The Kogi state Agricultural Development Project (ADP) on Saturday embarked on an intensive training for registered cassava, cashew and maize farmers on “Best Practices in Agriculture”.
The Managing Director of the project, Mr Oyisi Okatahi told journalists at the venue on Saturday in Lokoja that the training would cut across the six zonal offices at Aiyetoro-Gbede, Anyigba, Kotonkarfe, Aloma, Osara and Ageva.
According to him, the training was part of the Project’s efforts to ensure that farmers in Kogi adopted global best practices that would enhance yield, production and processing, adding that farmers needed to pay attention to some key areas such as getting the right inputs in terms of seeds, fertilisers, herbicides, soil tests among others.
“Farmers must also follow the season calendar in applying the various methodologies such as planting, weeding and fertilising at the right way and time. Most farmers do not maximize yield when they fail to follow proven methodologies, mechanization and technology should be applied as much as possible; farmers can form a cooperative and lease a tractor.
“Another key area is for farmers to go beyond farming and look at processing or value addition, such as converting cassava to starch, or flour, chips, among others. Farmers must also have the right attitude and be prayerful; once you have done your part, then ask God to bless your efforts,” Okatahi said.
He commended Governor Yahaya Bello for his commitment towards making Kogi the agricultural hub of Nigeria as well as encouraging farmers to see agriculture as a business and no longer subsistence farming.
Okatahi also commended stakeholders in Federal Ministry of Agriculture for supporting the training sessions, adding that the support and diligence had enabled them to progress significantly in agricultural extension in Kogi state.
