Expert counsels farmers on improved harvesting technique to boost income

An Agriculture Extension Officer, Mr Afeez Adebayo, has advised farmers to always imbibe improved mechanical harvesting technique to reduce post-harvest losses.

Adebayo gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara.

He said that the advice was informed by the need for farmers to avail themselves of new research innovations in harvesting technique to enhance their income.

Adebayo said that in spite of continuous research and development aimed at making farming less stressful, most local farmers are still presently engrossed in primitive methods on their farms.

He attributed the recent low income earnings being experienced by farmers to the high losses incurred on farm products occasioned by farmers’ adoption of obsolete harvesting methods.

``Most farmers, especially in remote towns and villages, are not aware or yet to embrace the new available mechanical harvesting technique and innovations on their farms.

``Majority of these local farmers still use their bare hands and other primitive methods of harvest, thereby incurring wastage on farm products and its attendant low income,`` Adebayo said.

He expressed regrets that globally over 1.3 billion tonnes of food were being wasted annually, adding that this amounted to over 30 per cent of food production.

``Sub-sahara Africa loses 4 billion dollars worth of grains annually, due to poor harvesting technique on the part of the farmers as a contributory factor.

``This is enough to feed about 50 million people.

``Rural food waste and urban scarcity cannot lead to economic prosperity.

``There is, therefore, the need for more farmers to adopt the right method, especially as regard harvesting on their farms, to improve income, `` Muktar said.