"Nobody saw this coming. You can’t plan for it. It hits and you react"
This is the exact words of Dave Puglia , President and CEO of Western Growers. true, nobody saw COVID 19 coming nor do anyone planned for it.
5 years later we're looking back on Lessons Learned From the outbreak and the impact it's had on all of us.
The effects of COVID-19 was felt in almost every sector, and agriculture is not exempted.
Social distancing requirements and travel restrictions prevented farmers from sowing their crops, leading to labor disruption. Shops were closed temporarily, everyone was afraid of contacting COVID 19 and as a result, food was scarce. How then do me and my family survived during this period?
Before COVID 19 gets to Nigeria, we received a timely warning of what lies ahead and tips on how to cope since we don't know the exact time the COVID 19 will end or will be under control.
First thing we did was to go back to farm immediately.
First, we started with cassava harvesting since we have up to 3 plots of land we were farming at that time. It wasn't easy to be sincere but since life was involved, we gave it our all.
At the same time, we had farms we just planted on and weeds are coming up. We made sure we clear the farm and funny enough every one in my family was working hand in hand to make sure we save enough before COVID 19 reaches Nigeria.
After harvesting the cassava, we peal it, wash it then went to where to grand it. After some days we went back there, carried it and after sieving it, we fry it.
Gari is not porridge. It is flakes made from cassava. Water and sugar can be added to it to be taken. You can choose to add milk, groundnut, coconut, sugar or salt. So we made sure we store enough garri and corn before COVID disrupt people's movement here in Nigeria.
I can remember recently when my dad asked one of my sibling to join him in the farm, he was angry maybe because he had already planned where to go. But my dad had to remind him the importance of farming taking him back to COVID 19 period. He told him... Hope you know how farming saved us during COVID 19, while others where hungry did you search for food? Where you not the one eating and drinking garri? So why are you frowing because i asked you to join me in the farm? Without wasting of time.. my brother joined him.
Farming really saved us during COVID 19
