An Agricultural Extension Agent coordinating Umuahia North L.G.A of Abia State, Nze Placidus Eberendu, has called on cassava farmers to embrace the best agricultural practices.

Eberendu gave the advice in Umuahia, while educating cassava farmers under the umbrella of JEMACK Multipurpose Corporative Society, Umuahia.

Eberendu, Agric Extension Agent for Kolping Society of Nigeria, a Non-Governmental Organisation working in partnership with Africa Cassava Agronomy Initiative, harped on the need for the farmers to embrace best practices such as farm clearing, scheduled planting, fertilizer rate, weed management, among others.

He said as an emerging concept, smart agriculture means managing farms using modern Information and Communication Technologies to increase the quantity and quality of produce while optimising the human labour required.

Speaking with journalists, the Chairman of JEMACK Multipurpose Corporative Society, Umuahia North, Deacon Keleb Ogwe, said agriculture remained the best for Nigeria and not petroleum.

“Agribusiness remains the best for Nigeria and not oil. That was where we were before oil well came out to deceive us. Despite warnings that someday in the future we will regret our actions, we felt that agriculture was strenuous and we started drilling oil and dollars were flowing in. Now we have seen it. The oil did not last forever and everything has collapsed”.