NiMet alert: Experts urges farmers to adopt irrigated farming

By Isa Isawade

To strategise against imminent inconsistency in rainfall as predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency’s (NiMet), two agriculture experts have urged local farmers to adopt irrigated farming.

The experts made the recommendation in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

NiMet had warned that some states of the federation should expect inconsistent rains and therefore should delay planting.

The Chairperson, Nigerian Women in Agriculture, Mrs Chahul Ngizan, noted that the infrequent rains and changing weather patterns have made local farmers wary.

“We really do not know what to expect with the changing weather patterns. As we all observed, there was no harmattan from last year till January this year.

“And when there is no harmattan, it is difficult for farmers to have a good harvest. We don’t know if we will have enough rainfall this year.

“I would advise all farmers to adhere to the instructions of NiMet or get irrigation systems. It is just that some areas up north rarely have water.

“We just hope to have a great planting season and a good harvest because of the inconsistent weather patterns,” Ngizan said.

On his part, an agriculture analyst and co-founder Corporate Farmers, Mr Akin Alabi, urged the farmers to invest in irrigation on their farms despite the costs.

“It is hard for us to determine climate condition these days, climate factor and climate change, so we have to play it in a well-balanced format.

“So, we urge farmers to have an irrigation in their farms. It might be expensive but it’s worth it. You can’t predict the weather; that’s the honest truth.

“NiMet will try to give you a forecast, but sometimes that forecast may change because regardless rainfall or not, it is still dependent on the mother nature.

“But as humans we have to just be prepared for whatever weather pattern we see.

“It’s advisable to have some form of irrigation on your farm, it doesn’t have to be expensive. There are other irrigation systems now that make use of solar energy,” Alabi said.

He noted that there are solar energy irrigation systems that use sun to ensure adequate water on the farm.

“Or the farmer can just have a well, just dig a well where you can actually get water. But it’s very important at this time and age that farmers have a standby irrigation system, whether rain comes or not,” he said.