The Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD-assisted Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, have urged farmers to use weather forecasts to information their farming actions and minimise crop losses within the state. .
The recommendation was given throughout a coaching in Bida, Niger State, on the usage of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) utility, sensible weather readers and solar-powered bird-scaring units.
Mrs. Aishatu Peace Ahmed, Environment and Climate Change Officer with the programme, mentioned weather info may assist farmers plan planting, chemical utility and produce drying round anticipated weather circumstances.
Mr. Samuel Gana, Management Information System Officer of the programme in Niger State, mentioned weekly weather advisories had been despatched by SMS to about 29,951 farmers.
He mentioned poor cell community protection in some communities lined by the programme restricted entry to the messages, including that sensible weather readers and group discover boards had been getting used to present weather info in some areas.
Elizabeth Oladejo and Mohammed A. Idris, who’re rice and cassava farmers, recommended the coaching and retraining of farmers, saying it had additional improved their capability to make weather-informed farming choices.
