Ogechukwu Kate is a 27 years old female final year student of the Ebonyi State University. In this exclusive online interview with National Reformer Newspaper, she bares her mind on why she went into Cassava Farming.  Happy Reading:

Please, may we meet you?

My name is Uka Ogechukwu Kate. I hail from Edda in Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. A potential 400 level Student of Ebonyi State University. Studying History and International Relations. Am 27 years old.

Why did you choose to go farming for Cassava?

Smiles. I choose to farm cassava because I was hungry and I didn’t have 400 naira at that time to buy 13 cups of garri so I decided to hit the farm considering the fact that I am fit to do it.

Do you have any regrets?

Not at all. Because the single act of mine quenched my hunger and that of my family and I am extremely happy.

Where is your farm?

Well, am not a farmer professionally and the farm I harvested the cassava is located in one village in Ishiagu, Ebonyi State. The farmland belongs to my friend’s mother.

How much do you make?

I didn’t process the garri for commercial purpose but for my consumption so I didn’t sell it.

What are your challenges?

Like I said earlier, am not a professional farmer but I think farmers encounter some challenges such as; Rainfall which is seasonal, scarce or unreliable. This causes crop failure. Poor soil and soil erosion which lead to low productivity and loss of valuable  agricultural lands.(c) Pests and diseases which affect both

land cultivators and livestock rearers.(d) Farmers suffer from low and fluctuating market prices for their products.( e) In the more remote areas, farmers often have difficulty in getting their surplus produce to the market. Some farmers have had to reduce their scale of operation because of the lack of access roads.(f)A lot of produce got spoilt in because of poor storage facilities.

Would you recommend Cassava Farming for our youths and unemployed graduates?

Yes. This is because when it comes to fighting poverty, agriculture is more effective than other sectors. Increasingly, the world is counting on agriculture to produce food in order to improve livelihoods of a booming population especially the poor. One thing I like about farming is that it is not dependent on educational background. Everybody can practice the occupation, irrespective of her educational status. I encourage our youths to go into farming because it is lucrative and the demand for food never dies. In fact, it is always there and increasing. Food is life and every human being no matter his or her socio-economic status or how sophisticated he or she is, needs food for survival. One can go three days, weeks or even months without money but one cannot go a day without food, unless of course you are fasting (laughs). Cassava farming is good and profitable. Cassava has many advantages over other crops. This is because several kinds of food can be derived from cassava such as garri, fufu, alibo, Abacha, etc and these items when sold can generate a huge amount of money.

If you see the Minister of Agriculture, what are you going to tell him?

I will congratulate him for the wonderful work he has done so far and also urge him to do more in encouraging agriculture. This is because investments in agriculture the best weapon against hunger and poverty which can make life better for the citizens. Our agricultural sector needs to be more innovative, coordinated and focused to help poor farmers grow more. If that can be achieved, suffering will be dramatically reduced and self sufficiency will be built. The approach used today to fight against poverty, such as empowerment programs, collaboration with other economies, etc are outdated and inefficient, the ministry of agriculture should commit to concrete, measurable target for increasing agricultural productivity, creating markets for agricultural products. In order to fight poverty, we need food security because it is only when you eat that you can stay alive to behold the beautiful future God has prepared for this country.

Is farming profitable?

Farming can be enormously profitable. Why shouldn’t it be? But mind you that profit doesn’t just happen; you need to plan for it and make it happen. Producing food for people is critically community service that requires no less skill than doctors or computer programmers possess. Be clear on your goal, have a good understanding of your cost, and set your prices accordingly. With a bit of skill and luck, you’ll be able to achieve your farm profit and make a good life on the farm for you and your family.

Thanks For Your Time.