Nigeria is one of the largest producers of potatoes in Africa. The potato was introduced to the country in the 19th century by Christian missionaries and is largely cultivated in the central region of the country in Plateau State.
The Irish potato was first brought into Nigeria in the 19th century by Christian missionaries. During World War II, the colonial government encouraged Nigerian farmers to grow potatoes to feed British troops stationed in West Africa. [1] A handful of European potato varieties, including pinepernel, ackersegen, dekema, and roslin eburu were introduced to Nigeria afterwards to little success. In the early 1970s, the State Ministry of Agriculture in Benue took in another set of varieties including ajax, mirka, spunta, Nicola, desiree, diamant, dan-Cameroon, alpha, cardinal and Baraka. [2] In 1976, the Potato Research Programme of the National Roots Research Institute was established in Kuru, to look into ways of improving potato production in the country. In 1986, yet another set of varieties was imported into Nigeria: kondor, bertita, delcora, vento, famosa and romano. [3]
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
---|---|
Energy | 321 kJ (77 kcal) |
17.47 g | |
Starch | 15.44 g |
Dietary fiber | 2.2 g |
0.1 g | |
2 g | |
Vitamins | Quantity %DV† |
Thiamine (B1) | 7% 0.08 mg |
Riboflavin (B2) | 3% 0.03 mg |
Niacin (B3) | 7% 1.05 mg |
Pantothenic acid (B5) | 6% 0.296 mg |
Vitamin B6 | 23% 0.295 mg |
Folate (B9) | 4% 16 μg |
Vitamin C | 24% 19.7 mg |
Vitamin E | 0% 0.01 mg |
Vitamin K | 2% 1.9 μg |
Minerals | Quantity %DV† |
Calcium | 1% 12 mg |
Iron | 6% 0.78 mg |
Magnesium | 6% 23 mg |
Manganese | 7% 0.153 mg |
Phosphorus | 8% 57 mg |
Potassium | 9% 421 mg |
Sodium | 0% 6 mg |
Zinc | 3% 0.29 mg |
Other constituents | Quantity |
Water | 75 g |
| |
†Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA FoodData Central |
[4] The potato is a tuber crop which has high nutritional value. It has protein, calcium, and vitamin C. One potato of medium size contains 50 percent of the daily vitamin C needs of an adult. Its protein content is reported to be very high compared to other tubers and roots. [5]
According to a 2013 study, Nigeria ranks seventh among potato-producing countries in Africa and fourth in Sub-Saharan Africa, [6] with an annual production yield of around 843,000 tonnes (830,000 long tons; 929,000 short tons) and an actual planted area of 270,000 hectares (670,000 acres). [7] In spite of that, the average yield in Nigeria of 3.1 tonnes/ha is among the world's lowest. [8]
Potato production in Nigeria predominantly occurs in small farms whose farmers still rely on traditional tools such as machetes and hoes as opposed to tractors. [9] According to a 2012 study, an estimated 300,000 households in Nigeria engage in potato production, which translates to an average planted area of 1 hectare (2.5 acres) per household each year. [10] The country's main potato-planting region is the Plateau State (Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, and Mangu) which accounts for almost half of the national potato yield. [11] [10] Other potato-producing areas include Kaduna and Benue. Potato production takes place in both the wet season (April till August) and the dry season (September till March). Additionally, a low level of production occurs from October till January in Kano. [10]
The potatoes are then graded by the Potato Research Programme. On average, some 200,000 tonnes (200,000 long tons; 220,000 short tons) of locally farmed potatoes are sold within the country each year while another 100,000 tonnes are unofficially sold across the West African borders. [12] Potato production in Nigeria faces many constraints, including the unavailability of good-quality potato seeds, poor storage methods, insufficient education on farming methods and pest control, inadequate research and development, and inadequate farming equipment. [13]
https://search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AE6B6RIWCWHM6C8S/pages?as=text&view=scroll French fries and potato crisps are widely consumed in Nigeria, with locally produced potatoes being used to make Monties and The Kings potato crisps. [14] However, the majority of potato-based snacks in the country are still imported. [15]
Manihot esculenta, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca, is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. Though it is often called yuca in parts of Spanish America and in the United States, it is not related to yucca, a shrub in the family Asparagaceae. Cassava is predominantly consumed in boiled form, but substantial quantities are used to extract cassava starch, called tapioca, which is used for food, animal feed, and industrial purposes. The Brazilian farinha, and the related garri of West Africa, is an edible coarse flour obtained by grating cassava roots, pressing moisture off the obtained grated pulp, and finally drying it.
Ullucus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Basellaceae, with one species, Ullucus tuberosus, a plant grown primarily as a root vegetable, secondarily as a leaf vegetable. The name ulluco is derived from the Quechua word ulluku, but depending on the region, it has many different names. These include illaco, melloco, chungua or ruba, olluco or papalisa, or ulluma.
Jos is a city in the north central region of Nigeria. The city has a population of about 900,000 residents based on the 2006 census. Popularly called "J-Town", it is the administrative capital and largest city of Plateau State.
Benue State is one of the North Central states in Nigeria with a population of about 4,253,641 in 2006 census. The state was created in 1976 among the 7 states created at that time.The state derives its name from the Benue River which is the second largest river in Nigeria. The state borders Nasarawa State to the North; Taraba State to the East; Kogi State to the West; Enugu State to the South-West; Ebonyi and Cross-Rivers States to the South; and has an international border with Cameroon to the South-East. It is inhabited predominantly by the Tiv, Idoma and Igede. Minority ethnic groups in Benue are Etulo, Igbo, Jukunpeoples etc. Its capital is Makurdi. Benue is a rich agricultural region; popularly grown crops include: oranges, mangoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, soya bean, guinea corn, flax, yams, sesame, rice, groundnuts, and Palm Tree.
Plateau State is the twelfth-largest Nigerian state. It is in the centre of the country includes a range of hills surrounding the Jos Plateau, its capital, and the entire plateau itself.
The Kofyar are a population in central Nigeria numbering around 50,000. After several anthropological studies, they provide good illustrations of how colonial authorities become unwittingly enmeshed in local politics; of sustainable subsistence agricultural production in crowded areas; of successful self-directed development of market-oriented agriculture; and of the use of "traditional" cultural resources to prosper in modern Nigeria.
Coleus esculentus, synonym Plectranthus esculentus, also known as the kaffir potato or Livingstone potato, is a species of plant in the dicot family Lamiaceae. It is indigenous to Africa, where it is grown for its edible tubers. It is more difficult to cultivate than Coleus rotundifolius, but able to give greater yields. Although the crop is similar to a potato, it is from the mint family, but it is still quite nutritious and useful. This crop can benefit many subsistence farmers since it is native, easy to grow, enjoying growing popularity in the market, and quite nutritious.
Yam is the common name for some plant species in the genus Dioscorea that form edible tubers. Yams are perennial herbaceous vines cultivated for the consumption of their starchy tubers in many temperate and tropical regions, especially in West Africa, South America and the Caribbean, Asia, and Oceania. The tubers themselves, also called "yams", come in a variety of forms owing to numerous cultivars and related species.
Agriculture in Nigeria is a branch and one of the major part of the economy in Nigeria, providing employment for about 35% of the population as of 2020. As reported by the FAO, agriculture remains the foundation of the Nigerian economy, despite the presence of oil in the country. It is the main source of livelihood for most Nigerians, as it provides food for the populace. It is a very important and invaluable sector in the nation Nigeria whose contributions can certainly not be ignored due to the fact that every year this sector manages to make provisions for millions of jobs for the people, tonnes of food products and important raw materials which are generated into economic increase and change for the nation. Putting aside the existence of Crude oil, Nigeria proceeds to rely on the agricultural products exported to generate and create most of its national revenue. Agriculture, however contributes a lesser percentage of the national GDP to industrialized countries while the economy of these industrialized nations are not as dependent on agriculture as they were before, however there would be extreme harm done if all of a sudden exports were to be immobilized. The Agricultural sector in Nigeria is made up of four sub-sectors: crop production, livestock, forestry and fishing.
Farming in North Korea is concentrated in the flatlands of the four west coast provinces, where a longer growing season, level land, adequate rainfall, and good irrigated soil permit the most intensive cultivation of crops. A narrow strip of similarly fertile land runs through the eastern seaboard Hamgyŏng provinces and Kangwŏn Province.
Agriculture in Ghana consists of a variety of agricultural products and is an established economic sector, providing employment on a formal and informal basis. It is represented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Ghana produces a variety of crops in various climatic zones which range from dry savanna to wet forest which run in east–west bands across Ghana. Agricultural crops, including yams, grains, cocoa, oil palms, kola nuts, and timber, form the base of agriculture in Ghana's economy. In 2013 agriculture employed 53.6% of the total labor force in Ghana.
Agriculture in Cameroon is an industry that has plenty of potential.
Agriculture in Kenya dominates Kenya's economy. 15–17 percent of Kenya's total land area has sufficient fertility and rainfall to be farmed, and 7–8 percent can be classified as first-class land. In 2006, almost 75 percent of working Kenyans made their living by farming, compared with 80 percent in 1980. About one-half of Kenya's total agricultural output is non-marketed subsistence production.
Agriculture in South Africa contributes around 5% of formal employment, relatively low compared to other parts of Africa and the number is still decreasing, as well as providing work for casual laborers and contributing around 2.6 percent of GDP for the nation. Due to the aridity of the land, only 13.5 percent can be used for crop production, and only 3 percent is considered high potential land.
Nigeria is by far the world’s largest producer of yams, accounting for over 70–76 percent of the world production. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization report, in 1985, Nigeria produced 18.3 million tonnes of yam from 1.5 million hectares, representing 73.8 percent of total yam production in Africa. According to 2008 figures, yam production in Nigeria has nearly doubled since 1985, with Nigeria producing 35.017 million metric tonnes with value equivalent of US$5.654 billion. In perspective, the world's second and third largest producers of yams, Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, only produced 6.9 and 4.8 million tonnes of yams in 2008 respectively. According to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nigeria accounted for about 70 percent of the world production amounting to 17 million tonnes from land area 2,837,000 hectares under yam cultivation.
In North Korea, the cultivation of potatoes is important to the livelihood of the country's people. The crop was introduced into the country in the early 1800s. Since the famine of the 1990s, a potato revolution has taken place. Over ten years, the area of potato cultivation in North Korea quadrupled to 200,000 hectares and per capita consumption increased from 16 to 60 kilograms per year.
Cassava production is vital to the economy of Nigeria as the country is the world's largest producer of the commodity. The crop is produced in 24 of the country's 36 states. In 1999, Nigeria produced 33 million tonnes, while a decade later, it produced approximately 45 million tonnes, which is almost 19% of production in the world. The average yield per hectare is 10.6 tonnes.
Herder–farmer conflicts in Nigeria are a series of disputes over land resources across Nigeria between mostly Muslim Fulani herders and mostly Christian non-Fulani farmers. They have been especially prominent in the Middle Belt since the return of democracy in 1999. More recently, it has deteriorated into attacks on farmers by Fulani herdsmen and also vice versa.
Zimbabwe has a well-established history of potato cultivation, although production levels have been declining since the 20th century due to a lack of knowledge of cultivation methods and the rising costs of farming.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires |journal=
(help){{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires |journal=
(help)