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Rice breeders in Abakaliki have raised concerns about the incessant rains, which according to them are threatening the production and harvest of the 2025 rice.
The farmers expressed their concerns in separate interviews with our correspondent Wednesday in Abakaliki.
It was among the persistent floods that led to floods, resonate and losses of crops in the main areas that cultivate rice in the state.
Emmanuel Nwali, an important rice breeder in the area of the local government of Izzi, said that almost half of his rice breeding was immersed due to the strong rains.
“The floods have destroyed most of our work. What remains is already becoming yellow.
“It rains almost every day since mid -July. We may not expect a plenty of harvest this season,” said Nwali.
Another farmer, Chintadu Okenwa, said he had lost his beds for the nursery school due to floods, with consequent loss of important resources.
“I don’t know how to compensate the losses because, as it is, I cannot transplant it. The nursery has been destroyed.
“We risk little performance this season and this could cause a strong increase in the price of local rice next year. We are facing a difficult period because of time,” said Nwali.
Likewise, Aloysius Njoku, a commercial rice breeding, said he had lost most of his rice breeding for floods and feared that development would negatively influence the harvest.
“The rains and floods of assistance have been so devastating. If nothing is done, the rice will become little and expensive and everyone will hear it,” said Njoku.
Mrs. Sylvia Elom, a public employee and subsistence rice farmer, expressed concern for the fact that the destruction of agricultural land by heavy rains would have an impact on many families that are based on the cultivation of rice for their livelihood.
“Rice is the main source of income for most of our people who are mainly agrarian. When floods destroy our farms, they leave us nothing,” he said.
In the meantime, dr. Paul Onde, an expert in private agricultural extension, explained that rice is highly sensitive to prolonged floods.
He added that strong rains represent serious threats to rice farms, in particular those located in swampy areas.
He advised farmers to pay close attention to the weather forecast before undertaking the cultivation of rice, observing that the federal government provides early warning advice at the beginning of each agricultural season.
“The submerged fields suffer from stunted growth, lack of nutrients and fungal diseases,” Onde warned.
A source of the Ministry of Agriculture of Ebonyi, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the state government is monitoring the effects of current floods on agricultural land.
He added that the government was also filling in relations from the areas concerned for an appropriate response.
Freedomonline reports that the Nigerian meteorological agency (Nimet), in its seasonal weather forecasts, identified Ebonyi as one of the states that was expected to experience floods during the 2025 rains season.
Ebonyi is one of the main states that produce Nigeria rice and rice merchants in the main Abakaliki markets have expressed fears that rice prices can increase due to the expected poor crops.
