No fewer than 800 farmers in Igboeze-South Constituency, Enugu State, were on Thursday trained in organic fertilisers and pesticides production.The training was organised by Mr Harrison Ogara, the lawmaker representing Igboeze-South Constituency in Enugu State House of Assembly.Speaking at the event, Ogara said that the farmers would also be trained on soil testing. He said that the essence of the training was to equip the farmers with the competence to improve soil fertility and undertake pest control on their farms.
”This training is good for the farmers; it will enable them to achieve improved harvests at reduced costs.
”We brought a team of experts to conduct the training; we want to see our farmers having improved harvests,” he said.
Ogara said that the training was in line with the state government’s policy to develop the agriculture sector and boost food production.
The lawmaker urged the farmers to take the training seriously in order to improve their knowledge in organic fertiliser production and pest control.
According to him, farmers need to acquire skills that will enable them to get more involved in the food production chain.
Ogara said that plans were already underway to train some of his constituents on livestock farming.
Delivering a lecture, Mr Ifeanyi Ibekwe of Southfield Agro Technology, Enugu, told the participants that organic fertilisers were cheaper and easier to produce.
”The inputs can be sourced locally.
“As a farmer, you have no reason spending money to buy fertiliser if you can produce it.” he said.
He listed the materials for organic fertiliser production to include, rice husk ash, plantain peel powder, cow dung chicken manure and potash.
Another resource person, Mr Alex Okeke, said that pesticides were crucial to protecting crops from pests.
“Pesticides produced from organic substances are not harmful to the crops. We advise farmers to produce and use them,” he said.
In his presentation, Mr Benjamin Onunze, a former Director, Technical Services, Enugu State Agricultural Development Programme, told the participants that soil testing was an important pre-cultivation exercise.
Onunze, who represented by the Programme Manager, Dr Ogbonna Onyishi, described inability to conduct soil tests as the reason some farmers recorded poor harvests.
”For instance, if you have a farmland that is rich in nitrogen, you must look for a crop that needs nitrogen to grow very well,” he said.
Some of the participants who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) described the training as rich and exposing. (NAN)
