Increased solar radiation: Researcher opts for cocoyam planting under shades

Increased solar radiation induced by intense climatic change has been identified as having mitigating impact on cocoyam hence the need to plant under trees to provide shade for the crop, especially in south eastern part of Nigeria.

A University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT don, Dr. Clara Ifeanyi-Obi, handed down this advice to cocoyam farmers in Umuahia, while delivering her paper at a workshop on “cultivating cocoyam under a changing climate, organised by Climate Impact Research Capacity and Leadership Enhancement (CIRCLE) for cocoyam farmers drawn from the 17 local government areas of Abia.

Ifeanyi-Obi farmers to cultivate the crop under tree shades in order to shield it from the harsh effect of intense radiation from the sun, advising “Plant cocoyam where there are trees in order to reduce excessive heat”, pointing out that the line trees would help to provide shade for the crop against the persistent and intense heat that had arisen from climate change.

“Currently, there is increased solar radiation and results from recent researches on how to mitigate the impact on cocoyam show that trees can provide shade for the crop. So we advocate planting of trees in lines in your farm,” the researcher said, adding that by so doing, the crop would be insulated from excessive heat.

The UNIPORT Lecturer who is a researcher on Climate Change, further spoke on other means of adapting cocoyam farming to climate change and how to overcome the constraints, especially in the southeast, recommending increased use of organic and inorganic manure, more frequent weeding to protect the crop from struggling for the available nutrients with the weeds, as well as the application of indigenous knowledge, especially the use of mud-floor barn for a more effective storage and preservation of the crop.

Also speaking, a renowned advocate of cocoyam rebirth in the country and lecturer at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU Dr. Godwin Chukwu, urged farmers to “feed the crop and soil well for better yield”, adding “When you feed the soil and crop well, you get the desired yield and reward for your toils.”

He allayed the fear that some of the health challenges in the country, such as cancer, became prevalent because of the use of inorganic to boost crop yield, pointing out that the quantity of fertilizer used by farmers in the country had not been adequate enough to associate the chemical with health problems, stating “No fertilizer, no cocoyam”.

The university don who also recommended the use of improved variety of cocoyam “that have proved to be disease-resistant”, disclosing that the National Root Crop Research Institute, Umudike, near Umuahia, imported 50 exotic varieties from India, Jamaica and America among other countries to drive its cocoyam rebirth programme.

He called for the multiplication and distribution of the exotic varieties to farmers for enhanced yield, while advocating for heavy earth to support the crop and help to preserve the soil moisture in the face of intense heat.

Another lecturer at UNIPORT, Dr. Chinelo Ugwuja, who lectured on “Making farming viable and profitable in the face of limited resources,” also urged farmers to change their mindset from subsistence farming and begin to approach cocoyam cultivation as an enterprise, advising them to develop the necessary skills to manage their farm as business.

Other experts, who made positive contributions on the issue, included the Programme Manager, Abia Agricultural Development Programme (ADP), Mr. Bartho Onyemaobi, Prof. Martins Adesope also of UNIPORT, Mr. Johnson Ibe, a Deputy Director, Abia ADP, and Dr. Godwin Nnaji, a lecturer at MOUAU.

They expressed their delight that deliberate and consistent efforts were being made by Nigerian researchers to evolve pragmatic ways to reduce the harmful effects of cocoyam by climate change and preserve it from going extinct.

In an interview with newsmen later, Ifeanyi-Obi said that the presentation would be organised in the five southeast states to educate the farmers on how to adapt cocoyam to climate change and how to overcome the constraints.

High points of the workshop included an exhibition of a variety of chips, snacks and delicacies made with cocoyam, award to the best farmer during the exhibition and presentation of certificate of participation to the at least 50 participants at the event.

A new cooperative, comprising farmers from the Umuahia, Ohafia and Aba zones was also formed, with Dr. Luke Onyemdi from Aba zone elected as the state coordinator, along with six other officers.