By Chukwuka Ugokwe
Farmers in Anambra state have been encouraged to always listen to the advise of extension service agents in their areas.
The Agricultural Development Programme(ADP), Programme Manager in the state, Mr Godwin Akujieze, gave the encouragement while interacting with newsmen at his Kwata Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Awka
He explained that the primary objective of the ADP to farmers was to give them technical assistance such as, advise on the varieties of cassava and maize to plant as well as preparing them for this rainy season.
The ADP Manager said the cassava elite varieties which farmers should plant included ,TME 419, TME 0505 and TME 0581, which are yellow cassava fortified with vitamin A.
According to him, farmers should plant Hybrid two and six maize which are the best varieties of maize.
Mr Akujieze said that extension service agents were located in all the local government areas of the state, especially within the riverine areas.
He pointed out that each extension service agent was expected to have at least 80 contact farmers and therefore, appealed to farmers to always consult them during farming.
The Agriculturalist emphasized that there had been a paradigm shift in the use of inorganic manure such as, chemical fertilizers to organic manure such as, poultry manure and composed manure which were natural.
He lamented that most of the diseases which people suffer arose from the use of inorganic fertilizer in farming.
The Programme Manager explained that these varieties of cassava and maize would be made available to farmers during this farming season.
Chukwuka is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
