The 2021 National Best Farmer, Mashoud Mohamed, has voiced serious concerns about the devastating impact of a prolonged dry spell on his  maize and rice farms.

Despite cultivating over 2,000 acres of maize, he estimates that this year's harvest will yield less than 10 tons, a fraction of the 8,696 tons he had anticipated.

"The dry spell has shattered our expectations. We were aiming for nearly 9,000 tons of maize, but now, we're struggling to reach even 10 or 11 tons," Alhaji Mashoud lamented.

He explained that the lack of rainfall halted all farming activities, including essential tasks like spraying. The situation is equally dire for his rice farm, where he planted over 2,500 acres.

"For 49 days, there was no rain, and everything we worked for was destroyed," he added.

Alhaji Mashoud is now looking to the government for assistance, expressing hope that some form of intervention, whether from the government or divine providence, will alleviate the situation.

"At this point, we're just hoping for some positive intervention, but things don't look good," he said.

He also appealed to the government to help farmers transition from rain-fed agriculture to irrigation, stressing that the availability of irrigation systems would have significantly mitigated the losses caused by the dry spell.

"If the government had supported farmers with irrigation systems and wells, our losses would have been minimal. Relying on rain-fed agriculture in the face of climate change is not sustainable," he argued.

Alhaji Mashoud stated that farmers are not asking the government to shoulder the entire burden but to provide crucial support to prevent future disasters.

An out-grower working near Alhaji Mashoud’s farm shared a similar plight, stating that last year, he farmed four acres and each acre yielded up to 12 maxi bags of maize.

However, this year, he's unlikely to produce even 10 bags from the same four acres, meaning the harvest will barely be enough to feed his family.

Source - https://www.myjoyonline.com