2nd May, 2019
Mr Godshield Kanjal, the Chief Executive Officer, Kalz Farms in Ogoja, Cross River says the current climate change in the country is drastically affecting farming in the state.
Kanjal told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar that most crops planted by farmers were drying up due to lack of rainfall.
“When we had little rainfall in March this year, we thought there is going to be regular rainfall and we started planting, but since then everywhere has dried up and all the crops we planted then, some of which germinated have died.
“It is a big loss to some of us, especially the small holder farmers. Right now, we can only plant rice and cassava or possibly yam but nothing more, ‘’ he said.
Kanjal, a journalist turned farmer, said that the situation might lead to scarcity of food this year.
“I am afraid this may affect food supply this year because we are already in May and we are yet to start planting, especially farmers that depend solely on natural rainfall.
“In time past in the month of May, crops such as groundnuts, okro and corn ought to be in market but due to lack of rainfall we are not having them.
“Incidentally, we do not practice irrigation farming in this part of the country, so; it is a big problem, ‘’ Kanjal said.
Kanjal stressed the need for training and retraining of farmers in Cross River, particularly on irrigation farming, saying that as a riverine state, it could help most farmers to engage in all seasons farming.
“All over Cross River, from Bakassi in the South down to Obudu Mountain Hills, there are rivers but we are not taking advantage of this natural environment to grow crops all seasons due to lack of knowledge in this regard.
“So, there is the need for government to train our farmers on irrigation and equip them so that farming can take a new level in Cross River, ‘’ he said.