From Dan Maduagwu, Umuahia
Farmers in parts of Abia State have bemoaned the continued dry season being experienced in the State, which has disrupted their planting calculations.
A visit by News Echo to some of the farmers in the State showed that many of them are in a fix following the situation.
They complained that the last week of March and first week of April used to be the first period of rain fall in the past which enabled farmers to plant their preserved and purchased grains.
Unfortunately, there has been only three rain fall in Umuahia, five times in Ngwa, six in Ukwa, three in Ohafia, three in Ikwuano, three in Umunneochi this year, thereby throwing the farmers off balance in their farming projections for the year.
Speaking to News Echo on the issue, a major farmer in Onyinyangmyang, Bende LGA, mrs Ngozi Atuegwu lamented that she was deceived by the first and second rain falls in the third week of March, which according to her, made her to plant her crops, in belief that the rainy season was around the corner. But unfortunately, “the crops have all died after germinating. I planted maize, melon, cucumber, local beans (aziama), yam and I cast some cassava stems; this is not including the manual labourers I hired to do the works, now my efforts are gone just like that because heat of the soil has killed almost all of the crops.”
Also contributing, a rice farmer at Okwuta, Umuahia North, Mr. Michael Ogbonnaya, blamed the development on global warming, adding that the development could cause food scarcity in 2021 and even 2022.
Ogbonnaya specifically blamed unwholesome environmental activities of companies like oil firms, construction companies and other big companies in Nigeria for the change in weather conditions.
However, some vegetable farmers who spoke to News Echo at Ahia Umuosu, Isiala Ngwa North LGA of the State said they had resorted to local irrigation system to the survival of their crops like pumpkin, maize, water leaves among others.
One of the farmers, madam Ugonna Ekpe, however, complained that it was expensive and stressful to use the local irrigation system, adding that profits made from the crops usually get wiped out. She called on Abia State government to assist the farmers through grants, to enable them remain in agric business.
When News Echo correspondent visited the Abia State Ministry of Agriculture at Library Avenue, Umuahia, the Director of Agriculture services, Professor Alozie Anyim was said to have retired recently from civil service.
Also his successor in office, Mrs. Thelma Onyemaechi was not on seat to react to the farmers’ complaint but a staff who spoke under anonymity said the Ministry was aware of the challenges of the farmers this farming season, as regards rain.
