My observation on high level of pest damage on our cash crops, especially maize 

By Chukwuemeka Ekpedom_

Have you taken time to visit/observe our farm lands this year (2024) farming season? Findings have it that a lot of our cash crops are been dealt with, or damaged by hostile ants, and some dengerous pests.

I pray, let it not be the year locust will eat up, because from my findings, there is loaming danger.

Over the years, when farmers came across such encounter, the consumers suffers the most.

This is because the rate of food production will fall, and as a result, introducing inflation on the few produced farm products needed by the consumers, and by so doing, the prize of the products will skyrocket.

People are complaining that things are hard, let alone when this loaming scarcity occurs, by that time, the rate of survival will be a very slim one.

If there is anything to do by our Agricultural experts, they should make hay while sun shines. This is *a wake up call* to them, to help boost food production.

This topic of discussion emphasized mainly on ‘maize’ because it is one of the agricultural products we easily enjoy during the rainy season.

It is a seasonal product, which can be prepared in different ways like roasting, cooking, etc. 65% of our citizens like eating maize, that’s why it needs to be given maximum attention.

During ‘maize season,’ people enjoy it without control. Go to the road side where it is been roasted, you see people discussing and eating it.

At homes, people use it as lunch, or dinner, or even eat it for test. It is also given to our creator in the church as first fruit harvest.

Hostile ants damaging this agricultural product will displease majority of maize lovers, and also make it expensive in our markets.

We will be surprised on the prize a cob of maize will cost in the market in the next two months.

I remember how we enjoyed maize a decade ago without knowing the cost, or thinking of the cost in the market.

Maize with pear in the rain sweet like one going to heaven while on earth. But today, economic hardship, coupled with the challenge from pest and hostile ants will contribute to the scarcity of this delicious agricultural product.

Another major challenge to maize, is Fulani herdesmen and their cows. At times, these herdesmen use these maize plants and leaves to feed their cows in the bush, and by so doing contributing to the fall of maize production.

I therefore call on those in charge of the production of pesticides, and other anti-ant products, to please do the needful now, in other to save our maize, and also avail us the opportunity of enjoying our maize as before.

Delay here maybe very dangerous

Ekpedom-
+2348033676756_