Farmers are expressing mixed reactions over early onset of rains in parts of the country and the forecast by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) that rainfall this year will not be surplus, which might affect availability of food across the country.While some expressed fears that early rains is not good for planting, as it might cease, which implies financial and economic loss to farmers, others say it is good for farmers, as drought resistant crops will survive. 
 
A fortnight ago, NiMet in its 2019 seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP), predicted a late onset of rainfall and early cessation in most parts of the country, noting that the extreme north would be the worst hit.The agency’s Director-General, Prof. Sani Abubakar Mashi, advised farmers to delay planting their crops, in order not to plant twice, adding that except farmers plant smart, food yields would be adversely affected.
 
The NiMet DG announced the earliest onset of rain is to be from March 7 around the coastal region of the South-south. “The onset dates are expected to change as we move northwards with areas around Maiduguri, Sokoto, Katsina, Dutse, Potiskum, Kano, and Nguru predicted to have onset from June 16. The earliest cessation dates are expected to be from September 29 around the north-western parts of the country.”
 
The agency also predicted below-normal rainfall in 18 states. The states include: Sokoto, Katsina, Borno, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa, Osun, Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Bayelsa, Rivers and Cross River.President, Association of Yam Farmers, Processors and Marketers of Nigeria, Prof. Simon Irtwange disclosed that rain fed agriculture has become a nightmare to all farmers across the country, with very serious food security implications due to climate change.
 
He said: “When the rains start early and farmers rush to plant and this is followed with cessation, in the case of seed yams for example, the accompanying heat cooks the seed yam in the soil and it gets rotten. What farmers usually do is to carry out “replanting” when the rainfall becomes sustained and stabilised and this has very serious financial and economic implications. 
 
“Take for example, one seed yam sells for N80 and to plant one hectare at 10,000 plants per hectare, you need N800, 000.00 and another seed yam of the same amount if replanting is required.”He noted that if the farmer would delay planting, the crop cycle is affected with implications on the yield. “However, if late onset of rain is compensated with late cessation, the crop cycle may be maintained and yield will not be affected.
 
“However, a scenario of late onset of rainfall and early cessation of rainfall coupled with below-normal rainfall only means that farmers in the days ahead will have to adopt supplemental irrigation and in the years to come government should begin to invest in irrigated agriculture by supporting farmers with irrigation facilities as a food security strategy. 
 
“Nations that have been able to feed themselves and have enough to export did not depend on rain fed agriculture when the rainfall patterns were normal, not to talk about now that our rainfall patterns are being affected by climate change,” Irtwange said.To the Managing Director/CEO of Bama Farms, Prince Wale Oyekoya: “This early rain is not really good for planting as we cannot determine the volume and exact time it will stop. The farmers need to be very careful and wary of the early downpour, but at the same time, it could continue to pour to sustain our crops just like what happened last year and farmers were advised to plant, but it finally favoured those that took the risk to plant. 
 
“NiMet prediction is right, which happens anywhere in the world due to climate change of which the government or anyone is not to be blamed.”Oyekoya noted that the only way to mitigate climate change damages and food crisis is to improve on the country’s irrigation system, adding that farmers can wet their plants even if the rain stops. “The Federal Government should provide dry and cold storage facilities to all the senatorial districts to avert further shortages of food.”
 
But the Chief Executive Officer, Legaorganik food and fruit international company, Shuaib Mubarak, a researcher and crop expert, expressed a contrary view on the development. “The early rain is a blessing and that shouldn’t create fear for farmers if they can choose the right crops to plant. This early rain will surely reduce food scarcity. Too much rain does not affect crops, it only helps farmers and reduce our stress. I have already planted cassava and okra, it’s only maize I have not planted.
 
“I will advise farmers, especially those in Ogun State to plant now. The rain has fallen more than three times and the grasses are very green now. Farmers should plant specified crops, which are drought resistant like dwarf okra and others, in order to enjoy the early rain.”
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