By Precious Ireoluwa
The founder of Prince Adeyinka Alli foundation (PAAF), Prince Adeyinka has tasked Ekiti farmers to take advantage of modern technologies, sustainable practices, and data-driven insights.
This, according to him will streamline operations, optimize resource utilization, and ultimately reduce the cost of production.
The founder made this known during the 2023 PAAF Agriconomy Conference, held in Oye-Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State.
Prince Alli affirmed that the reality of success for farmers in today’s world lays heavily on farmers who were willing to embrace new technologies.
The event themed “Minimizing the Cost of Agricultural Production and Improving the Business of Farming”, was created to enlighten farmers about best modern agricultural practices that can improve the business of farming in Ekiti State, adding that agriculture is the backbone of the society and one of the major means of income and sustenance for many households.
Alli gave kudos to the PAAF team for making the programme a huge success for the progress of Ekiti State.
In his lecture, Prof Ayodeji Salami suggested Irrigation Farming system as plan B for farmers, saying it helps to increase productivity even in low rainfall.
The Professor of the Department of Crop, Horticulture and Landscape Design in Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, also charged the farmers to use certified fertilizers on their crops to increase their yield, such as potassium chloride, urea, granular triple superphosphate, among others.
He emphasized that organic manure which consisted largely of animal excreta was healthier to utilize in their farming practice.
Professor Salami encouraged the practice of crop rotation, saying it will reduce the reliance of crops on one set of nutrients, pest and weed pressure, along with the probability of developing resistant pests and weeds.
The Don also advocated the use of agricultural mechanization, which is the practice of using machinery and equipment, ranging from simple and handmade tools to more sophisticated, motorized equipment and machinery, to perform agricultural operations was more likely to see the farmers churn out more agricultural produce and reduce the stress of human labour.
According to him, “The productivity on irrigated land is higher compared to unirrigated land. Irrigation helps to bring most of the fallow land under cultivation. Irrigation has stabilized the output and yield levels. Irrigation increases the availability of water supply which in turn increases the income of the farmers.
“It helps to grow agricultural crops, maintain landscape and revegetate disturbed soils in dry areas and during the periods of less than average rainfall.”
In a separate encounter, the Farmers and Agricultural Extension Officers from the six LGA’S: Ido Osi, Omuo, Ikole, Ilejemeje, Moba and Oye local governments expressed their profound gratitude to PAAF for the conference, welfare and transport allowances made available to them.