Rain shortage forces Gombe farmers to relocate to Taraba

Some farmers in Gombe State have started moving to Taraba for cultivation of crops while others are seeking for divine intervention as the state records historic low level of rainfall.

Investigation carried out by the News Agency of Nigeria in the state on Monday reveals that some farmers embarked on early planting despite warnings from meteorologists against such decisions.

Farmers from Billiri, Kaltungo, Shongom, Balanga and some parts of Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Areas of the state were among those insisting in early planting.

NAN further learnt that some farmers from Gombe, Dukku and Akko council areas had yet to embark on planting.

Mr Banyula Hala, the Chairman All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Gombe State, said the low rainfall due to effect of climate change had become a cause for serious concern.

Hala said the situation might impact negatively on productivity in this year’s wet cropping season.

“The low rainfall will affect wet farming this year but since rains are from God; farmers should turn to God and be optimistic that in a week time or thereabouts, there will be more rainfall.

“Some farmers have planted while some are yet to plant; those who planted, could not get enough rainfall; so, the seed didn’t germinate as expected, and they would have to replant,” he said.

The AFAN chairman said that some of the farmers comprising Christian and Muslim faithful from the state had started organising special prayer sessions for improved rainfall.

Hala said many farmers had migrated to Taraba State because the weather was better than that of Gombe.

The AFAN chairman, therefore, advised farmers in the state to remain calm.

“As long as we are praying for rain let us be patient and see what God will do for us,” he said.

Mr Usman Adamu, the Secretary of Soyabeans Farmers and Marketers Association, Gombe State Chapter, said his members had planted their crops in Billiri, Balanga, Akko, and Kwami council areas despite the low rainfall recorded in the state.

“Since rainfall is something that is beyond the government, we must pray for rainfall, and that is what we are doing now,” he said.

Ibrahim Abubakar, an extension worker with Maize Association of Nigeria, MAAN, Special Project in Gombe State, said most farmers were not ready to plant because of the low rainfall.

Mr Abubakar said most farmers in Akko LGAs had complained that rainfall had only been witnessed once in the last one week.

“My concern is that it will affect productivity this year because farmers do not have enough water to plant as well as to apply fertilisers,” he said.

For Alhaji Usman Kabiru, a retiree who embraced farming business in Gombe, said he had migrated to Taraba State (Southern part of the state) to embark on his farming activities because of the poor rainfall in Gombe.

Mr Kabiru said many farmers from the state had relocated to Taraba to rent farmlands and cultivate them for better yields.

He lamented the impact of climate change which he said was responsible for the rainfall pattern being witnessed in the state.

Mr Kabiru said that the dry spell that happened last cropping season in Gombe State made most farmers to incur huge losses and were unable to get back their investments which further pushed so many farmers to Taraba in order to avoid unnecessary losses.

“With the rainfall uncertainties in Gombe, many farmers relocated to Taraba because inputs are expensive so no one wants to take the risk associated with low rainfall.

“As it is now, many farmers in Taraba south are almost ready to harvest their crops while some of their counterparts in Gombe State have yet to plant,” he said.

Recall that during the inauguration of fertiliser distribution and sales for 2024 wet season on June 20, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State urged farmers and all stakeholders to pray more for God’s intervention for more rainfall in the state.
NAN