MEASURES AND PRECAUTIONS TO CHALLENGES/PROBLEMS FACING FIRST TIME FARMERS(FTF)

By, Bolaji Tirmidhi SHEHU.

It is an undisputed fact that Agriculture takes new dimensions year over year as old, young, men and women embraces this profession. The untapped oil well.
Aside being the binding force of economy stability and development of every nation, it’s an indispensable profession as our day to day activities revolves around it.

What is Agriculture?
In layman Understanding it means cultivation and breeding. In broad definition,

AGRICULTURE is define as the science, art and profession of planting, rearing animal, processing and distribution of plant and animals, management and distribution of farm inputs and implements, and provision of extensive expertise services in the field of Agriculture to the populace

Among sectors of Agriculture profession is Crop farming/farming/cropping.

FARMING(CROP FARMING/CROPPING) simply means cultivation of land.
It’s broadly define as the process and most time business of planting for foods and feeds, raw materials, research, tourism and others.

This was the first and only profession of man at creation which evolves from gathering of seeds to planting, till this present mode of practicing.

As lucrative as this sector is due to its indispensability for the living, it’s very much challenging for a First time farmer (FTF) or theoretically oriented students.
This challenges could discourage First Time Farmer of Venturing into farming profession if there were no measures and precautions put in place.
These measures and precautions will be treated under three(3) stages. Ranging from PRE and POST-PLANTING to HARVEST.

(1st Stage)
PRE-PLANTING

1). FARM LOCATION.
While citing location for farming, some measures must be put into consideration.

DISTANCE
Distance of farm from where an intending farmer lives should be accessible without stress. If an intending farmer cannot live on farm or do not have easy access to means of mobility, Farm Should be situated close to house as crops needs regular observation, especially at tender period of 4-6th week of emergence.

SECURITY
Another crucial challenge under farm location is that of theft.
Stealing farm produce ruins farmer and farming businesses easily. This predial larceny is avoided by locating farm in an area secure from thieves or hiring of guard for the farm.

SOIL ANALYSIS
Growing Crop on infertile or unsuitable soil affects its functionalities. Therefore soil is analyse to know the level of its fertility and suitability for intended crops. This is done by testing the soil pH, macro and micronutrients, salinity carbon content etcetera.

2). SEASONAL CHANGE CHALLENGE.
Knowing, reading and Understanding seasonal change is very important in farming as it determines the survival and death of crop especially when irrigation system is not practiced. This seasonal change varies region by Region, country by country and continent by continent.

There are four seasons in the World [summer, Winter, spring, and Autumn (fall)], of all these four seasons, only two is experienced in West Africa (Nigeria) Which are Summer and Winter.

Nigeria is di seasonal(wet and dry).
In Southern part of the country, dry season is experienced from November to March while wet(rainy) season is experienced from April to September with an average of 2000mm of rainfall. While in Coastal Region of the Southern part, up to 4000mm of rainfall is experience in a year.

Dry season in the Northern part of Nigeria lasts from October to May where Yobe and other North Eastern States experiences it earlier than others.
An average of 500-750mm rainfall is recorded during Rainy season with North Central States receiving Highest volumes of the rainfall

In continents of The world,
Growing months (which is wet season) in North America lasts within 4-5 months, starting from May to September on average.

In Europe, it is 6 months of growing season with exception of Southern Mediterranean which is year round.

Growing season starts from June and last till November in Australia.

In India (Asia), growing season depends on monsoon current Which is from March to October.

Understanding these explanations, a First Time Farmer knows how to manage the seasons with intended crops, thereby deciding what and when to plant.

3.) WEED CHALLENGE

WEED is unwanted plant that grows where and when not wanted which inturn struggles with the nutrients embedded in the soil and atmosphere, needed by crops to function well.
Weed is one of the serious challenge of farming.

Under preplanting stage, It is control MECHANICALLY, CHEMICALLY AND MANUALLY.
MECHANICALLY with the use of machine such as tractor for careful clearing large portion of farmland without removal of top soil to avoid damages in soil. This is fast, easier and advisable for commercial farming.

Weed is also control chemically with the use of defined herbicides. This is done two weeks prior to planting or even after planting for sparse weed. Use of chemical poses danger as it has adverse effects on soil. It causes damage to macro and micronutrients in the soil. This method of clearing is adopted by both commercial and subsistence farmers.

Lastly, MANUAL CONTROL OF WEED is the use of simple tools or bare hand for clearing. Cutlass is use for slashing thick and higher weed, hoe is use on sparse and short weed while uprooting of sparsely distributed and arranged weed is done with hands.

4.) SELECTION OF GOOD PLANTING PARENT MATERIALS
First time farmer Should be careful while Selecting the seeds, seedlings, cuttings and other planting parent materials for planting as what is sow is said to be reaped.
The disease resistant and higher yield materials Should be selected.
It is advisable to go for improved parent materials with no adverse effects or genetically modified ones if the produce is not meant for direct or local use.

(2nd Stage)
POST PLANTING CHALLENGES

After preplanting stage, next is the plantation of crop with the respective mode of planting i.e the spacing, quantity of planting material per portion to be adopted, then fertilizer is applied(for infertile land or commercial farming) side by side which could be prior, post or intermittently with planting.

Fertilizer (organic or inorganic) application on farmland aids in supply of essential elements needed by crop which soil lacks or posses in lower quantity. It is applied in ring-like form, circle (dotted), lines or square form depending on the crop.

Post Planting stage needs utmost attention due to vulnerability of crops in the first six(6) weeks of emergence. This stage determines farm output hence the needed attention.

1.) OVER CROWDING AND SEED DORMANCY

In the part of overcrowding which is the excess emergence of crops where they’re not needed or in number more than required. This challenge is only mitigated by thinning.
What’s thinning?
THINNING is the removal of unwanted or unsuitable plant to facilitate the growth of others or create space for replanting

SEED DORMANCY is the refusal of planted seed to germinate. Literally, it’s the death of seed after plantation. This may result from infestation, rodent activities or picking by birds. This is control by replanting.

REPLANTING is the sowing of new seed or transplanting of thinnings to replace ungerminated or infested ones.

2.) PEST, WEEDS AND DISEASE INFESTATION ARE ANOTHER CHALLENGES IN POST PLANTING STAGE.

PEST
Pest in farming context is any living creature which is destructive to crops. It could be insects, birds, rodents, animals and man in some cases. Their activities varies place to place.

Pest in forms of insects are control with the use of chemical (insecticides) Which is spray in the evening for viability.
Pest in forms of birds are control with the use of scarecrow, suspension of cassette tape, setting defined trap or shooting with catapult.
Pest in forms of rodents are control by using rodenticides, fencing, trap setting etcetera.
Pest in forms of Animals are control by fencing and use of Hunter services.
Pest in forms of man are warned.

POST PLANTING WEED
Post planting weed is control within the first month of emergence Which is done manually in most cases, selective chemical are use in some cases. Such is the use of attrazin and 24D for controlling maize weed with the direction of weed scientist.

DISEASE INFESTATION
Last under this is s disease. It can occur if only the two aforementioned challenges succeeded in infiltrating the crop. To avert this, the control measures Should be strictly considered. Removal and burning of already infested or infected crop should also be done.

(3rd and last Stage)
THE LAST OF THE THREE STAGES IS “HARVESTING”

Harvesting could be challenging if some careful measures are not considered by a First Time Farmer as it determines the good or bad sales of farm produce.

What is harvesting?
HARVESTING is the mechanical or manual method of gathering ripened crop at the period associated with the respected crop.

Major reason for farming business is to make profits, this stage leads to would be profit or loss.
There are crops that are longer term viable and can continue their lifespan after ripening, such are tuberous crops.
While others after days of ripening, deteriorates. They are shorter term viable and can not continue their lifespan after ripening. Almost all crops except tuberous fall into this category.

The longer term viable crops like tuberous crops gives time for finding good sales.
Also, crops that can not continue their lifespan after ripening and are shorter term viable can be process into semi-finished produce to extend their viability. An Example is maize, instead of selling on stand, it is profitable leaving to dry or dry with electric dryer, shell into grains, bagged or measured in bowls for sales.

Albeit, there are shorter term viable crops that are profitable when sold immediately after ripening without processing. Such are vegetables.

In all, being systematic by knowing the scarce and surplus period helps in profit making.

Thanks for your time.

Note: Farming is now a NECESSITY, no longer an option.

© CertyAgroAllied
October 2020

CertyAgroAllied@yahoo.com