Plant early if you can, Emir of Muri tells farmers

The Emir of Muri in Taraba State, Alhaji Abbas Jidda Tafida, has told his subjects to take advantage of early arrival of rainfall to start planting crops in their farms.

The emir gave the advice while addressing thousands of his subjects who paid him Sallah homage at his palace in Jalingo, Friday.

He said people in his domain should take farming as a serious venture and pay more attention to the current food insecurity in the country and grow both cash and food crops.

The emir also advised farmers in the state to take advantage of new agricultural policies introduced by Governor Agbu Kefas to embark on massive food production during the wet season.

He said the present administration in the state has prioritized agriculture through provision of basic inputs such as tractors, improved seeds, among other inputs.

The monarch also commended Governor Kefas for the committee he set up to put in place the best method to improve agriculture in the state and for embarking on farmers registration.

He said farmers registration was aimed at identifying the population of farmers and farms, with a view to providing good incentive to them.

Similarly, the chief of Mutum Biyu, Alhaji Sani Suleiman, has also advised his subjects to start planting crops in their farms because of the early arrival of rainfall.

He gave the advice in his palace in Mutum Biyu, Gassol Local Government Area while addressing his subjects during the Sallah homage.

He said over 95 per cent of the population in his domain are farmers and therefore there was the need for them to take advantage of early arrival of rainfall to go back to the farm.

He said his subjects are making good fortunes from agriculture and therefore there is the need for them to take farming as serious venture.

The monarch further advised that farmers to concentrate more on production of food crops such as maize, rice, wheat, beans and millet.

He said it is only when each family has enough food to eat that the problem of food insecurity would be overcome.

Meanwhile, Daily Trust on Sunday’s findings has revealed that farmers in the state have started planting as more rainfalls are recorded.

Rainfall in recent weeks was recorded in 11 out of 16 local government areas of the state. Already, farmers have started planting melon, groundnut, maize and sesame.

The local government areas where heavy rainfall was recorded include Yorro, parts of Lau, Bali, Ardo-Kola, Wukari, Ibbi, Takum, Kurmi, Ussa, Gashaka and Sardauna.

Already, tractor services have been deployed to farms for land preparation ahead of proper farming activities in the coming weeks.

Farmers interviewed said they’ve started planting because of heavy rainfall being recorded, which signals the arrival of this year’s wet season.