Rice farmers advised to adopt best agric tech for higher yields in Niger
By : Priscilla Dennis, Minna.
Rice Farmers in Niger state under the Federal Government IFAD VCDP Additional Financing have been advised to adopt best agricultural technologies in farming to enhance their yields during the dry season farming in the state.
The advise was given by facilitators during the Good Agronomic Practices Capacity Building held in Guzan village of Edati local government area.
The training which was organized by the Federal Government IFAD VCDP Additional financing in the state in Bids, Katcha Edati, and Mokwa local government areas of the state.
The team leader of the Facilitators, Prof Abigail Jirgi in her address told the farmers to leverage on the new methods introduced to them especially in making nursery beds and transplanting to improve their farming.
Prof Jirgi who is from the department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management of the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, added that the farmers in Niger state have the capacity to feed the nation.
Prof Jacob Haruna Tsado also from FUT Minna, urged them to ensure they get good seedlings, stable water source and spacing among others.
He assured, ” I belief, through this capacity building programme, all the participating farmers stand to gain a lot if the knowledge acquired is properly utilized”.
Also, the acting state Programme Coordinator of the IFAD VCDP Additional financing in the state, Hajiya Hadizat Isah disclosed that so far over 800 farmers across the four Local government areas have been trained for dry season rice farming.
” I have hope that the training would help Niger state in boosting food security not only for the state, but the Nation at large” She noted.
Furthermore, the village head of Guzan Mallam Muhammadu Munko described the training as very apt as the ideas received would be adequately put to use to help improve the output of the farmers this year.
Expressing their joy over the knowledge garnered at the one day training, some of the participants told DAILY POST in an interview, ” We are very happy with the training because some of the ideas given to us, if properly utilized we are sure of higher harvest in this 2024 dry season rice farming in Niger state”.
