Shiroro (Niger), Nigeria: A Corps Member in Niger, Mrs Rachael Nneka-Nwaugo, has invented a manual seed planter and fertiliser applicator to ease farming in the Zumba community in Shiroro Local Government of the state.
Nneka-Nwaugo, with service number NG/24C/311, serves at North-South Power (NSP), operators of the Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Plant.
She said on Thursday in Zumba that the project was part of her personal Community Development Service (CDS) initiative to reduce labour time and improve crop yield through agricultural technology.
Nneka-Nwaugo, who studied Agricultural and Bio-Environmental Engineering at the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa, said the input was inspired by the challenges she observed among farmers in the Zumba community and environs.
She explained that farmers often suffer back and waist pain from bending repeatedly while planting seeds, and that the manual seed planter and fertiliser applicator allow them to work while standing, improving comfort and efficiency.
According to her, the inputs ensure accurate seed placement, enable faster planting, and allow farmers to cultivate more crops in less time.
“With this equipment, the labour of farmers is significantly reduced, and yields are improved,” she said.
She urged farmers interested in acquiring the equipment to contact the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) department of NSP, noting that the equipment could be maintained like regular farm tools by properly cleaning it after use.
She disclosed that she planned to train other corps members in agricultural studies to produce the equipment in the future, to ensure sustainability beyond her service year.
Mr Chioke Ugochukwu, Chief Operating Officer of NSP, who was the Special Guest of Honour, commended the corps members for pioneering such a project in the community.
He said the innovation aligned with Niger State’s efforts to promote food security.
According to Ugochukwu, represented by Mr Jimoh Lasis, Head of Human Resources at NSP, the equipment reduces physical strain and enhances efficiency on the farm.
Also speaking was Dr Sam Esumeh, Consultant on Public Relations to NSP, who served as the Guest Speaker, lauding the corps member for her dedication and reiterating that the initiative would benefit the entire community.
He revealed that 100 units of each, the seed planter and the fertiliser applicator, would be made available to the community.
Chairman of the Occasion, Mr Martins Uzor, said the project was being demonstrated free of charge to allow farmers to learn how to use it. He described agriculture as a strategic choice for the community, given the state’s vast arable land.
The Ward Head of Zumba, Malam Musa Umaru, thanked the corps member for introducing the inputs, noting that they would make planting and fertiliser application easier, faster, and less stressful for farmers.
Umaru pledged that the community would sensitise farmers to take advantage of the new equipment to improve productivity.