Farmers Voice NG trains Kano farmers on Drip Irrigation, Green-house Crop Production, others
FARMERS VOICE NG, a prominent online newspaper in Kano state focusing on agriculture-based stories, successfully organized a 1-Day sensitization lecture for farmers in Kano state
The event titled “Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation, Greenhouse Crop Production, Pest and Disease Management of Tomatoes” was held in Bunkure LGA, Kano, in partnership with the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Fombina Farms, and Fombina Imprints.
The Chairman of the occasion, Engr. Yunusa Zakari Ya’u, who doubles as the Executive Director of CITAD, and was represented at the event, expressed excitement and emphasized the importance of equipping farmers with the necessary tools for success in modern agriculture.
Mr. Buhari Abba Rano, the online editor of Farmers Voice NG, stated that the training aimed to provide farmers with essential knowledge and insights to enhance their farming practices and overall productivity. He highlighted the event as an opportunity for networking, encouraging the exchange of ideas and experiences among fellow farmers.
Amina Ado Yahaya, a Technical Field Officer from the East-West Knowledge Transfer Foundation, focused her presentation on “Pest and Disease Management,” discussing both abiotic and biotic factors.
Abiotic factors according to her, included temperature, sunlight, soil moisture, while biotic factors encompassed bacteria, fungi, viruses, nematodes, insects, pests, and their causative agents.
She advised farmers to adopt modern agronomy practices such as seedling production, transplanting, spacing, and bed preparation to mitigate the impact of pests like tuta absoluta.
Yahaya also recommended raising bed height during different seasons and planting Russell crops as border crops to divert insects’ attention from the main crop.
Abdullahi Muhammad Babayaro, another facilitator from the East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation Nigeria, educated farmers on the process of chemical application, crop level, and preventive measures for pest management.
He stressed the importance of combining cultural and biological practices, including crop rotation, cover cropping, moul chain, bio-pesticide application, and the use of blue and yellow sticky traps.
Babayaro also shared tips on constructing a local greenhouse using readily available materials to protect crops from pests, rodents, and predators.
Ibrahim Abubakar, an irrigation engineer from the CDA Training and Research Farm at Bayero University, Kano, was among the notable speakers at the event.
Sabiu Muhammad Ismail, a farmer who attended the sensitization lecture, expressed gratitude on behalf of other farmers for the knowledge gained. He pledged to implement the knowledge acquired and share it with other farmers who were unable to attend the event.
Credit: Farmers Voice NG
