By: Haruna Kuyateh
Lamin MJ Sanyang, Deputy Director for Agriculture in North Bank Region has describes the 2019 cropping season as successful for farmer who plant early.
He described 2019 cropping season as successful for farmers who started planting early and take advice from frontline extension to adopt best agricultural practices.
Sanyang was speaking on Sunday at Jurunku , where he conducted field visit, as part of assessment on the performance of 14ha maize farm, 2.5 water melon, 2ha cowpea and 5ha groundnut and rice field.
He lauded chief Momodou Chatty Cham of Upper Nuimi as a model farmer in promoting integrated farming season to attain food self-sufficiency and poverty reduction.
Deputy Director Sanyang noted that the involvement of traditional leaders in food production on large scale would contribute to address food availability.
He uses the moment to advise farmers to desist using chemical fertilizer and pesticides to enable them have access to market in the hotel industry and outside the country.
Chief Momodou Chatty Cham said he took up farming as a long carrier and therefore as district chief it help them to be economic empower and contribute to support families that are face with food insecurity.
He said farming has help to execute functions in the best interest of peoples that they serve. Upper Nuimi chief thanks NEMA matching grant for providing them with tractor and it accessories and by extension thanks the communities of Upper Nuimi for their support.
Upper Nuimi calls for more support to farmers by government and agencies to income production and productivity.
He calls on business community to invest heavily in to agriculture to boost country food basket and by extension create employment opportunity for youths and women. Chief Cham thank NEMA agricultural project for providing with combine rice harvest to help address post-harvest loss and contribute to food security.
Mamo Jatta Senior Extension Supervisor at Bakindick Mixed Farming Centre said department of agrcuture and FAO has supported farmers with Aflasafe to help address aflatoxin content on groundnut to enable them create market for farm produce.
Commenting on extension farmer ratio, he noted that there is need for department of agriculture should increase human resources to enable farmers to have regular contact with extension workers to adopt best farm practice.
Extension supervisor lauded farmers to planting of early maturing varieties both on the upland and lowland.
The promoting food diversification and use of organic farming will contribute to ensure attainment of food availability and increase income for small holder farmers. The quest for application of organic manure would create market outlets within the tourism industry and at world market.
Studies has proven that due to aflatoxin content on groundnut affects marketing of groundnut at world market and as result department of agriculture and FAO encourage farmers to apply aflasafe on groundnut during pegging.
The application of aflasafe has enable GGC to provide attractive price to farmers and there is need for active participation of all actors and including farmers to promote use of organic farming.
