NIMET WARNS FARMERS AGAINST EARLY PLANTING, CALLS RECENT RAINFALL ‘DECEPTIVE’
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Agency Report
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has cautioned farmers against early planting of crops, warning that the recent rainfall recorded in parts of Oyo State should not be mistaken for the onset of the planting season.
The Oyo State Meteorological Manager of the agency, Emmanuel Udoh, gave the advice on Monday in Ibadan during a programme titled Dissemination of 2026 Weather Forecast in Oyo State.
Udoh described the recent rainfall as “deceptive,” noting that it does not indicate the beginning of the planting season.
According to him, the actual onset of rainfall for the 2026 farming season in the state is expected between April 15 and the end of April.
He explained that the appropriate time for planting is determined when soil moisture reaches about 50 per cent, which provides sufficient nutrition and support for crop growth.
“The variable we look at is when the soil moisture content is up to 50 per cent, which is enough for crops to use for nutrition and growth. That is what the agency calls the ‘onset of rain,’ and that is the right time farmers should start planting,” he said.
Udoh therefore urged farmers across the state’s 33 local government areas to follow the agency’s advisories and avoid being tempted to begin planting based on the recent rainfall.
Also speaking at the event, the Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said the state government would continue to prioritise agricultural development.
He noted that the weather forecast advisories would help farmers determine the most suitable time to begin planting and enable them to make informed decisions during the farming season.
Olaleye also highlighted some of the state government’s support for farmers, revealing that about 12,000 bags of fertiliser were distributed in 2025, while the cost of ploughing approximately 30,000 hectares of farmland was subsidised.
Representatives of farmers at the event, however, called on the government to strengthen security in farming communities.
The chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria in the state, Abass Adewunmi, urged authorities to address the persistent clashes between farmers and herders, which he said continue to threaten agricultural activities.
Adewunmi also advised cassava farmers not to be discouraged by the recent drop in cassava prices, encouraging them to take advantage of the forthcoming rainy season to increase production.
Similarly, a farmers’ leader in Akinyele Local Government Area, Bamiji Alabi, stressed the need for timely government support, warning that delays in providing farm inputs and assistance could negatively affect farming operations.
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