From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
Smartisan Investment Nigeria Limited, a Chinese agricultural investment company, has introduced a new spraying technology aimed at boosting crop yield and reducing production costs for farmers in Kano State.
Speaking during a demonstration in Kura Local Government Area on Sunday, the company’s representative, Charles Lee, said the technology—popularly referred to as agricultural spraying drums—has the capacity to replace the tedious traditional method of applying chemicals and fertilizer manually.
Lee, who has lived in Nigeria for 16 years, said the new device can perform the work of about 40 farmhands in a single day, making it possible to complete large-scale spraying within hours.
According to him, the inefficiency of manual spraying often results in significant losses during pest outbreaks, as many farmers are unable to cover their farmlands within the critical period of two to three days.
“With this machine, a farmer can finish spraying 10 hectares in one day. When pests arrive, you don’t have time to waste because the damage can reach 50 percent. This technology ensures quick response,” he said.
Lee added that the spraying system has been successfully deployed in China, Kenya, and Mozambique, increasing farmers’ harvests by 15 to 20 percent annually. The device breaks chemicals into ultra-fine particles of about 10 micrometres, ensuring deeper penetration and full coverage of both sides of plant leaves.
He also explained that the technology reduces chemical consumption by up to 40 percent, saving costs for farmers.
“Hand-spraying wastes a lot of chemical. With this system, the chemical becomes fog and reaches where human hands cannot. It reduces cost, increases yield, and is safer for the environment,” he said.
Lee apologised for the late start of the event, attributing it to logistical hitches, and said stakeholders were invited to understand the technology and its benefits.
