NAN-AE-12
Pest
By Chukwuemeka Opara
Ikwo (Ebonyi) Nov. 3, 2016 (NAN) The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has advised rice farmers to plant early in order to prevent “rice gall midge pests attack’’ on their farms.
Mr Ben Odoemena, IFAD Country Programme Officer in Ebonyi, gave the advice on Thursday when he was inspecting some rice farms owned by the programme’s beneficiaries at Ikwo and Izzi council areas of Ebonyi.
He said that the solution to check the pests attack was for farmers to plant early, as those who did so were often not affected by the attack.
“The rice farms planted early were not affected by the gall midge attack but those farmers who did not plant early were affected.
“We are presently consulting with experts on pest control to discover ways of breaking new grounds on the use of chemicals.
“We hope to attain the best chemical-usage approach in controlling pest attacks, to give rice production a more disciplinary approach,” he said.
Odoemena commended the farmers for effectively adopting IFAD improved varieties and practices which had contributed to yield of rice per hectare in 2016.
“They have also effectively applied fertilisers and chemicals in the best form, which implies that our intervention has yielded fruits on their ventures.
“Their crops yield has improved with accompanying increase in cultivated farmlands and income after sales of their produce.
“Most of them cultivated five hectares from the minimum cultivation requirement of one hectare, while they recorded five tonnes per hectares yield from previous low figures.”
The IFAD official also said that IFAD was assisting the farmers in implementing dry season farming, to meet all- year- cultivation requirements.
Mr Sunday Ituma, IFAD Project Coordinator in Ebonyi, said that the agency had implemented stipulated programmes which greatly benefited farmers.
“We have trained extension agents and liaison officers to effectively demonstrate our technological modalities to farmers in their various farms.
“We also adequately monitor the extension agents and liaison officers’ activities to ensure effective compliance while receiving feedback from the farmers on the tutelage given to them,” he said.
Mrs Jane Ogodo, A rice farmer in Ndierukwu Community of Izzi urged IFAD to assist farmers in checking pest attacks and to get irrigational facilities for dry season farming.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Odoemena led team inspected rice farms and clusters at Ekpomaka in Ikwo and Ndierukwu in Izzi council areas respectively.
The team also had interactive sessions with the farmers. (NAN)
RCO/AOS/MO
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Edited by Bayo Sekoni/Morayo Omolade