6 Major Agricultural Products In Idoma Land
6 major agricultural products in Idoma land are very important. These major agricultural products varies from one another. Agricultural production involves the planting of crops and the rearing of animals. Idoma land is blessed with natural resources. The land is very fertile for any type of crops that is cultivated. The idoma’s from time past depend mostly on agriculture major of the livelihood depends on agriculture to survive. They solely take it as an occupation. Even though they practice peasant farming, it has helped them. Some of these farmers cover a long distance to farm.
Some areas are arable while some are not. The arable land in Idoma poised great benefits for people at large. Some local government area has very good land for perennial crops while some are for annual crops.
Some local governments have large forests that practice lumbering. The Idoma axis consists of nine (9) local governments. Each of the nine local governments specializes have one agricultural product or another. The production of these crops has different economic values.
Benue has served as a food vendor to other states. They are serious about what they do. With the coming of herbicides, the issue of weed destroying crops is curtailed. The farmers make a lot of money from their farm produce.
Furthermore, the consumption of local crops has increased, and that burst demand. The demand for agricultural produce is very high because of the trade restriction now in Nigeria. Some of the communities in Idoma land enriched themselves from agriculture.
The animal farming in domain land is basically for those close to the north. They inherited the culture of animal farming from them. Out of the nine local governments about four practice good animal farming. The rest practice.
Agricultural production has opened a great market for the land. The crops and animal farm faces a lot of challenges. Some of the challenges include pests, fire outbreaks, and theft. Sometimes communal clashes affect farm activities in the local government.
This article will look at the major agricultural production. The local government involves in the production of such crops and their economic value. The mode and system of farming practice in such communities. The challenges of such will be taken into consideration.
Cassava
Cassava is among the 6 major agricultural products in Idoma land. It is the dominant farm in the idoma kingdom. The process involve in a cassava farm is simple as compared to the other crops. The communities involved in cassava farms include Ohimini, Otukpo, okpkwu, obi, okpokwu, and Apa.
Cassava can survive on any type of land. It has survival strength for any kind of soil and can adapt to a different kind of climate. The soil texture for cassava can be anyone. People plant cassava for many reasons.
Production of cassava can be very simple. It has the ability product. Cassava can be used to produce garri, fufu, ethanol, and starch. No part of cassava is a waste. Because waste can also be used to feed animals and livestock.
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Cassava is cultivated during the rainy season. It can be cultivated around April till September depending on if there is a raindrop. It is very easy to plant as the soil cab tilled or not. The ridges are not too big. It makes it easy for easy planting.
The idoma people so cherish cassava because of the benefit and the market value placed on it. The Oyangede market is a good market for the sale and buying of cassava. People from different states of the federation patronize the market.
Yam
Yam is one of the major agricultural products in Idoma land. It is seen as a chief crop. The process of cultivating yams is very complicated and tedious. It involves tilling the ground very well. Most times, the ridges are very big and mighty.
Yam can be pounded, boiled, roasted, or fried based on choices. Yam can take up to a year or nine months before it can be harvested. The long period it takes for yam to be harvested makes it very difficult and capital intensive.
Sometimes yam select soil. It depends heavily on rich soil and nutrient to survive. Many times if the soil is not rich enough it automatically affects the yield. Yam farm should be mulched and staked. Mulching is very important.
Staking involves giving the yam necessary support to climb up. The stem of the yam should have an fr air upward to give it very good ventilation. The mulching aspect is covering the yam planted with leaves or thick soil.
When it is covered it can prevent sunlight from harming the seed yam. Most at timescale go to farms just for mulching. After mulching the yam farm should be adequately weeded to enable it to yield well.
Yams can be harvested around October or November based on convenience. Availability of labor is very important too. Yam production in idoma land domains labor and capital intensive.
Rice
Rice forms the highest food consumed in idoma land. There is no home In idoma land that does not consume rice. The process of planting rice is not too difficult. It follows the normal process of planting grains.
Normally, rice best fit a swamp area. It should be noted that rice has different species. Some prefer just moist to survive while some are just the swamp. Agatu local government in idoma land is known for rice production.
Agatu produces rice in a very large quantity. Most times they used a tractor to cultivate their rice. Rice can be cooked to any desirable taste. Rice is used mostly for many occasions in idoma land including burials and weddings. Rice is no doubt one of the major agricultural products in idoma land.
Rice can take up to eight months or nine months before harvest. it can be planted during the rainy or dry seasons. If appropriate irrigation is put in place, rice can be planted during the dry season. The market value of rice has increased.
From time past the richest farmers in the communicate rice farmers. They are reached because of the value attached to them. Any family without rice is just as if they have not eaten. During harvest, the sickle can be used as a harvester.
Sometimes manual labor can waste time is but cheaper. People can go to the farm in large numbers in other to make the harvest. It is very important to note that rice farm is one of the best agricultural practices in idoma land.
Maize
Maize is the 6 agricultural products in idoma land. It is very simple to plant and also harvest. Maize gradually is taken over other grains in idoma land. The economic value attached to it makes it so demanding. It has a short maturity time.
Simple ridges can be made for maize to be planted. It does not select soil like that. It can survive on any soil. Maize doesn’t like a weed. Normally maize can take five to six months before harvest. it is very economical.
Maize can be roasted, boiled and used to make Kunu. In most homes, maize flour has replaced semolina. People prefer maize floors in the idoma land because of the nature and preparation. An average idoma man will also like to eat maize flour before sleep.
Palm Tree Plantation
No doubt palm tree plantation is among the 6 major agricultural products in idoma. The palm tree is a tree crop. It has a very long maturity time and period. Sometimes it can take up to seven or roughly ten years before maturity. Palm tree requires a very large portion of land.
Palm trees can be used for a different purposes. It can be used for the roofing of the house. It can also be used for cooking. The palm tree is among the tree crop with numerous economic importance. Drinks like palm win are gotten from the palm tree.
Even the leave can be used for the broom. When you check the usefulness of palm tree you will discover that it is very important. The idoma people do not take palm trees as a joke. Trees tree can be inherited based on how they lasted. Sometimes the community has public palm trees that anyone can go and harvest. Recently palm tree has increased the revenue of the local government producing this palm tree in idoma land.
Both palm oil and palm have opened the local market for buyers. The process of harvesting palm oil is very difficult. If the three are very tall, climbing becomes very difficult. Sometimes people lose their lives in the process of cutting the palm kernel.
Orange Orchard
Orange has become one of the leading plants in idoma land. Orange like other tree crops has a very long lifespan. The life span is between six to seven years. Orange is planted both during the rainy season and dry season.
The seed is planted and allowed to germinate. It can be transplanted or allowed to grow in the nursery bed. Orange can be used for juice. Some oranges are medicinal like grapes. Orange requires a very large piece of land for cultivation.