Oyo farmers laud SeedCo for hybrid seedling, insist on govt intervention for enhanced productivity

FOR farmers, especially maize farmers in Iseyin Government Area of Oyo State, food security cannot be achieved without good seedlings; as they expressed the opinion that getting seedling that can give maximum production returns is a running challenge which requires government intervention if the state is serious about getting enhanced productivity and high yields in the agricultural sector.

The farmers, who made this observation at the weekend during the ‘SeedCo Farmers Field Day,’ in Iseyin, appealed for government’s intervention in providing high yield seedlings as the only way out of the stagnation being experienced in the state’s agricultural sector.

The farmers led by the chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), in Iseyin, Mr Joseph Omoyele appealed to government at all levels to make seedlings available in subsidised or controlled amount, adding that government’s intervention would be required to enhance productivity and high yields.

Omoyele stated that “we really need the help of government at all levels because the truth is that we can’t afford to buy the seedlings that will give us the required harvest and profits. If not for SeedCO who intervened by selling to us hybrid seedlings at reasonable amount, it may be very difficult to have make profit or have the required yields.

According to the AFAN chairman, “their seeds are basically the best I have come across in my over 40 years of active commercial farming; their SC510 maize is a seed that can withstand heavy winds. SC510 is early maturity Pro-Vitamin A hybrid maize that is drought tolerant and disease resistant. I planted just 22kg of SC510 maize on my one hectare of land and I got six tonnes of produce compared to our normal seedling that will only give me below two tonnes.

“Our members who planted the SC 719 maize told me that 25kg gave them between10 to 12, unlike our normal seeds that can only give us two tonnes on the same one hectare of land,” Omoyele said.

On his part, the head of farmers in Alagbado community, Mr Gbade Adedoyin, appealed to government for soft loans and fixing of the roads that lead to farms to ease logistics challenges being faced by farmers.

“It is now two years since I have started using SeedCo seeds for my farms and I can tell you that my produce and profits have multiplied in folds since I started. We are even able to plant their SC510 twice in a year because it has just 90 days to maturity and the SC 710 120 days, I want to beg government to partner with SeedCo so as to make food available in abundance,” Adedoyin said.

Another farmer, Mr Olalekan Atanda, who also corroborated claims of other farmers, however highlighted the need for farmers to do their part for the seedlings to give the desired results. He said, “the SeedCo seedling is very good and it’s also very high yield too, but you must take good care of your farm, otherwise you will not get the desired results.

“Unlike our normal maize seeds, the SeedCo product has its own care mechanism that must be strictly adhered to before you can have the required results. Eventually, it will be worth the time and investment because you are going to get so much more than what you will get from your normal maize seedling,” he said.

Also speaking, a community head, Mr Jimoh Motunrayo, revealed that the major occupation of his people is agriculture and its value chain, adding that “almost everyone in my area of governance are farmers in one way or the other and it will be a thing of joy if government can intervene in some aspects. Things that are of utmost importance to us are seedlings, storages, access roads, soft loans and modern equipment.”

Another community leader, Mr Lukman Adekunle, said that various farmers under his supervision have testified to the effectiveness of the SeedCo seeds

The quality assurance lead of SeedCo, Miss Adejumoke Abikoye, while speaking reiterated that the aim of the company is to raise the productivity of farmers as the primary objective of the company was to ensure plentiful harvest and profits for farmers.

“All that is required of them is to follow the guidelines and at the end, they will have harvest that is far beyond their imagination because that is the purpose of our special and affordable seeds,” she said.