By Fatima Muraina

|

As the 2024 farming season sets in, Government at all levels have been called upon to provide chemicals  to curb attack of pests on the farm.

The immediate past Ondo State Chairman of Maize Association of Nigeria, MAN, Mr Kayode Akinrinade made the request in an interview with The Hope in Akure.

Akinrinnade declared that making use of chemicals for baiting is the only way to combat pest attacks on farm products which is frustrating farmers’ efforts.

“We are using a chemical known as ‘Novacron’ before, but government has banned it because of people using it to commit suicide.

“We use different things now just to eradicate them. Anything poisonous that can kill human being can kill them because they did not produce any drug that can be used for baiting.

“Rat poison can also be used.” he said.

Akinrinade further mentioned other insecticides that can be used like sharp shooter, caterpillar falls, among others, saying that farmers should seek the attention of agro-dealers over which to buy and how to apply it for better result.

“These insects, such as Caterpillar and Fall army worm feeds on the leaves of vegetables and maize. If we use insecticides and there is no change, we will use caterpillar falls on the vegetables to eradicate the caterpillars,” he further said .

He advised farmers to visit their farms regularly so that they can observe when there is attack of pests and to eradicate them at the early stage. T

The State Chairman of MAN,  Mr Patrick Apata explained that baiting is done by soaking spoilt maize in the chemical overnight then broadcast them across the farm.

” If they want to combat it, before planting, soak some maize that are not good in chemicals, they can use chemicals like snipers or other chemicals, they will soak it for a day and  broadcast so that when those pests see that they won’t look for the ones in the heap.

“When they eat those one that are broadcast they will die,” Apata said.

“They can also bury stick in T-shape in the ground and cover such with cloth that will make it look like human being which would scare animals away.

” They can also use bell so that when the wind is blowing, the bell will be making sounds and those pests will think there is a human being in the farm”, he explained.