By UCHECHUKWU CHIKWEKWEM
CHIKA Aimudu is a technician in love with farming. In this interview he describes the joy and love he derives from farming as well as his experience in the nine years he has been cultivating vegetables.
What do you cultivate?
I deal with vegetables, water leaves, bitter leaves, maize and okro due to the limited land I have.
What motivated you into farming?
Although I’m a technician, I have discovered there is something we have not been seeing in the future. Those that start on time will be able to catch up with the future, so my motivation is to be a consultant in future. In order for me to get that experience, I have to go low and do it. Before now,
I have been passionate about farming and in future, there will be more mechanized farmers, they are the people that have experience in the field.
So, how long have you been farming?
By the special grace of God, I have been farming for 9 years.
How profitable has it been?
I’m really making profit especially from vegetables; people consume it everyday and as things are becoming very dear, people are now going for vegetables and the market is moving very well.
How did you get your land?
The land is not mine. It’s Nigerian Army land that has not been developed yet, so instead of it lying fallow and overgrown with weeds , we just decided to farm on it until they are ready to develop it. There’s limited land to farm in Lagos unlike in Ogun State which has lots of arable land.
How many farmers are in your area?
There are lots of farmers who are supplying the bulk of vegetables in Nigeria. We are producing more than any other state and we also export. We are about 300 in this area.
Are you getting any support from government?
Not really; as government’s focus is the oil sector which is failing them now despite the fact that we produce vegetables that Ogun State comes to buy and even people from Ibadan, because we produce all seasons. When there is no rain, we use boreholes. The government is not doing anything and even when Canadians came to help us, the government claimed the credit, so we mocked them and they eventually blocked the help we were getting from Canada. On any little thing , they blame God not knowing we are the cause of our problems. Fertilizer is very expensive but it’s just that we know how to handle the situation that’s why it’s not really affecting us. It is the main reason why some people backed out, because they don’t have the money. Thank God for the West which developed new technology and is producing a liquid substance which is really working. That’s what they’ve introduced to us and so many farmers are buying it because it’s cheaper than fertilizer and lasts longer.
What’s your advice to anybody who wants to farm?
They should know what they’re coming to do and where they’re going, because farming is like schooling. You don’t just remain static unless you don’t have any- thing upstairs. So, in farming, you look for the market, the crops and distribution.
How far are you willing to go in farming?
My aim is to become a consultant. So, when you are stressing yourself ,you are just getting experience, because they mainly need those that have the experience not theorists or academics. That’s what many youths should know and foreign farmers seek those who know how to farm, not even those who read agriculture.