high cost of fertiliser and locust infestation destroyed his farm this year, adding that he had to abandon his maize farm.
“We really have problem. Locusts have terribly depleted our yield. This is the fourth time I planted beans and it has failed again because I don’t have money to buy the appropriate chemical,” he lamented.
Jodah also said he was looking for someone to take over his rice field because he did not have money to buy agro-chemicals.
Another farmer, John Irimiya, said he could only afford to apply Urea fertiliser once. “I normally get 80-100 bags of maize but due to non-availability and high cost of fertiliser, I am expecting only about 40 bags.
“The general problem is fertiliser. We do not have the money to buy fertiliser and despite the good rainfall, we do not expect bumper harvest,” he lamented.
John also said that thieves cut pepper on their farms even before the produce had ripened.
“It started like two years ago here and I think it is because of the economic hardship bedeviling everyone,” he added.  He said the police and district head were all aware of the situation.
Another farmer, Haron Ali, said his maize farm was infested with a worm and on advice from another farmer, he bought an insecticide powder.
 “In the end, I was able to get only one bag from the affected farm,” he said.
Ali, however, expressed optimism about getting good yield from his pepper farm but said he was concerned about produce thieves that were disturbing farmers in the area.
He said they couldn’t report to the authorities because they needed to provide the police with detailed information about the suspects but unfortunately they don’t know the thieves.
According to Bulus Faransa, another farmer, “We have abundant rainfall but do not have enough money to buy fertiliser for a bumper harvest. My rice field currently requires me to apply agro chemical but I do not have the means. I have no other option than to abandon the field because my primary concern is to even get what to feed my family with,” he said.
Meanwhile, Joseph Yimas, who planted beans, said although he could only afford two litres of weed herbicide at N1,400, he was still optimistic of a good harvest season.
Another farmer, Joshua Sardauna, urged the government to rescue the farmers through the provision of farm inputs, saying their situation was very critical.