By Ifeoma Aka
Enugu – Mr Onyema Nwodo, the Programme Manager, Enugu State Agricultural Development Programme (ENADEP), has advised farmers to use herbicides for bush clearing, instead of burning the bush.
Nwodo told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Thursday that the use of herbicides would facilitate the retention of soil nutrients, unlike bush burning which scorched the earth and destroyed soil nutrients.
He said that bush burning was not the best way of clearing land because it would make the land to lose some soil nutrients.
“We have procured good herbicides which would ensure that all weeds and grasses in the farms are killed completely.
“We have also arranged with the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to make sure that tractors are ready for land preparation projects.
“Besides, we have, through the benevolence of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, procured a lot of fertilisers for the farmers’ use.
“Organic fertilisers are also being prepared, while some of the fertilisers are distributed free,’’ he said.
The programme manager said that the organisation had collaborated with the chairmen of local government councils to sensitise farmers in their domains to the proper ways of preparing land for farming.
Nwodo said that ENADEP had adequate stock of improved seedlings for sale at reduced prices to farmers so as to boost agricultural production in the state. (NAN)
