From Nasir Shuaibu, BAUCHI
The Bauchi State Government has suspended insecticide spraying on farmlands following concerns that the practice could affect crops and livestock and further expose farming and pastoral communities to avoidable risks.
Governor Bala Mohammed announced the suspension on Monday at a stakeholders’ meeting on agriculture, where he urged government agencies and rural communities to improve communication and collaboration.
The governor said stronger cooperation between farmers and livestock owners was essential, particularly during the dry and rainy seasons, to protect livelihoods and sustain peaceful coexistence.
He faulted inadequate public sensitisation ahead of major farming periods, saying farmers needed early and accurate information on government directives and approved agricultural practices.
Mohammed specifically urged relevant agencies, including BASDP and the Ministry of Agriculture, to intensify public awareness and ensure that farmers understood the proper and safe use of agricultural chemicals.
He said early communication would not only protect crops and livestock but also prevent misunderstanding, protect farmers’ investments and reduce tensions between farming and pastoral communities.
The governor further directed relevant authorities to enforce agricultural regulations while ensuring that affected communities were adequately informed before implementing policies or restrictions.
Speaking earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Aminu Hamayo, said the meeting followed complaints that insecticides had been sprayed on some farmlands as part of efforts to enforce the government’s directive on the “Right of Way” law.
Hamayo urged government agencies, farmers’ associations, livestock owners and other stakeholders to work together in addressing agricultural challenges before they escalated into conflicts.
He said the government was committed to finding practical solutions that would protect livelihoods, improve agricultural productivity and strengthen peaceful relations among communities in Bauchi State.
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