Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration in Ekiti State has issued an advisory to farmers in the State in view of the prevailing dry spell being experienced in the State.
A statement from the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti urged farmers not to be disturbed by the long dry spell currently being experienced as the present weather is not totally unexpected following an advisory by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security at the beginning of the year .
He recalled that the issue of the weather was also discussed at a stakeholders engagement convened on the step down workshop of 2024 of seasonal climate prediction and Crop Calendar for 2024 where the need for farmers to embrace climate smart agricultural practices and align their production with the farming calendar were emphasized.
Boluwade said in line with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet)’s Seasonal Climate Prediction for 2024, Ekiti State and other states within the forecast region are expected to experience dry spell of 20 to 30 days within the months of July and August 2024.
He stressed that the NiMet release stated that “the occurrence of 2024 Little Dry Season (LDS) is projected to start from the 22nd of July 2nd of August 2024. Some parts of Oyo. Ogun, Ekiti and Lagos are likely to have a low to moderate event with a coverage of about 18-27 days”.
Boluwade therefore urged farmers not to be perturbed but gear up for the rest of the season immediately the dry spell is over as this year’s raining season is projected to last till November 2024.
He advised the farmers to key into the numerous programmes initiated by Government which include: the subsidized improved seeds distribution programme of the State Government, the continuous land clearing and establishment of cluster farms,the subsidized agro chemicals distribution programme of the state government.
Boluwade stated that the state will start the free fertilizer distribution while the Federal Government’s National Agricultural Growth Scheme (NAGS) where seeds and other inputs have been subsidized up to 75% by the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda in Agriculture will commence soon where 10 clusters have been identified as the distribution points.
He said the present administration of Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji’s administration with active support of the Federal Government is not leaving any stone unturned to bend the high food inflation curve in the state.
Packaged by Mayowa Owogbade
