Mr. Hassan Abdulateef, a rice farmer from Difa Community in Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State, has revealed that he earns at least N2.5 million annually from rice farming.
Speaking on Monday, Abdulateef said rice cultivation has been his sole occupation for the past 20 years. He described rice farming, particularly during the dry season through irrigation, as a lucrative agricultural venture that young people could explore for self-employment and economic empowerment.
“I have been cultivating rice during the dry season for the past two decades in Difa Community. This is my only job, and it sustains my household,” Abdulateef explained.
He added that while his gross earnings from rice farming can reach between N4 million and N5 million annually, the high cost of farming inputs significantly reduces his net profit. “After deducting expenses for fertilizers and security, I usually end up with about N2.5 million,” he said.
One of the biggest challenges Abdulateef faces is the frequent attacks on his farms by hippopotamuses. To protect his crops, he spends around N600,000 every year hiring hunters to repel the animals, which mostly attack at night during the three months between planting and harvesting.
Abdulateef urged youths in Gombe State who have access to water bodies to consider irrigation farming as a viable means of livelihood rather than waiting for white-collar jobs.
He also called on the State Government to provide support in the form of irrigation facilities and farming inputs for young farmers, especially those living near water sources, to boost dry-season farming.
Additionally, he appealed to the government to take measures to address the persistent hippopotamus attacks on farmlands to help minimize yearly losses faced by farmers.
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