Daily Trust (Abuja)
Hamisu Muhammad
26 June 2009
The Nigeria Meteorological Agency has said there is no delay in this year's rainfall in most parts of the country.
The Director General of NIMET, Anthony Anuforum was responding to the complaints by farmers about the delay in the rainy season in most parts of the north.
He told Daily Trust yesterday that the onset date for rainy season for this year falls within a normal range predicted for the year 2009 which was carried out by the Agency early January.
Anuforum who spoke through his technical assistant, Mr Ejike Alozie said most part of northern Nigeria have witnessed significant amount of rainfall, which is more than enough to start plantation.
He said there was no empirical evidence to prove that the onset of the rainfall this year is late, saying that some farmers made mistake to rushed to the farmlands early enough for seeing first rainfall without waiting for the exact period.
He said the Agency had captured rainfall data from June 1 to 10, 2009 which shows Bauchi recorded 39.9mm, Kano -25.6mm, Katsina-19.6mm, Potoskum-19.5mm, Sokoto 35.9mm, Yelwa- 36.9mm, Gombe -68.3mm.
According to him, only 10mm of rain is needed to start farming because at that time the soil moisture is enough for seeds to germinate.
NIMET boss said some of the areas that witnessed delay in onset are around Maiduguri sites where there were strong sandstorms with strong winds, almost 40 kms (20m/s) speed.
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