BY NAJIB SANI, GOMBE
Farmers in Gombe State have expressed fears of imminent crop failure in this wet season saying they are faced with lots of natural and unnatural challenges.
They expressed the anxiety in an interview with our correspondent in the state.
Idris Abubakar, a farmer from Malam Jamo community in Akko local government, lamented over the high cost of farm inputs and insufficient rainfall in Gombe state, which may lead to crop failure and low yields.
According to him, the high cost of farm inputs, including fertiliser and herbicides, has made it challenging for farmers to maintain their farms, leaving them vulnerable to pests and parasites.
He also lamented the insufficient rainfall in the region, which was predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
Auwal Adamu Abdullahi, another farmer, corroborated Idris’ concerns, stating that the high cost of farm inputs has made it difficult for farmers to afford the necessary materials to maintain their farms.
While Abubakar Babayo Akko, a farmer from Southern Gombe, also highlighted the challenges faced by farmers in the state fearing that if these issues persist, crop yields may decrease by up to 50%.
The farmers are calling on the government to provide support and relief to mitigate the effects of the unnatural challenges they are facing.
