Farmers Recount the Benefits of AKILIMO in Cassava Production

The outgrower farmers of Psaltry International Limited (PIL) have started experiencing the positive impact of ACAI’s AKILIMO tool. A number of success stories in relation to the use of AKILIMO tools have emerged. Farmers from Ado Awaye in Iseyin Local Government of Oyo State under the out-grower scheme of Psaltry recounted stories about how their cassava production has drastically improved due to application of the recommendations gotten from AKILIMO on their farms. The farmers were delighted because this has translated to increase in their cassava yields, an experience that they have not previously had.

AKILIMO offers a Decision Support tools suite and materials for cassava growers, extension workers, and organizations that promote improved cassava cultivation practices. These tools have been developed by evaluating agronomic technologies in the fields of over 5,000 cassava growers in Nigeria and Tanzania.

In the bilateral meeting held with PIL through the facilitation of Thompson Ogunsanmi (ACAI Scaling Specialist) and Adekunbi Saburi (MEL Officer), the farmers confirmed they used AKILIMO Fertilizer Recommendation (FR), Scheduled Planting and High Starch (SP-HS) tools in their fields. According to one of the farmers, Ogunniyi Oluwagbenga AKILIMO is a modern technology that helped farmers put an end to their continuous toiling without a commensurate improvement in yields.

Another farmer Olugbile Adelani also noted that his farmland, which had hitherto returned six tonnes of cassava in yield, has now produced 12 tonnes of cassava per acre. This was after he had applied the 6 steps of the FR tool with consideration of other agronomic practices.

One of the farmers also recounted their joy about their newly found knowledge of how to know exactly their land area; this has particularly put an end to recurrent arguments between farmers and their farm workers and it has helped them in reducing the cost of ploughing and ridging of their farmlands.