How To Produce Cassava In Nigeria

Cassava is among the most staple foods and is in high demand. The crop have many uses and this incl and industrial uses.

Why Should You Do Cassava Business?

a. High consumption of cassava in Nigeria

This crop undergoes high consumption in Nigeria and is the third on the list of the crops in high demand. This list is according to the Food and Agricultural Organization. The consumption of this crop happens not only in Nigeria but also in Africa and the crop is affordable.

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b. High exporting potential of cassava

Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world and they consume an average of 45.6% and 45.7%. The rest goes to waste and this is due to inefficient processing. Thailand and Indonesia are countries dealing on this crop and many other countries need it.

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Multiple Uses Of Cassava

There are many uses of cassava and all parts of the crop are valuable. It’s roots make food and there can be replanting of this to make more cassava.

Leaves of cassava can serve as feed for livestock. Products of this crop can also serve industrial purposes and this can serve as a raw material.

High demand of cassava

There is high demand for the crop and this is for international and local markets. High demand contributes to the profitability of the venture and the demand is due to it’s diverse use. It’s demand is more than the supply.

Steps To Start Cassava Farming Enterprise In Nigeria

There are certain things you will have to do before you start cassava farming business. First you get a good business plan and then choose the variety of the crop. The steps are below:

1. Get A Suitable Farmland

Cassava can survive adverse conditions and it does well on a slopy or flat land consisting of human soil. This humus soil is able to retain water and the land should have efficient rainfall. Consider the following when you are going for a farmland:

a. The land should slope or be flat

b. Texture of the soil is a factor

c. Dense vegetation of the land is necessary

Land that have vegetation that is thick can favor cultivation and promote yield. Dense vegetation can help in covering the soil and this reduces the rate of the loss of water. There is improving of the soil organic content and this is obtainable when leaves decay after falling.
Ensure that the land is loam for better yield.

Clay or sandy soils are not very good for cassava and till. Note that there is more nutrients in the crop than in other soils.

Read Also: PROBLEM AND PROSPECT OF CASSAVA PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA

2. Developing The Land For Cassava Planting

The soil for your planting should be a favourable soil and you can do soil improvement. Take the following steps to improve the yield.

a. Manure application to the cassava land

You can increase soil yield and this is by adding manure to the soil and application of green manure applies. This green manure can be dead plants or crops like groundnut and beans.

Improve the texture of the soil by working materials ( green) into the soil and this is by ploughing. Wastes from animals can be a reasonable manure sources.

b. Cassava inter cropping with other crops

One of the excellent nutrients source is legumes and there is rotting of the falling leaves. This falling leaves promote the characteristics of soil. Doing inter cropping with melon, legumes, rice, maize and cowpea promote the nutrients of soil.

c. Farmland mulching

Mulching has to do with the covering of the farmland surface and this is with dead mulch. The materials that you can utilize for this foliage are: coffee hull, rice husk and also foliage.

This foliage can be from leguminous crops.
Cultivating the crop on a land with steep slope requires cassava planting with low growing and quick leaves. Building of ridges can help in water retention.

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3. Choose the best cassava variety

Choose the variety of cassava that is best and promotes the yield. Increasing the immunity of plants towards diseases and the promotion of quality soil is obtainable here. Take the following steps to choose the best variety:

a) Choose variety that are good as food and have much dry matter.

b) Consider varieties that can swell immediately and can produce food and choose them.

c) Another factor is the varieties that have good storability and a good variety matures within eight to nine months. Also the crop can stay in the ground for about 18 months before the harvest and this is a factor.

d) Choose varieties that have a resistance that is high and this is against diseases and pests.

4. Choose cassava stem cutting that is healthy

The next step that follows is choosing your stem and it should be healthy. Consider the following when picking stem cuttings:

a. Do not choose stems from plants with disease and pest damage.

b. Branches that have leaves are fresh and healthy and strong stems

c. Choose the cassava with 5-8 nodes and then cut the cassava stem.

Purchase the stems of the crop and you can get this from the market and local farms. Using the stem from your farm is beneficial and you can use this for planting next time.

5. Cassava Planting Process

Start planting your cassava and this is after you till the land with mechanical or manual method. You can also plant the stem using 2/3 of the length within the ground. Farming the crop requires water and it is preferable to do your plant on time.

Planting on time has to do with when the rains come and this helps yield. A hectare of land can make up to 12-15 tons and this with proper planting and preparation. Do weeding constantly after planting and this is to eliminate weed.

You can also till or leave plants that are leguminous and this promotes nutrients of the soil. Do weeding after two weeks of planting and fertilizer application also promote yield.

The Processing Of Cassava

There are many items to process the crop into and this include bread, flour and garri. This crop is also a material that can undergo processing into pharmaceuticals, biofuels, paper and ethanol. There may challenges in the cassava processing business like finance and variety.

You can get some from research centres and go for loans. You can start small if you don’t have enough capital and remember that the demand is still high.

Read Also: Problems and Prospects of Agriculture in Nigeria

Conclusion

Cassava have multiples uses and this include domestic and industrial uses. Producing and exporting this crop is a profitable venture in Nigeria. Good varieties and soil improvement techniques are useful in this farming business.

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