Nigeria: How sesame, melon farmers made fortunes in Taraba

Published 2024년 9월 7일

Tridge summary

In Taraba State, farmers have seen substantial harvests of sesame and melon despite potential crop damage due to erratic rainfall. These crops, planted as an alternative source of income, have been resilient to drought conditions and have seen increased demand and prices. The absence of pest issues and improved yields have led to significant profits for farmers, some of whom have seen up to a fivefold increase in harvest compared to the previous year. However, concerns have been raised about the shift towards growing more cash crops, which could threaten food security as farmers abandon traditional food crop cultivation, leading to a shortage in the supply of staples like rice and maize.

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Original content

Sesame and melon farmers in Taraba State witnessed bumper harvest despite disruption in rainfall, which affected the growth of many crops. These two cash crops, it was learnt, were not affected by the abrupt rainfall cessation experienced in many parts of the state. The crops, which take about two months to mature, were grown as an alternative source of income for the farmers before other crops are harvested. Weekend Trust gathered that more farmers engaged in sesame and melon farming in recent years following high demand and good price. The two crops are usually planted as soon as the first rain of the year is recorded due to their drought resistance nature. A farmer, Ibrahim Yakubu, told Weekend Trust that in the last three years, more farmers have engaged in the farming of sesame and melon crops because of their good prices and patronage. “It was in 2021 that prices of the two commodities went up, with a 100kg bag of sesame selling for N110,000 while 100kg bag of melon hit ...

Source: Daily Trust (ng)