Dry spell threatens sorghum farms in Jigawa …expert blames farmers for using traditional seeds
Sorghum farmers in Jigawa State may not experience bumper harvest as earlier envisaged following the early stoppage of rainfall with the drawn-out affecting most farms across the state.
In most of the farms, the crops were greatly shocked due to the dry spell which is suggesting that the crops may not produce well for harvest as the rains ceased at the time the crops were budding.
Rainfall ceased in most parts of the state in the last few weeks, raising fears that majority of the farmers that cultivated sorghum may not have a good harvest unless there are some weather changes within a short time.
Most of the farmers, who spoke to Daily Trust, expressed fear that quite a number of them would record zero harvest this year because their crops were about to start budding when the drawn-out sets in.
Some, however, are hopeful as their crops had gone far in the process of maturity before the stoppage of the rain.
Our reporter also reports that propensity of the dry spell threat varied from one part of the state to the other.
The reporter cited Gumel and its environs, which has sandy soil, as experiencing lesser threat compared to Birnin Kudu area which has an opposite soil texture.
Experts believe that this type of condition may help in keeping the crop growing because sandy soil is usually cool in the night, hence it provides a certain level of moisture to crops.
Also, the situation remains the same with those that cultivated the crop around rivers as moisture from the rivers radiating in the surrounding area will be enough to keep the crops to maturity.
One of the experts believes that farmers around Hadejia and Birnin Kudu are among those at risk of having poor harvest as their farms are on high ground where the soil does not store moisture.
Yusufa, who is a sorghum farmer from Hadejia, told Daily Trust that it was now over 10 days that the area has been without rainfall, adding that even the last rain that fell was as a result of special prayers organised for divine intervention.
He said at present, most of the crops were visibility weak, indicating that there was shortage of water, adding that even if it rained, some farms would not recover because of the already severe impact of the dry spell.
“Most sorghum farms have been written off because of the water shortage as a result of early stoppage of rains this year. You can see how the plants have wilted away. Look at the leaves; they are becoming very limp. But this is not even the problem; the trouble is the crops have not started budding, and in such situation, the crops can hardly survive the devastation,” he said.
Haladu Yusuf, who is an official of the All Farmers Association of Nigerian (AFAN) in Birnin Kudu Local Government Area, said the dry spell had dealt a blow to sorghum farms in the area, adding that the area was the part of the state where the crop was grown in large quantity.
“However, one cannot lose hope until the end of the season. Who knows, the tables could turn now; if it rains there is probability for some to survive the threat,” he said.
Another farmer in Maigatari area told this reporter that their sorghum farms were also under threat due to water shortage, but that they were a bit optimistic of having a reasonable harvest even if it did not rain.
He said this is because their soil, which by nature became cool at night, was enough to keep the crops alive.
He pointed out that majority of the farmers around Maigatari/Gumel largely produced sorghum and that in situations like this, they hardly panicked considering the nature of their soil, adding that the sandy soil assisted by releasing moisture to the crops at night and in the morning.
Usman Adamu Izge, a professor of agriculture with specialty in Genetic and Crop Breeding at Federal University Dutse (FUD), blamed the farmers for using traditional seeds that lasted for about five months to mature instead of the improved varieties, adding that with an improved variety that only last 120 days, a farmer had mitigated the threat for early rain stoppage.
He explained that most farmers hardly accepted innovations, hence many of them used seeds inherited from their forefathers, which did not only give low yield, but also took time to grow, and that if a situation like that occurred, it would be a serious threat.
“My own sorghum farm is not under threat whatsoever because I used an improved variety that does not exceed 120 days to mature.
“We will continue to enlighten them by cultivating small farms beside theirs and allow them to compare them in terms of yield and period of maturity,” he assured.