Farmers to seek advice from agriculture stations

Submitted by TemoL on Wed, 08/09/2010 - 1:39pm

The prevailing dry weather conditions in the Western Division is taking its toll on the agriculture sector.

According to reports by the weather office in Nadi, the drought will worsen and this will further affect farms and vegetation around the country.

Director of Extension Services, Ropate Ligairi says that the long dry spell has been around for about four months and expected to continue for another two to three months and it is advisable for farmers around the country to practice safe farming methods.

Mr Ligairi said that observations have been made by agricultural officials in the various localities and the situation will be monitored closely.

“According to reports from the ground, wells and creeks are drying up and water flow in the river have decreased substantially which is making irrigation difficult,” he explained.

“Early maturity of crops has been observed whereby production and quality is affected and of course there is a delay in land preparation and new planting of crops.”

“The Ministry hopes that farmers will act quickly and salvage crops that should be harvested now so that they are able to at least get some income for their families..

“Farmers at this point in time should practice mulching whereby they collect grass that have been cut around the farm and place it at the base of their plant as this retains moisture level and also provides soil cover for the plant.”

“Farmers could also refrain from weeding their farms at the moment so that moisture is contained in the soil especially during the early morning dew,” said Mr Ligairi.

Farmers in drought affected areas have been advised by the Agriculture Department to refrain from lighting fires in farms, plantations or forests as they can spread quickly in a short span of time.

He adds that there is a high risk of a fire spreading to a wider area because of the dry and brittle plants and trees that are on the ground.

“Crops and living organisms will also be affected so we hope that farmers will be extra cautious when going about their farming chores,” said Mr Ligairi.

“Climate change has been an issue for quite some years now and it is about time that farmers think of economical ways of retaining their farming business.”

“Water tanks should be built on the farms and ample water stored for dry periods such as the one that we are facing at the moment.".

Senior Agriculture Officer (Kadavu) Epeli Dugucagi said that farms in Kadavu are beginning to show signs of drought.

“During the same period last year, Kadavu faced a drought period and dalo and yaqona farms were affected in terms of production and yield,” said Mr Dugucagi.

Farmers are encouraged to visit agriculture stations in localities around the country for further advice and assistance during this drought period.