NiMet predicts early rain before onset, says expect delay in North

The active farming activities may start earlier than expected this year in southern Nigeria due to rainfall the country will experience before the usual onset just as the majority of states in the North should expect rain delays.

This was one of the major highlights at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency ( NiMet) Seasonal Climate Predictions ( SCP) for the year 2025 farming activities as reeled out by the Aviation & Aerospace Minister, Festus Keyamu yesterday in Abuja.

The SCP 2025 document stated that the onset of rainfall is predicted to be delayed over the northern Nigeria, and central states of Plateau as well as parts of Kaduna, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, Adamawa, and Kwara. While early onset is expected over the southern states of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Anambra, and sections of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Lagos, Edo, Enugu, Imo, and Ebonyi while the rest of the country is expected to have a normal onset.

The NiMet DG/CEO, Prof Charles Anosike described the SCP as perishable instrument for climate economic planning which stakeholders must jealously guide to plan their activities in all the sectors, adding that feedback would be required for evaluation.

A Professor of Agriculture Samuel Olakojo from the Institute for Agricultural Research and Training ( IAR&T), Ibadan pointed out that the early rainfall before onset in southern Nigeria would add about 25% increase to food security if the downpours are well closely staggered to sustain early maturing seeds from being dried up by the heat just as the rainy needs to cover larger areas for meaningful impact on food production.

Olakojo advised farmers to take cognizant of the rain frequency before planting in order to prevent dying of the planted seeds due to severe heat while in the soil.

He pointed out that the early rainfall before onset would help to resuscitate many cassava tubers yet to be harvested on the field saying the natural water will enhance the growth of these tubers before harvest just as cost of weeding will be increased.

"Already we have started experiencing this in the southern part as there were showers of rainfall on Monday following yesterday Tuesday morning in Abeokuta. The amount of rainfall is not the real issue, but the distribution of the rainfall in a particular region is more important for a crop in the target. These are criteria that are very important. If the rainfall is sustainable such as we have several rains within a short interval like 8-10 series in two months to be able to sustain agriculture with 25% increase in food security as it will be suitable for crops that are of short duration on the fields like vegetables, cowpea and even cassava" said Prof. Olakojo.

He continued that " if the rainfall is not well distributed and staggered, then such rain is useless to crop production, but only for land preparation with caution to plant because of heat that can easily kill the seeds. But a frequency of rainfall within the shortest possible time for crop life span will be good for agriculture. Also, the early rainfall will be good for cassava planted late last year, and yet to be harvested in the soil. The rain will resuscitate them to grow fatter as farmers' weeding will increase with extra cost while swampy areas of Fadama will also benefit in terms of natural water that will cover more land space"