The Kogi state government and the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, asked citizens on Sunday to pray for divine intervention in the form of rainfall, citing the catastrophic effects of drought on farm harvests and food security in the state.
Mr Timothy Ojomah, Commissioner for Agriculture, and Alhaji Salihu Adobayi, Chairman of AFAN, made the appeal during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.
“We must pray to God to send rain to Kogi because we may not achieve the desired level of food production and security.”
“For more than a month, there has been no rain, and the severe impacts of drought in the state may jeopardize what the state government has done for farmers this year in terms of assistance.
“In fact, if all goes well, we are expecting bumper harvests.
“Unfortunately, we are experiencing drought throughout the state right now. It has affected the majority of our crops.
“Most affected are rice and maize farms, particularly those that are nearing maturity. I was on my maize farm yesterday, and the condition was horrible.
“Prior to the drought, what we saw on most farms across the state was quite positive.
“This is because the government allocated more than 8,000 hectares of land to various farmers for the cultivation of rice, maize, and cassava, all of which were farmed and seemed quite promising until the drought struck in.
“Our hope lies in God and NiMET’s prognosis that there would be a serious downpour beginning August 18.
“If it rains, some crops may be preserved. But if it continues, it will not bode well for us because crops rely on water to survive,” he warned.
Ojomah said that the state administration was exploring ways to transition to fully mechanized farming by providing irrigation infrastructure, particularly solar-powered water pumps, to farmers.
“We believe that is the best option because fossil fuel is expensive to purchase and is increasing in price by the day.
“So we are considering investing in the development of solar water pumping pumps for our farmers in the state. In this way, cultivation will not be limited to the rainy season, but to all seasons.
“In that case, you’ll notice that there is food for our thronging multitudes. This is because one can cultivate, grow, and harvest during the next three months.
“It won’t be one seasonal thing again that you have to wait for longer time before going back to farm.”
Similarly, Adobayi stated that the state government’s preparations for farmers in the state have been hampered by the lack of rain over the past month.
The AFAN chairman stated that the majority of the fields were nearly dry, and that “we have resorted to serious prayers in groups, begging God to rain on our crops and save the situation.”
“The last rain we had was on July 11th. Since then, we’ve been praying to God for rain.
“However, not all hope is gone. We believe God can still help us have a good harvest this year.
“If the government implements solar water pumps for farmers in the state, Kogi will rise to the top of the country’s food production and security rankings.
“This is because it will help us overcome this drought that we are experiencing now and any that may surface in future.”
