Faced with irregular rains, the State anticipates

The scarcity of rain worries producers in the Tambacounda region. On tour on Friday September 18, the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, Cheikhou Oumar Ba, noted the difficulties in several farms and announced measures to limit risks in the agricultural campaign.

TAMBACOUNDA: The rainfall situation concerns farmers in Tambacounda. In Sinthiou Maléme, Saré Sidy, Médina Yéra and Diyabougou, the minister visited plots of rice, cotton, corn and fonio, facing rain breaks.

Producers have expressed concerns about the impact of water deficit on yields. Corn appears particularly vulnerable. “Corn risks having more problems because it is sensitive to water stress,” explained Cheikhou Oumar Ba.

Faced with this situation, the government intends to anticipate possible difficulties. The minister announced the strengthening of the provision of alternative crops, in particular cowpea and watermelon, in order to allow producers to diversify their crops.

Despite climatic hazards, Cheikhou Oumar Ba believes that producers who sowed on time could obtain “relatively decent” harvests in certain areas.

The needs for agricultural equipment were also mentioned. The minister pledged to repair broken tractors in the region. The tour ended in Dar Salam, where he visited a dairy and promised to support the realization of the project to better promote local dairy production.