By Lamin Fatty
The Regional Director of Agriculture (RDA) for Upper River Region (URR) Karamo Minteh, said the distribution pattern of this year’s rainfall has been very erratic and poor in some areas. Minteh made this disclosure in an exclusive interview with this reporter on Thursday 29th August 2019, at his residence at the Agric. Directorate in Basse.
RDA Minteh said this year’s rainfall is heavier, but the distribution pattern is erratic as compared to last year. He said from June 24th to August 24th last year, there were 42 days of rain with a total rainfall of 592 millimeters, compared to the same time this year, with only 20 days of rain measuring 406 millimeters.
“We received the first rains in this region on the 18th of June 2019, but the amount was so insignificant with 2.7 millimeters recorded. The second rain came on the 22nd of the same month and it also was insignificant with the same measurement. The third rains which was significant measuring 33mm, saw some farmers sowing their seeds and this was from the 22nd to the 30th of June 2019,” Minteh said.
Mr. Minteh called on farmers to provide their own seeds no matter how small the harvest they may receive from their farms; that this will provide them with quality seeds with or without external support in preparation for the next cropping season. “Now what we advise farmers is to let them embark on cultivating early maturing crops. This is what we are sensitizing farmers through our radio programs and through our extension workers within the region,” Minteh concludes.
