By Our Reporter
Farmers in Nasarawa State have been urged to adopt the modern farming technology to help mitigate climate change challenges and boost food production in the state.
The Country Director of Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) in Nigeria, Dr Godwin Atser made the call during a Field Day in Yelwata- Wuji, Lafia Local Government Area ( LGA) of the State.
SAA had through the week hosted similar events in seven communities where the project is being implemented in the state.
Dr Aster, represented by the Consultant to SAA on Policy and Human Resources Development Grant (PHRDG-1) Project , Alhaji Idris Garko said the modern technology introduced to farmers was aimed at replenishing the soil’s lost fertility occasioned by climate change effects such as flooding, high temperature, indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers, pest and diseases among others.
According to him, the technologies which were introduced through Policy and Human Resources Development Grant (PHRDG-1) Project, are funded by the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Japanese Government and is aimed at training farmers to improve productivity and Decarbonize cropping systems especially rice and maize cultivation.
The Country Director also said that SAA in collaboration with Technology for African Agriculture Transformation (TAAT) and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture ( IITA) was implementing the PHRDG-1 Project in Nasarawa State.
” The essence is to demonstrate the technology that will replenish the soil and overcome the menace of climate change towards the adoption of the technology by farmers so that they can escape the drought and flooding being experienced due to climate change.
” We demonstrated some technologies and from what we have seen and discussed with farmers , there is hope of an increase in production from the demonstration plots.
” We expect that in the next dry season programme, more farmers will adopt this technologies along side our technical backups and spread to other farmers to increase productivity and improve lives and livelihoods within their communities,” he said.
He, therefore urged the farmers to make use of the new techniques of farming for the benefit of the state and country at large.
Also speaking, the Programme Officer, Regenerative Agriculture, SAA, Mr Aminu Mu’azu said the organisation had trained 200 farmer groups through the 20 established demonstration plots spread in 10 communities across the state.
He said the training was on the use of the modern technologies that includes the production and use of “Biochar”, “e-kakashi” and Urea deep placement to restore soil fertility and improve crops yield.
“The technology of producing Biochar which is made through indirect heating of the rice husk and e-kakashi is an AI tool introduced by our technical partner softbank that helps in measuring the level of carbon sequestration in the soil as a result of the technologies we are introducing to the farmers.
” We have also introduced the Urea deep placement where farmers were taught how to apply fertiliser by burying it in the soil instead of the traditional way of broadcasting it which contributes to global warming.”Mu’azu explained.
The Programme Officer also said that farmers were given improved seeds for planting, taught nursery establishment , transplanting, safe use of herbicides and pesticides as modern best farming practices.
Mu’azu, however, said since the technology was new, the organisation will retrain farmers on the use of these technologies for the benefit of the state.
One of the farmers, Abdullahi Ibrahim said SAA had trained them on modern farming techniques and they were applying them on their demonstration plots.
He said that the farmers have abandoned the traditional way of planting crops and applying fertiliser in their farms and have embraced the new technology for improved yields.
Ibrahim commended SAA and its sponsors for impacting positively on farmers in the community and appealed to them to do more .
SAA Nigeria Communications Officer, Mr Moses Nongoatse said the field day in Yelwata -Wuji community has brought to seven, the number of mega and brown field days conducted in the state in the last one week.