What it takes to be great in farming by expert

Dr Paul  Ilona, Country Manager, Harvestplus ( an international agricultural organisation), has called  on farmers to ensure planting  of quality cassava, maize and other seeds to obtain maximum yield. Ilona made the call on Monday at the 2019 Oyo State Seed Fair, organised by Harvestplus and the Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme (OYSADEP), in Ibadan. […]

Dr Paul  Ilona, Country Manager, Harvestplus ( an international agricultural organisation), has called  on farmers to ensure planting  of quality cassava, maize and other seeds to obtain maximum yield.

Ilona made the call on Monday at the 2019 Oyo State Seed Fair, organised by Harvestplus and the Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme (OYSADEP), in Ibadan. He said so long as farmers planted poor quality seeds, the country would not achieve effective diversification of the economy through agriculture.

He noted that diversification of the economy was necessary for growth.

“To be great in farming, there are basic things farmers must do; the issue of planting improved seeds is so important because it will improve the country’s agricultural sector and project Nigeria as a great nation. Harvestplus partners have over 3,000 varieties of cassava, thousands of maize seeds; farmers are free to visit us, as they will surely have access to quality seeds to plant. Our cassava varieties can get you three tonnes to 70 tons for harvesting; before you apply fertiliser, pesticides, endeavor to plant quality seeds; if your seeds are not quality ones, efforts to control weeds may be in vain,” he said.

He said the seed fair was to serve as a platform to bridge gaps in seed demand and supply gaps by ensuring that farmers would have access to quality seeds at affordable prices at the onset of planting season, as well as ensure that seed producers would have access to markets.

The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said at the event that the Federal Government was committed to tackling food insecurity through agricultural development programmes.

Ogbeh, represented by the South-West Regional Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Ogunwale Adeleye, noted that quality seeds had positive impacts in agricultural production. (NAN)