Cost of farm inputs, insecurity affect farming activities in Taraba

Farming activities are drastically reduced this season as a result of cost of seedlings, weed chemicals, fertiliser, hiring tractors and insecurity.

Findings further revealed that many farmers could not go to their farms in parts of Ussa, Ardo-Kola, Karim-Lamido and Wukari Local Government Areas of Taraba State due to communal crisis and bandits’ attacks.

It was also gathered that many residents in Ussa and part of Takum Local Government Areas were prevented from going to their farms because of the bandits attacks as a result of lingering Kutep-Fulani herdsmen crisis.

Similarly, the communal crisis between the Karimjo and Wurkum ethnic groups over chieftaincy tussle has hampered farming activities.

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In Ardo-Kola local government area, bandits’ attacks have forced many farmers to stay away from their farms.

Cost of farm inputs, it was gathered has also forced many big-time farmers to reduce the scope of their activities this season. For example, a litre of weed chemical sold last year for N3,000 now costs between N4,000 and N5,000.

Similarly, the cost of improved maize, rice and beans seedling increased by 30 per cent. The cost of hiring tractors also increased by more than 30 per cent, while poverty level and high cost of prices of food stuffs were reported to have reduced farming activities.

A resident of Jalingo, Musa Adamu, said many residents spent what they were supposed to farm with in feeding their families.

He said last year, small holder farmers spent less compared to this season to produce crops but this year, they need twice what they spent last year to farm.

He added that with what is going on now, there are high possibilities of witnessing low agricultural productivity in Taraba State this year.

Another resident, Mallam Ibrahim, said he had to reduce the scope of his farming activities this season because of high cost of inputs as well as the cost of tractor hiring.

He said he avoided part of Ardo-Kola area where he used to farm in previous years because of insecurity.

Meanwhile, price of foodstuffs has been on the increase on a daily basis in Taraba State despite the harvest of some key crops like yam, cassava, groundnut and maize in some parts of the state.

A civil servant, Bello Tanimu, said it was common practice to see prices of essential foodstuffs coming down once harvest begins but that has not been the case this year.