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DANGERS NOBODY TOLD YOU BEFORE STARTING OIL PALM, COCONUT, AND OTHER PLANTATIONS

🔥 Just 30 minutes of fire can destroy what took you years to grow. 🔥

From November to February, the dry season makes plantations very vulnerable to fire outbreaks. If you’re not careful, all your hard work can go up in flames. Here’s what every farmer needs to know to protect their investment during this season:


WHAT CAUSES FIRE OUTBREAKS IN PLANTATIONS?

  1. Bush Burning: Many farmers or hunters burn bushes to clear land or hunt animals. These fires can spread to your plantation if there’s no barrier.
  2. Dry Leaves & Grass: During harmattan, dry leaves, fronds, and grasses become highly flammable, making it easy for any spark to start a fire.
  3. Smoking in or Near Plantations: Careless disposal of cigarette butts or matches can ignite fires.
  4. Overheating Machinery: Machines like tractors used in plantations can overheat and spark fires.
  5. Cooking or Campfires: If workers or nearby communities cook or light fires close to the plantation, the risk of spreading fire is high.
  6. Wind & Harmattan: The harmattan wind spreads small fires faster than you can control.

HOW TO PREVENT FIRE OUTBREAKS IN YOUR PLANTATION

  1. Clear Fire Traces Around Your Plantation:
  • Cut dry grass and weeds around the plantation and create fire belts (3-6 meters wide). These belts stop fires from spreading into your farm.
  1. Remove Dry Materials Regularly:
  • Gather and safely dispose of dry leaves, old fronds, and other flammable materials. Don’t leave them lying around.
  1. Monitor the Plantation Regularly:
  • Patrol your farm daily, especially during harmattan. Early detection of smoke or small fires can save your farm.
  1. Educate Everyone on Fire Safety:
  • Talk to workers, hunters, and nearby communities about the dangers of fire during this season. Make sure no one smokes, burns bushes, or lights fires near your plantation.
  1. Collaborate with Neighbors:
  • Work with other farmers around you to prevent fire outbreaks. Create fire belts together and share tips on fire safety.
  1. Equip Your Farm for Fire Emergencies:
  • Keep basic fire-fighting tools like buckets of water, fire extinguishers, and sandbags ready, especially during dry months.

REMEMBER: Fire outbreaks can destroy everything in minutes, but prevention can save your years of hard work. Take these steps seriously now, and your plantation will thank you later.

⚠️ Stay alert this harmattan season. Fires don’t give warnings. ⚠️

3 thoughts on “DANGERS NOBODY TOLD YOU BEFORE STARTING OIL PALM, COCONUT, AND OTHER PLANTATIONS

  1. Damian Izuchukwu Arinze says:

    This is a very important and pleasant conversation of how to prevent fire outbreak in our plantation. Thanks for the update

  2. Fred Uwagboe says:

    Thank you for the information provided. Very useful to beginner like me .

    1. Green Hybrid Empire says:

      You’re welcome

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