The Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) has trained farmers, agricultural extension agents, community-based facilitators and agrodealers in improved maize production to boost yields, enhance food security and increase farmers’ incomes.
Prof. Isaac Eni, SAA’s consultant on agribusiness development and management, said on Thursday at the training in Zaria that Nigeria faced a maize production deficit of more than eight million tonnes.
Eni noted that maize was consumed as food and used as a major raw material for livestock feed and various industries, making increased production critical to meeting growing demand.
He said the training would equip participants with the technical knowledge to promote Bayer’s DEKALB hybrid maize seeds and improved agronomic practices to increase productivity and help bridge the national production gap.
According to him, demonstration plots would be established in six local government areas of Kaduna State, including Lere, Zaria, Igabi, Soba and Ikara.
He explained that the plots would be supplied with seeds, fertilisers and agrochemicals, while participating farmers would provide suitable farmland, reliable water sources and irrigation pumps for dry-season cultivation.
Eni described the demonstration plots as community-based field schools where farmers could gain practical skills in improved maize production. He said the initiative would encourage the adoption of better farming practices.
He urged farmers to embrace Bayer’s hybrid maize seeds for year-round cultivation, saying this could reduce production losses caused by erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells during the wet season.
Earlier, Mrs Esther Daniel, an agricultural extension worker and participant, said the training would improve maize production in Chikun Local Government Area by giving farmers access to improved seeds and modern farming techniques.
Daniel said the demonstration plots would allow farmers to assess hybrid varieties reportedly capable of producing six to 10 tonnes per hectare, helping them make informed decisions before adopting the seeds.
She urged farmers in Chikun to participate, noting that firsthand experience with the improved varieties could encourage wider adoption, increase productivity and raise household incomes.
Adhama Bala, a farmer from Hayin Malam Bello, Rigasa, also said the training had introduced participants to improved seeds and techniques that could increase yields on smaller plots.
Bala said adopting the recommended practices would enable farmers to produce more maize without expanding their farmland, reducing the labour and costs associated with cultivating larger areas.
He said two kilogrammes of improved seeds cost between N15,000 and N20,000, but the potential for higher yields could make the investment worthwhile and improve farmers’ earnings.
Bala cited estimates presented during the training that maize yields could rise from 30 to 35 bags per hectare under traditional practices to between 70 and 100 bags with improved varieties and proper farm management.
He urged farmers to adopt the improved seeds and apply the knowledge gained, expressing optimism that the practices would increase harvests, improve livelihoods and strengthen food security.
