The Ekiti State Government has urged farmers not to be alarmed by the ongoing dry spell, assuring them that the current weather conditions are in line with forecasts and should not be a cause for concern.
This reassurance was given in an advisory by the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, who emphasized that the weather pattern was anticipated in the 2024 Seasonal Climate Prediction issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).
According to Boluwade, Ekiti State, along with other states in the forecasted region, was expected to experience a dry spell lasting between 20 to 30 days during July and August 2024.
He noted that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security had also issued an advisory earlier in the year, predicting the current weather situation.
The commissioner recalled that this issue had been addressed during a stakeholders’ engagement at the 2024 step-down workshop on seasonal climate prediction and the Crop Calendar for 2024.
At the workshop, farmers were encouraged to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices and align their activities with the farming calendar to mitigate the impact of such weather patterns.
The NiMet release highlighted that the “2024 Little Dry Season (LDS)” was expected to begin on July 22 and continue through August. Some areas in Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti, and Lagos states are likely to experience low to moderate dry conditions for approximately 18-27 days.
Boluwade urged farmers to remain calm and prepare for the rest of the season once the dry spell concludes, adding that the rainy season is projected to extend until November.
In his advisory, Boluwade encouraged farmers to take advantage of the various government-initiated programs aimed at supporting agricultural production.
These include the state’s subsidized improved seeds distribution program, continuous land clearing and establishment of cluster farms, and the subsidized agro-chemicals distribution program.
The commissioner also assured farmers that the state would soon commence free fertilizer distribution.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the Federal Government’s National Agricultural Growth Scheme (NAGS), which provides seeds and other inputs at a 75% subsidy under the Renewed Hope Agenda in Agriculture, will begin shortly. Ten clusters have already been identified as distribution points for these inputs.