Farmers encouraged to protect crops from potential damage due to increased rainfall

Farmers are being encouraged by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) to take proactive steps to assess and protect their crops during periods of heavy rainfall.

Senior RADA Plant Health and Food Safety Officer, Francine Webb, says farmers should first assess their fields as soon as it is safe to do so, in the aftermath of significant rainfall.

“What you would do is to conduct a field inspection. Here, you're checking for signs of disease, pest infestation and physical damage to the crops. You're looking for symptoms like leaf spots, wilting or root rot, just to be able to get an understanding of what exactly is happening in your field,” she told JIS News.

Webb also advised that farmers should prioritise drainage improvements in their fields.

She recommended clearing drains and trenches prior to the onset of heavy rains, to prevent waterlogging and allow for the soil to dry more quickly, “especially in areas prone to repeated flooding”.

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“Consider contouring or adding drainage channels to help manage water flow and prevent it from accumulating in your fields,” the RADA Officer said.

Farmers are also encouraged to obtain the appropriate treatments for their plants, to aid recovery after heavy rains.

Increased rainfall can create favourable conditions for the development of diseases in crops, particularly bacterial and fungal infections.

Webb highlighted the need for farmers to take preventative measures by applying fungicides before symptoms appear.

“In anticipation of the rain, what you can do is to apply preventative sprays for diseases. We don't wait to see diseases, you protect your plants or plant parts and leaves with fungicides. Here, we're talking about fungicides, such as your copper-based fungicides, and these will help in protecting your crops from common issues such as anthracnose and downy mildews, particularly with the increase in rainfall,” she informed.

For more tips on plant health and disease management, farmers are invited to visit RADA's local offices to contact their nearest extension officer, or call 876-977-1158.