Institute trains over 200 Oyo farmers to boost maize production

The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan has extended its maize capacity building/ training programme tagged ‘Maize Improvement Programme for farmers in Saki, Oyo and IbadanIbarapa agricultural zones in Oyo state with over 200 in attendance.

Speaking in Eruwa, headquarters of Ibarapa Local Government Area of the state, IAR&T Team Leader, Olugbenga Egbetokun maintained that the capacity building for maize farmers which had earlier been held in Saki and Oyo was to increase productivity and profitability of maize production among the farmers in the state.

Egbetokun, who also noted that the training is aimed at improving productivity said “We are moving around Oyo State to empower farmers’ technical-knowhow on how to increase their production and improve productivity of maize and it is all encompassing training which includes all areas of specialty of our seasoned scientists in IAR&T.

“In the team, we have plant breeders, we have pathologists, entomologists and agricultural economists in the team and we are doing this to improve the production of farmers and improve productivity. “This is another opportunity for us to get feedback from farmers and proffer solutions. All the challenges they have identified, we are providing solutions to them.

Egbetokun said major problems confronting maize production categorised as pests, pathogenes, mechanical, environmental and chemical factors include; insects, mites, rodents, birds and mammals. Others include disease, breakage, temperature, light, moisture, oxygen, lightning, wind and fertilizer or pest excess and nutritional disorder. He therefore urged farmers to plant resistant maize varieties and embrace crop rotation with non-host crops.

Others include to maintain standard plant population and soil fertility, good farm sanitation and cultural practices, proper residue management, use of chemical and fertilizers based on recommendation, use integrated pest management and store seeds at 12 percent moisture content.

The Eleruwa of Eruwa Oba Samuel Adebayo Adegbola while receiving the team in his palace urged the Federal Government through the ministry of agriculture to establish irrigation farms and dams in the South-West like the way it is being done in the North. While describing the training as timely in this period when the country is looking for other ways to make money, Oba Adegbola maintained that it is time the government make irrigation farms functional in the region.

He said “I am calling on the Federal Government to establish irrigation farms and dams in the southwest to boost our own production. You know the only profession that predates farming is hunting; farming is an instrument of development which should not to be neglected.