Insight into agriculture in the northern part of nigeria
In a bid to investigate and better understand the ways of local agriculture in Northern Nigeria, Agroye took to the farms of Wamakko in Sokoto to speak to Gani Muhammad, a farmer in this arable land, to learn more about the processes and technicalities involved in farming.
Gani Muhammad is a longtime farmer who has been in agriculture for 16 years. The farmer owns between 2 and 5 hectares of land, passed down to him through family inheritance. These lands are mainly located in floodplains, popularly called “fadama,” and are primarily tilled by 60% hired help and 40% family.
While speaking with Mohammed, he disclosed that the farmers plant many crops, including rice, corn, cassava, onions, pepper,gero,dawa, tomatoes, etc, but we decided to place the primary focus on one crop, rice. The farmers sow their crops both in the dry and rainy seasons, which can have a negative impact on the soil, but they do it anyway. After harvesting their crops, the farmers reserve seedlings for the next planting cycle. Although they have tried to branch out and purchase other seedlings, the seeds end up not growing well due to the farmer's unfamiliarity with the species.
When asked about the process involved in sowing these crops, Mohammed opened up about his rice planting method, which involved watering the ground with water drawn from the wells on his farm before planting rice and wetting it again two days later. He explained that this process is due to the pumping machine's high fuel cost. He revealed that some farmers even delay 10 days after planting to water the field. Mohammed also stated that the strong winds can turn the rise black and inadvertently ruin the field. Farmers often face issues like inconsistent rainfall and irregular rain patterns, leading farmers like Muhammad to become innovative in their farming. The farmers have constructed wells and boreholes on their farms from where they pump water using hired electric pumps for irrigation farming.
Aside from water, the farmers also suffer pest attacks from birds, worms “tsusa”, and insects “buzuzu” (weevils & beetles). The farmers use knapsack dryers to spray insecticides like sharpshooters, gammalin, and “otapiapia” and nets to cover the rice when it grows to keep birds away and protect their crops. Try as they might, not all the pests attacking the farm produce can be identified by their proper names due to the farmer's lack of formal education. They often rely on sellers of these pesticides and private organizations like AFEX to tell them what to do.
Although these farmers are responsible for 80% of farm produce in Sokoto, they have not benefited from any government intervention. Still, private organizations like AFEX, WACOT, RIFAN, etc, offer them farm inputs and give them their farm produce in return after harvest. They also buy crops from produce farmers who cannot find buyers. The farmers are also
members of the cooperative “Kuniyar” who give cash capital, seedlings, or fertilizers depending on their request, and they repay these loans with farm produce of equal price after harvest. They also assist farmers in setting market prices and selling farm produce.
Despite issues like hailstorms, high fertilizer costs, flooding, etc., Insecurity seems to pose zero challenge for farmland, but their homes, on the other hand, tell a different tale. The farmers regularly trade at Ramin kura and Kasun daji, popular farmer markets where farm produce is loaded in trucks to be transported to other parts of the country.
Although farming in these lands may have varying challenges, these farmers find it profitable and rewarding and wouldn't trade it for a corporate job. They advise citizens living in the city to return to farm work and improve food security.
