My input and engagement in small-medium scale farming: scouting and inspection visit to proposed farmland

Nigeria is currently braced with food insecurity, which has gradually escalated to mini-protests, expressions of hunger and anger by citizens, and very recently, looting of warehouses or trucks, as seen on the NEWS here. Personally, I believe food insecurity facing Nigeria stems from insecurity of lives and properties, as there has been an upsurge in the number of kidnappings, killings, and destruction of farms by herdsmen. How would there be abundance when the farmers are scared of going to the farm, and thus, a significant amount of food is lost in a country where there are arable farmlands?

Life itself is a risk, as nothing is guaranteed. Taking calculated risks reduces losses and recklessness, and thus, in a bid to survive and have a means of sustenance, I have considered engaging in another farming season here in Nigeria. Since my proposed farming is small-scale farming, a mental business plan with adequate record-keeping would suffice. I engaged in crop cultivation two years ago and had a fair yield, recouping capital and making a small profit. Lessons were equally learned, and such factors would be factored into the proposed and subsequent farming seasons.

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MENTAL AND FINANCIAL PREPARATION

My first decision is to make up my mind to farm despite the seemingly obvious challenges of limited resources, farmland encroachment by Fulani herdsmen, uncoordinated bush burning by villagers, unfavorable weather, and perhaps stringent policies by the government, of which the latter is less likely as regards the proposed small-scale farming. The crops I am proposing to cultivate are for a period of three months, and applying the concept of mixed cropping would be advantageous for me. Here, I needed to convince myself to engage in farming this year; starting small is better than going out big. Even if I wanted to go all out, limited resources would be a hindrance. Hive, as overtime relieved me of financial obligations and needs from the little and honest earnings made on this block chain, is a big blessing, I would say. Though I could not save much on Hive as we are at a point in Nigeria where the citizens need saving, I have some little extra funds saved up that I intend to invest with, and if there is a need to, take some soft loans or do a power down.

FARMLAND - SITE LOCATION
As much as I would love to wake up every morning to see my farmland, the population explosion in urban areas has warranted that I seek out farmlands in a little distant location from town. The last farm exercise I engaged in was about 90 minutes away from the capital city, which made it unattractive for me to visit often. Luckily, I got an offer from an estate agent I have known for about two years now. The farm site was 15 minutes from the outskirts of town and an extra thirty minutes from my house, which seems like a fair deal. Here also, there are limited incidents of farm encroachment by herdsmen; however, we cannot be too confident. The village head is the facilitator of the farmlands and has been equally carried along, as the labor would be mostly facilitated by him.

In order to cut my coat according to my size, the maximum farm size I am considering is two acres, which is about 16 plots, or two standard football pitches. Buying two acres at that location costs ₦1,600,000 (1000 dollars at the rate of 1600:1 dollar), which excludes the 10% surcharge and agent fee, respectively. Eventually, about ₦2, 000,000 will be exhausted to have full ownership of the proposed land. The alternative and cheaper route is to lease the land. Here, I am able to save a lot of money that is not even available. The cost of leasing an acre of land for farming is ₦20, 000 per annum. Thus, with ₦40, 000, I will have the 2-acre farmland to myself for the desired farming project. You will agree with me that this is a much better alternative, as the extra funds, if available, can be channeled into other segments of farming. Preferably, I'll opt for leasing, which is more cost-friendly.

Procrastination is a thief of time. If you want to be serious about any project or investment, it is always advised to take the first step, which often involves spending some money. Making payments for the acres is my next goal, which I intend to achieve within the next few days. A few other intending farmers have paid for their farm leases, while I learned another man bought 51 acres.

I have learned to always see and feel what I want to buy. The site inspection is significantly satisfying, as I have had first hand experience with spot assessment.

Manual clearing of the farmland for other interested farmers is ongoing by laborers, and this method seems to be a better approach to retaining soil nutrients. Lucky for us, the farms have been left fallow for about two years, which has allowed for the recuperation of lost nutrients. Notwithstanding, there will be a need for fertilizer application when farming commences in earnest.

With the level of food insecurities world wide and most especially in Nigrria, farming remains a viable means of survival when proper logistics and planning are done. I'm optimistic this year would be productive as I gather more artillery for the farm. My earnings on the block chain would cater for most of my expenses.

We ended the farm inspection with a visit to a restaurant as I was famished.