NGO Takes Training On Planting, Management of Oil Palm Trees for Optimal Yield to Ibiono Ibom Community.

Akaiso Akaiso, Uyo.

In discharge of its core mandate to train farmers in the nine States of Niger Delta region on the best method to cultivate our staple farm crops including oil palm trees and manage them for optimal production for posterity, organized by  FSP, Mrs Bernedette J. Ekanem in partnership with foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND) and SHERDA has taken the training to six local governments in Akwa Ibom State, the latest being Ibiono Ibom local government.

The Farm service Provider (FSP) for Akwa Ibom and Beyelsa states, Mrs Bernadette John Ekanem who was on ground to drill the native farmers on the best practices to plant oil palm trees and also showed them the nitty gritty of practical aspect, was accompanied by one of her facilitators from the Akwa Ibom state Ministry of Agriculture identified as Mfon Uwah and others, headed straight to Edezabeth Integrated Farm owned and operated by a retired civil servant by name Edet Asuquo Ayara, for hands-on practical demonstration on the farm.

After a brief introduction of the entourage by the FSP the chief executive officer of the farm who is also into piggery and poultry farming, which explains why Integrated is added to the name of his farm, went down the memory lane on how he started his journey by getting financial support from a one time chairman of Akwa Ibom state chapter of PDP, Prince Uwem Ita Etuk to plant 300 stands of Tenera seedlings bought at N300 per stand.

Shortly after introductory formalities, natives of the community comprising the six villages of Mbiakpan Atan, Afaha Obio Eno, Mbiakpan Ikot Edim, Ikot Akpan, Use Ntuen and Nkim started streaming in, in their multipl thereby making the meeting ranked among the best in attendance since its flag off in Itu over a year ago.

Encouraged and energized by the impressive attendance, the FSP assisted by one of her facilitators from Ministry of Agriculture, who applauded the farm owner for applying the  best practices in keeping his farm except a few noticeable flaws, intimated the crowd on the appropriate method to start the planting of the oil palm trees and their management.

“The best method to plant oil palm seedlings is 9 x 9 triangular to allow the sun to touch both the fronts and soil to enable the oil palm trees to grow uninterruptedly.

Dig the hole on ground and leave it for some time to collect water and after planting the seedlings don’t cover the hole fully.

After three months apply Urea fertilizer at one ruler length apart from the base of the young plant after it grows bigger apply 12 12 17 2% MGO fertilizer and keep the base of your oil palm trees clear of weeds for proper monitoring.

When trimming your oil palm trees keep the fronts around the base a distance away to provide manure for the oil palm trees.”

Speaking further the Farm service provider said losses are often incurred by some oil palm trees plantation owners who usually leave supervision of their plantation to staffers, advising that such attitude should be jettisoned if owners desire to make gains.

“Always supervise your oil palm trees plantation to ensure no worker takes undue advantage of you. Oil Palm trees planting is a big business which requires the owner to invest not only his money but his time and energy as well.”

On the complaints of lack of land and where to source for genuine TENERA seedlings, the Farm Services Provider who is also known to so many as the Radio farmer program presenter in Akwa Ibom state, advised that prospective oil palm trees farmers should source for their seedlings from the state Ministry of Agriculture or certified nursery operators at N1000,00 to N1200,00 warning that price may go higher due to high cost of living. And should not wait until they acquire hectares of land before starting, but can start small around their backyard with 5 – 10 stands and grow from there.

“You can start by planting a few stands around your backyard. But you must watch out for the source you get your seedlings from, to avoid suffering from the fate of that Ibadan man who lost his entire savings to fake and uncertified  nursery dealers and died untimely.

Mrs Ekanem who had so far taken the training to Itu local government, her birth place where it was officially flagged off as previously stated had also covered Essien Udim, Ikono, Mkpat Enin and Ikot Ekpene local governments before the Ibiono Ibom, advised that time to plant spans from April to August during the pick of raining season. For those who might not be able to afford one or more stands, she asked them to keep a date with June 20, set aside by Akwa Ibom state for planting of Oil Palm Trees, saying they might be lucky to go home with a few stands for free.

The event featured some goodwill messages from Oil Palm plantation owners from the community including Elder Edet Ayara whose farm was used for the practical demonstration and the National president of Nigeria association of Technologists in engineering, Rt. Hon. Dominic Udoatan, himself an integrated farmer with over 150 stands of oil palm trees, poultry and piggery as additional sources of income.

Ayara who started farming business shortly after he returned from NYSC by going into piggery with only two pigs, noted that anything done with passion was bound to succeed. He therefore advised youth not to continue to roam about for white collar job that will never come, instead should get their hands on the plough, noting that with enough food on our table our problems are half solved. He took a swipe on those who are in the habit of reaping from where they didn’t sow and called for a stop forthwith.

On his part, Engr Udotan advised those who have inherited farms full of wild palm trees to cut them down and replace with the modern TENERA species, assuring that in no distant time they would gain as a barrel of red oil referred to as BLACK GOLD sells more than a barrel of crude oil in the international market.