Nigeria is main producer of yam however export much less

Yams are the fifth most generally harvested crop in Nigeria, and probably the most costly to provide; the planting and harvesting processes require vital labor enter, yam seeds are costly, and the availability of seed is proscribed.

“It’s not straightforward to see and it’s too costly to plant, it isn’t all people can afford to plant yam as a result of it’s expensive, ” mentioned Hyginus Kpacha, a farmer.

“ It’s a basic meals, all people eats yam and it is vitally costly and never each farmer can plant yam, ” mentioned Daniel Makia, one other Farmer.

In line with the Everlasting Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Growth, Ernest Umakhihe, Nigeria is the main producer of recent yams, but it’s unlucky to notice that regardless of the massive manufacturing, the nation exports much less of the product.

“If we will need to have sustainable meals safety for our teeming inhabitants of over 200 million individuals and have sufficient to export to different international locations, there’s a must critically study the elements working in opposition to the standard manufacturing and export of our main commodities, of which yam is one in every of them, ” he mentioned.

Specialists say deliberate motion should be taken to maneuver yam manufacturing, processing and advertising to the subsequent stage in step with worldwide greatest practices.

Gen secretary Yam sellers’ affiliation of Nigeria, Hamaad Ibrahim Salisu says the federal government ought to collaborate with related stakeholders to resuscitate yam export from Nigeria to spice up wealth creation and meals safety.

“No matter you do if the federal government are usually not concerned it gained’t sound cheap, We want the federal government to assist us the sellers as a result of we cope with each the entrepreneurs and farmers, in order that we are able to export greater than we’re doing proper now, yam is a significant crop that may increase the economic system, So we want the federal government to assist in order that it might probably develop, assist the farmers and small scale companies, issues shall be higher,” Salisu added.

He famous that the federal government may also help to broaden the crop’s manufacturing by giving fertilizers and loans to farmers, and in addition present safety for them.

The agriculture sector in Nigeria employs roughly 60 % of the labor drive and contributes to over 40 % of the nation’s GDP. Michael Dibie, Africanews, Abuja, Nigeria