Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity Holds Agric Input Fair in Gombe
Feed the future Nigeria rural resilience activity, implemented by mercy corps with support from the International Fertilizer Development and Save the Children is improving agricultural productivity by connecting small farmers to resources in the north east Nigeria
The activity funded by USAID also seeks to facilitate economic recovery and growth in vulnerable conflict affected areas by promoting systemic change in market systems.
To improve faming activities and combat food insecurity, the activity held an agro input fair in Gombe where product sellers met farmers to access products and services with ease.
The fair held at the premises of the emir palace Gombe, had in attendance farmers:women,men and youths, internally displaced persons , officials from the agricultural development program, traditional rulers as well as agro based companies.
Labara Mohamed Ibrahim a woman farmer from Dadin Kowa in Yamaltu Deba local Government described the program as very important in boosting agriculture. “In fact if you are not in this program you have missed a lot because we met with experts in farming who enlightened us on the right seeds to use for bumper harvest. In the past we used what they called grains as seeds to plant in our farmers but today we were told that such practice does not yield good results. For me, this awareness is a great achievement,”Laraba said.
Laraba added that she was also attracted by organic fertilizer, a company displayed at the fair which is cheaper and effective compared to the chemical fertilizer.
The woman farmer shared some of the challenges women face on the farm. ” we have a lot of challenges, some husbands do not allow their wives to farms and capital is our major challenge.”
Esther Adamu who showcased her products to include rice,groundnut, millet guinea corn, corn bed sheets, throw pillows, foot mats and bags made from reusable polythene bags said she had made some sales of seedling but that she is more into empowering women to be self reliant.”I am after teaching women know how to catch fish than giving them the fish.
Many have come to my podium and collected my contacts for more engagements after the fair.
The Project Executive Albit and Agro consult Limited Baidu Joseph said fair is beneficial to both the company and the famers.”the benefiting is both ways our company and the farmers. The famers introduced to the latest technology of faming that is using organic fertilizer which so many farmers have limited knowledge on it, they are also shown the simple mechanize tools for farming. We the company on the hand are showcasing our products for the farmers to patronage.
He said the patronage of famers to their company product standard is encouraging.
The director of Technical service of Gombe State Agricultural Development Program who represented the Program Manager at the event Dr Joseph Kaltungo spoke on the importance of having a viable seeds for planting.
“Most people plant grains not seeds and that is why they do not have bumper harvest. A grain is a certified seed that has been planted for more than five years; yield potential is decreasing. Farmers should stop fetching from the bag that the grains are more than three years.”
He added that farmers should also be aware that there are variety of seeds that have maturation period of seventy days, ninety days and hundred and twenty days and should be planted according to the availability of rainfall.
The Agric expert advised farmers to start planting when rains are established that is when the rains fall three to four times a week.
He said the Agro input fair provided opportunity to showcase availability of variety seeds,and other farm inputs in Gombe that could be accessed for utilization by farmers without having to travel out of the state to get them.
The Agro input Fair created access to agricultural inputs to farmers by bringing different companies and service providers. It updated farmers on latest good agronomy practices
The Agric input fair will also hold in Billiri and Funakaye Local Government Areas of Gombe State.
