Dry Season Farming Threatened As ‘Unknown’ Rodents Invade Farmlands In Kano
- 44 Views
- Agribusiness Africa
- February 15, 2024
- News & Analysis
“In Kano State, mysterious rodents resistant to traditional pest control methods are causing severe damage to wheat, tomato, and maize crops during this year’s dry season farming. Farmers in areas like Kura, Garun Malam, and Bunkure are grappling with these unusually intelligent pests, which evade traps, poison, and even dogs. The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has responded by launching a campaign to educate farmers on new rodent management approaches and has alerted the state Ministry of Agriculture to tackle the issue urgently. Source: Daily Trust
Our Review
In Kano State, farmers are facing a serious challenge from mysterious rodents causing extensive damage to wheat, tomato, and maize plantations. These pests are larger than usual and have shown remarkable resistance to traditional rat poison, making them difficult to control. They operate primarily at night, evading conventional trapping methods and even proving resistant when fed to dogs.
Chairman Alhaji Abulrasheed Magaji Rimin Gado of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has acknowledged the severity of the situation and initiated a sensitization campaign among farmers. This campaign aims to educate them about alternative rodent management strategies. AFAN has also alerted the state Ministry of Agriculture to intervene promptly in addressing this emerging agricultural threat. The unique characteristics of these rodents, including their size, intelligence, and resistance to control methods, pose a significant risk to this year’s dry-season farming in Kano State. Farmers are urged to remain vigilant and adopt new approaches to protect their crops from these elusive pests.”