Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo on Friday, inspected the state’s Agric Farm Settlement in Sobe, Owan West Local Government Area, commending the farmers for prompt application of insecticide to protect the crops.
The governor stopped for the inspection during his campaign tour.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the farm, occupying several hectares of land is strictly for the production of maize.
Obaseki said that this was the third season the farmers were cultivating on the land, which they started in 2018 and they suffered some losses, and did much better in 2019 and 2020.
“The farmers are trying to catch up with the rains. And with the experience they have gathered, you can see that these farmers are doing things on their own.
“Cultivating and spraying the farms on their own; they know the appropriate time to come spray their farms.’’
He further commended the farmers for applying fertilisers to get the required yields; cultivating maize after they would start planting soybeans.
“We are creating a whole generation of farmers whom we are supporting. You can see that all of these farms are ploughed by us for them and they will pay back over time from the proceeds of their harvest.
“We have done about six of such projects across the state. In Akoko Edo, we are aware that there is a similar project going on.
“In Okpe, once I complete the road, we are going to go there and make sure that we prepare that land for the next year’s farming,” he said.
One of the farmers, Mr James Edojah, while discussing with the governor, said that the farmer sprayed the insecticide on the maize to avoid insects infecting the crops.
Edojah said they were expecting fresh harvests in the next few weeks and commended the governor for his initiatives.
