Mr Rashad Shaibu, Kadjebi District Director of the Department of Food and Agriculture, has urged ginger farmers to adopt cultural practices, including land rotation, to control fungal diseases affecting ginger production in the district.
He also advised farmers to use only prescribed agrochemicals and apply them appropriately to help manage the disease and prevent further spreading to healthy farms.
Mr Shaibu said farmers needed to avoid cultivating ginger on farmlands previously infested with the disease, particularly those affected between 2022 and 2024, to minimise the risk of recurrence.
He explained that continuous cultivation of ginger on the same piece of land could contribute to the persistence and spread of disease-causing organisms in the soil.
Mr Shaibu made the call at a meeting in Kadjebi in the Oti Region.
He said the adoption of appropriate farm management practices was critical to sustaining ginger production and protecting farmers’ investments.
The District Director advised farmers to seek technical guidance from agricultural extension officers whenever they detected unusual symptoms on their farms instead of resorting to unapproved chemicals.
He stressed the importance of early detection and appropriate disease management, saying farmers should take preventive measures before the disease became widespread.
Mr Shaibu further encouraged farmers to maintain proper farm sanitation by removing and appropriately disposing of infected plant materials to reduce the possibility of spreading the disease to other parts of their farms.
He urged farmers to work closely with the Department of Food and Agriculture and follow recommended agronomic practices to improve crop health and productivity.
He said the Department remained committed to supporting farmers with technical advice to improve agricultural production and protect their livelihoods.
