BY SAMIE WAIKORI
Auki
MORE than 30 male farmers from Bethel village in West Kwara’ae have learnt new methods of planting root crops.
Manager of Adaliua Taiwan Technical Mission Mr Samson Hsu went to their village and taught them simple ways of farming or planting potato.
He first went through with them on the theory side of planting potato, then later took them out to the field where they underwent practical demonstrations on the methods he had taught.
During demonstration he also encouraged them to use natural fertiliser from green manure which will save them from costly commercial fertilisers.
Hsu did some measurement of spacing between the location of rows where the men put the fertilisers and dug the soil into them to make the rows.
After completing about two rows for the demonstration, he taught the men on how to plant the potato with only a vine per row.
He told them that he identified local farmers using up to eight vines to plant in a mound which is too many and will not make good harvest.
Hsu also points out that nature is also a very important player in farming, which determines whether the yield will be good or bad.
In addition to that he said “caring for your farm is very important ensuring your farm must clean from unnecessary weeds to make them grow healthy”.
Hsu encouraged the men that applying the Taiwanese method of root crop farming requires less resource and time, however, gives good harvest.
