The Kogi Government and All Farmers Association of Nigeria on Sunday called for prayers for rainfall following the devastating effects of drought on farm crops and food security in the state .
The Commissioner For Agriculture, Mr Timothy Ojomah and AFAN Chairman, Salihu Adobayi made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.
“We have to resort to prayers for God to help send rain to us in Kogi because we may not achieve the desired food production and security.
“For over a month now, there’s been no rain, and the devastating effects of drought in the state is going to hamper what the state government has done for farmers this year in terms of intervention.
“In fact, if things work right, we are expecting bumper harvests.
“Unfortunately, we are facing drought across the state right now. It has affected most of our crops. Mostly affected are rice and maize farms, especially those that are almost maturing. I was at my maize farm yesterday, and it was a pitiful situation,” Adobayi said.
According to Adobayi, before the drought, what was experienced in most farms across the state was very encouraging.
“This is because the government provided well over 8,000 hectares of land to various farmers for cultivation of Rice, Maize and Cassava, and all were cultivated and looked very promising until the drought set in.
“Our hope is in God and the prediction of NiMET that there can be a serious downpour beginning Aug. 18.
“If the rain falls, there is hope that some crops can be saved. But if it persists, then it will not augur well for us because the crops depend on water to survive, ” he said.
Ojomah disclosed that the state government was looking at opportunities of going into full mechanised farming by providing irrigation facilities, especially solar powered water pumps to farmers.