KSADP, Sasakawa Train Kano Farmers On Proper Agrohemicals’ Use
By Abdullahi Yusuf
Some agriculture experts under the Kano State Agricultural Development Project(KSADP) and Sasakawa Africa Project, have commenced training of farmers in the Kura Local Government Area on the proper application of chemicals on their vegetables.
The programme is also aimed at educating the farmers on the dangers of irregular use of chemicals on their crops.
One of the experts, Malam Danasabe Dangambo Karfi, the Community Based Facilitator(CBF), Karfi Cluster, disclosed this to newsmen at Imawa town on Tuesday.
Karfi said the exercise was prompted by the outbreak of some diseases such as cancer, liver disease and kidney diseases caused by improper application of chemicals on crops by farmers.
He said the diseases were noticed in Kura, Garin Malam and Bunkure areas where irrigation farming is taking place.
“We noticed that the farmers were applying chemicals on their crops, especially vegetables irregularly, and taking them to the market like that. This practice is very hazardous to the health of the consumers.
“Before our intervention, the farmers didn’t know how to spray; they didn’t know the rate of calibration per hectare; they didn’t know the rate of chemicals to buy per hectare, and they didn’t have the system of knowing the proper amount they would spend per hectare, which is very important,” he said.
This, the expert said, prompted them to gather the farmers under a programme called Training of the Trainer(TOT) to teach them the proper use of agrochemicals.
He said they replicated the exercise at such social functions as weddings and naming ceremonies, adding that positive results are being recorded.
“Thank God, the initiative is yielding positive results as the farmers are now aware of the dangers of irregular use of chemicals on their vegetables, and the prevalence of the diseases the practice had caused, has now reduced drastically,” he said.
Some of the farmers, Alhaji Amadu Ibrahim Imawa and Abba Sani Imawa commended KSADP and Sasakawa Project for imparting them with the new agricultural techniques, including proper use of chemicals.
They confirmed that the new methods had increased their yields and made the vegetables safe for consumption as a result of the proper application of chemicals.
