Rice farmers in Dakasoye settlement of Garun Malam local government area of Kano State said they recorded bumper harvest despite the shortage of rain in 2021 season.

Although the farmers disclosed that this was possible through their use of improved seedlings, they said the seedlings had boosted their production by about 25 per cent.

One of farmers, Mr Iliyasu Garba who claimed that he was among the few farmers that resisted the improved seedlings, noted that when it was introduced to them through the Kano Rural Development Authority.

Garba explained that with massive awareness and training, he decided to try the seedlings during the 2021 rainy season and the experience was amazing.

“I used to work on 1 hectare of land and produce about 15 to 20 bags of rice, but this year I farmed the same hectare and harvested 25 bags,” he said.

Another large scale farmer, Mr Muhammed Rashid, said the intervention had exposed him to large commercial farming.

Rashid said that using the improved seedlings was cost effective and easier than using traditional seedlings.

Another rice and maize farmer at Samawa settlement, Mr Murtala Idris said when he accepted the seedlings; other farmers he invited to test it were describing him as mad.

“I used to harvest 50 bags of rice but this year when I tried the improved seedlings, I got about 70 bags so far,” Idris said.

He appealed to farmers in the state to adopt the use of improved seedlings, in order to have a multiple harvest and reduce cost of production.

NAN learnt that the Sasakawa Africa Association through the KNARDA introduced the improved seedlings to the farmers.

Introduction of the seedlings by KNARDA was aimed at boosting agricultural production and improving crop value chains, under the Kano State Agro Pastoral Development Project (KSADP), which began in 2020.

The five-year project is a partnership of the Islamic Development Bank, Lives and Livelihood and the KNARDA, executed by Sasakawa Africa Association. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)