New Tech Essential for Nigerian Farmers Against Armyworms

Dr. Sina Behmanesh, the Chief Executive Officer of Informiton, a firm based in Virginia, United States, advocates for the adoption of new agricultural technologies to help Nigerian commercial farmers combat the Fall Armyworms that devastate maize farms in the North.

He points out that the disparity between investment and returns frustrates farmers, attributing this to the lack of access to advanced technology, incentives, and infrastructure. Behmanesh explains that American agriculture benefits from a capital-deep, labor-scarce system, while Nigerian agriculture is labor-rich and capital-scarce, dominated by smallholders.

He notes that the real gap lies not in the farmers' intelligence or effort but in the surrounding support systems. Behmanesh warns that pests like Fall Armyworm are evolving resistance to chemicals, leading to increased pesticide use and environmental contamination.

He suggests that Nigeria's crop diversity and young farming population present unique advantages that could be leveraged with the right technological advancements.