How Yam Farming Can Contribute To Our Economic In Nigeria (should read)



What exactly are the economic benefits of yam farming in
West Africa? Yam farming is obviously one of the most rewarding farm
businesses in Africa for many good reasons. Yam is one of the most
popular food staple in most African countries and beyond. It is prepared
in our kitchens in many forms pounded yam, porridge, friend yam, yam
with vegetables mention just a few. Without yam in the market, millions
of African families may starve.
Apart from feeding our stomach,
yam has other nutritional and health benefits. Yams complex
carbohydrates and fiber slows the rate at which sugars are released and
absorbed into the bloodstream. In addition, because theyre rich in
fiber, yams fill you up without filling out your hips and waistline.


Yams
are also a good source of manganese, a trace mineral that helps with
carbohydrate metabolism and is a co factor in a number of enzymes
important in energy production and antioxidant defenses. Thats how
mothers nature works; when She brings forth a food, She makes sure it
integrates everything needed to contribute to your health and vitality.

The Opportunities in Yam Farming

Yam
is quite pricey in the market and no amount produced that will be
enough let alone saturation. Yam can be exported to other countries to
earn foreign currency and improve the economy of Africa. In ancient time
down to very recently, the wealth of a man in Igboland is measured by
the quantity of yam he harvested. Yam is a symbol of wealth in Igboland
likewise many other places. Has this changed? The answer is no it is
our recent acquired poor orientation towards farming that is trying to
change it.

Ghana is the third largest yam producer in West Africa
after Nigeria and Cote dIvoire. But in exportation, they are the
leading exporter of yam accounting for over 94 percent of total yam
exports in West Africa.

The big question is: How come Nigeria is
the largest producer of yam in West Africa but Ghana is the largest
exporter of yam in the same West Africa? Nigeria and Ivory Coasts eyes
are still blind to the opportunities that exist in their hands. About 90
percent of Ghanas yams are exported to the US, UK and the Netherlands.

The Economic Benefits Of Yam Farming

Do
you know that 50,000 tubers of yam could make you N10 million in a
year? And what does it take to harvest 50,000 tubers of yam in a year? A
hundred meters of yam ridge takes 100 yams if spaced 1 meter apart
which is the standard recommended spacing. That means that five hundred
by five hundred meters of farm land can comfortably give you 50,000
tubers of yam in a year.
The problem we have in this country about
farming is that we are not used to thinking big, we only think of
farming as means of feeding our extended family in the village. No,
farming is far beyond that, it can make you millions of dollars.

To
cultivate 500 x 500 meters of farmland for yam, you will need N3-4
million and after harvesting and selling, you make N10 million selling
locally, making a profit of N6 million in a year. How many of you make
N6 million in a year from your hustle in Oshodi and Alaba and other
markets and streets in Africa? Why would you prefer to languish in
poverty and hardship when there is plenty opportunity in Yam Farming?
The season is about to begin. Be prepared!

From the above
analysis, you can see the economic benefits of yam farming in Nigeria
and West Africa. It is time to invest more in this sector of farming in
Nigeria.

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *