Farmers across Ogun, Oyo and Kwara have reacted differently to the prediction of early rainfall in 2023 by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET).

The farmers, through their associations, expressed their views in separate interviews on Sunday. While some were optimistic about the prediction, others took it with a pinch of salt.

For instance, Monsuru Adebayo, the chairman, Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Ogun, said various training and seminars had been organised for members since NiMET’s recent forecast.

Mr Adebayo recalled that many rice farmers in Ogun experienced poor yields in 2022 due to climate change and a nonchalant attitude to the predictions and advice from the agency.

“So, this year, every one of us is prepared, and we have educated local farmers to get set against early March, according to the prediction.

“By next month, most farmers will start land preparations, and the tractors with other equipment, which are now being put in good condition, will be taken to the farms for land preparations,” he said.

Femi Balogun, the chairman, Ogun chapter of the Cassava Growers Associations of Nigeria (CGAN), said early rain in March would favour his members.

“When it happens, it will favour us because cassava farmers normally plant around that period. So, the situation will have a positive impact on our yields,” Mr Balogun said.

Also, Johnson Ajibola, the chairman, Youths Farmers’ Association, Ogun chapter, described the early rain forecast as a positive development.

According to Mr Ajibola, the situation will favour those who have planted before now because when the rain falls early, it will result in improved yield and cause the harvest to be easy.

Commenting, Olusesan Sowunmi, Ogun chairman of the Cocoa Farmers’ Association of Nigeria, confirmed that his members had received the prediction with joy and had begun preparations for the planting season.

Meanwhile, the chairman of RIFAN in Oyo State, Samuel Akinade, said his association was going to approach the prediction with caution.

According to Mr Akinade, farmers cannot be sure until it happens, as the early rain prediction may either be or not.

“Farmers will prepare to plant earlier in case the rain comes as predicted.

“Even at that, farmers will still wait to see that the rain is stabilised before they plant; so with that, we won’t waste our materials.

“And, where it is predicted that there would be a stoppage of rainfall, farmers will be fully prepared to deploy irrigation to follow it up and ensure that it doesn’t affect cultivation,” Mr Akinade said.

His counterpart, John Olateru, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Oyo State chapter, also affirmed that farmers would tread gently on the prediction.

“But, if it is positive, then, we are looking forward to early March and we are getting ready.

“It doesn’t, however, look like the government is ready because whatever subsidy the government has for farmers, which will translate into a reduction of cost of farm produce, is supposed to be put in place now. But there is nothing like that on the horizon,” he said.

Similarly, in Kwara, the national vice president of AFAN, Ajibola Tajudeen, cautioned farmers across Nigeria against early cultivation.

Mr Tajudeen explained that despite NiMET’s predictions, farmers should exercise patience.

“We appeal to our farmers to wait for three to four consecutive rainfalls before commencing the 2023 farming activities.

“We cannot rush to farms because of NiMET’s predictions. We should wait for the acts of God first and monitor the rate of rainfall,” he advised.

Mr Tajudeen observed that a single rainfall could not take care of what the farmer would require for the planting and cultivation of his farm.

“We are not going to rush to our farms based on NiMET’s predictions, but by the pattern of rainfall we observe,” he said.

However, the AFAN vice president said those in the animal husbandry don’t require any pattern in rainfall to continue their work.

“For example, those in fish farming can continue with their farming aany timeof the year,” he said. 

(NAN)