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at IITA Ibadan for dispatch to the farm

Treated plantain suckers

Good day,
We have decided to share this informations here today for everyone interested in Agriculture.
And we plead that prospective farmers should be careful so that they don't fall for scammers, fraudsters and theft because we have seen and heard enough of them.

Thank you

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seed grown for its oil and protein contents. It is both a rainforest and savanna crop. The major groundnut producing countries in West Africa, Gambia, Nigeria, Togo, Republic of Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Niger, Chad, Senegal, Mali, Upper Volta, Guinea. There is no country in the sub-region where groundnut is not produced. In the rainforest zone, two crops of groundnut could be produced per annum. The early crop planted in March/April and harvested in early August, and the late crop planted in August/September harvested in November.
In the savanna zone where the bulk of groundnut is grown, planting is carried out in May/June and harvested in September /October – one crop per annum. Shelled groundnuts are usually used as seeds for planting, if unshelled groundnuts are to be used for planting, they should be soaked in cold water for 18 to 24 hours, drained and /or dried for three to four hours after soaking before planting. It is advantageous to dress groundnut seeds against diseases and soil pests immediately before planting.

Rainfall
Adequate moisture for plant growth for a period 4 to 5 months (rainfall spread over 4 to 5 months) is adequate for successful cultivation of cowpeas and groundnut. African yam bean, soybean, Bambara groundnuts needs adequate moisture for a period of 8 to 9 months annually. All grain legumes are reasonably drought tolerant.

Temperature
Tropical legumes are not frost tolerant or resistant. They require temperature not less than 20oC with optimum range of 18oC TO 32oC for good growth and productivity.

Soil
Grain legumes will grow well on shallow but moderately fertile soils. Grains legumes tend to run into leaves when grown on very fertile soils.

Land preparation
Clear felling, land should be ploughed before harrowing. In all cases,

Planting materials
The planting materials are the viable seeds.

Pre-panting seed treatment
Seeds are normally dressed with fungicides (e.g fernasan D) prior to planting.

Planting dates
Although any of the grain legumes can be planted at anytime there is adequate moisture for plant growth, the major ones have specific times depending on the cropping system adopted.

Planting depth
Seeds are planted at 3cm to 5cm deep. The larger the seed size, the deeper.

Spacing
This depends on the cropping system. For sole cropping, the spacing for Groundnut is
Groundnut (erect type) is 0.25m x 1m (spreading type) is 1m x1m.

Post-planting Operations

Weeding
In all cases, the first weeding must be carried out within four weeks of planting. Subsequent weedings should be carried out as found necessary. It is economic and adequate to carry out only 3 weedings from time of planting to maturity.

Manuring and application of inorganic fertilisers
Manuring should be done at the time of harrowing i.e pre-planting while inorganic fertilizer rich in Phosphorus Pentoxide could be applied at the time of initiation of flowering.

Diseases and pest control
This should be carried out whenever there is any outbreak.

GROUNDNUTS MATURE IN 4 TO 4.5 MONTHS DEPENDING ON THE VARIETY-SPREADING OR ERECT TYPES.

Harvesting is either manual digging with the hoe or mechanical lifting with tractor-mounted groundnut-shakers.
Yield varies with varieties, husbandry and environmental factors, but normal range is 6,000 to 10,000 kilograms unshelled nuts/hectare. After Harvesting, groundnuts are dried unshelled to 6 to 10 percent moisture content, fumigated and stored in silos, bags, etc. or sold immediately to the oil Mill Industry.
Groundnuts are milled to obtain groundnut oil (an edible vegetable oil) and groundnut cake (GNC) which is fed to livestock. Considerable amounts of nuts are consumed roasted, boiled or raw.


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Processing

The industrial processing of cassava in Nigeria holds much potential for successful investment. The crop is increasingly attracting attention of serious business people and processing businesses are slowly starting to spring-up all over the country. You also know how useful cassava is to Nigerians in general in terms of consumption. Cassava forms the major part of our daily foods. Almost no family can survive a whole year without cassava related foods. See 8 important Nigerian foods that are derived from cassava

Cassava can be processed into a number of products such as starch, flour, chips, ethanol and glucose syrup, and bread to name a few. These products are all in high demand locally and also have significant export possibilities. These therefore, place a lot of raw cash in the hands of anyone who goes into cassava farming right now.

As a smart person, you should be thinking about how to take advantage of the government support for agriculture and the increased budget to make wealth for yourself because cassava production surely provides opportunity for investors. If you are ready, here are what you need to start your own cassava farming.

Processing

The industrial processing of cassava in Nigeria holds much potential for successful investment. The crop is increasingly attracting attention of serious business people and processing businesses are slowly starting to spring-up all over the country. You also know how useful cassava is to Nigerians in general in terms of consumption. Cassava forms the major part of our daily foods. Almost no family can survive a whole year without cassava related foods.

Manihot esculenta (commonly called cassava) is a woody shrub native to South America of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It 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 Spanish and in the United States, it differs from the yucca, an unrelated fruit-bearing shrub in the family Asparagaceae. Cassava, when dried to a powdery (or pearly) extract, is called tapioca; its fermented, flaky version is named garri.

http://agrocentricblog.com/2017/03/15/prospects-in-cassava-farming/

There are lots we yet to understand about Cassava Farming, Why not take 5minutes of your time to read the post below. Agriculture is taking over, lets take the great advantage now.
Let's go AGRIC , the time is NOW

washingtonklef:
Good day Nairalander, am posting on behalf of my dad.. He ventured into Poultry and Snail rearing of late... 50 layers to start with at his back yard Fenced. Pls what is the possibility of him getting back his ROI

for snail farming....PATIENCE IS VIRTUE

hello @Toluwani Farms,there is 1000% possibility that he gets back his capital or ROI as called and even profit as early as the layers starts laying ONLY if all recommended procedures to having a healthy and non diseased poultry are followed.i.e taking keen interest in Vaccination and medication cycles,prompt cleaniness of the pen,health feed and clean water.
have i helped?

check this

AQUACULTURE:FISH FARMING (concluding part)
POND FISH HARVESTING,MARKETING AND PRESERVATION

Harvesting

A fast growing fish species is capable of reaching marketable size or weight in 4-6 months (depending on desired consumer weight) under pond condition. By this age,tilapia may weigh 100-250g and catfish about 200-500g. In practice,the size of fish in the pond is sampled from time to time using scoop-net. When desired weight or size is achieved,a drag-net is drawn through the pond water.

Marketing

Before a fixed harvest date, aggressive advertisement should be embarked upon to sensitise and secure buyer in advance. Also, due to the recent demand for fish marketing fish is not much a problem as Nigerians now demand for high nutritive and proteinous food which fish belongs. 

To maximise profit, efforts should be made to keep harvested fish alive,since live fish usually attract the best price compared to frozen and smoked fish.

Preservation

Dead and live fish that cannot be sold immediately,or that have to be transported to distant markets,must be promptly and properly preserved to avoid spoilage. 

Refrigerated van, cold room, freezer,iceblock and refrigerator can be used

Smoking over wood or charcoal fire is the traditional method conventionally used to preserve fish. Salting and canning can also be adopted. 

ITEMS OF COST

Land, Fish pond (Above-ground or Earthen),Water pump or any other source of water,Scoop-net, Drag-net,Plastic container, Weighing scale etc. 

BACKYARD ESTIMATE FOR INVESTING IN AQUACULTURE.

Juvenile: #20-#25 (per one but will reduce if buying large quantity) 

Fry: #10-#15 (per one but will reduce if buying large quantity) 

Fingerlings: #15-#20 (per one but will reduce if buying large quantity) 

Plastic pond/tank: #20,000-#25000 (depending on size and stocking density) 

Feed (floating or sinking feed): Starter #5,000 per bag ,Finisher #7,000 (subject to change) 

CONTINGENCIES 

Unforseen or unexpected expenses that are bound to arise in the course of operating the business. Estimate 10% of capital and running cost. 

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PRACTICAL SNAIL FARMING: SMALL AND MEDIUM SCALE FARMING BUSINESS.
Snail Farming is a scientific process of domesticating snails picked from the forest; thereby making their new home become familiar with their original home or raising land snails specifically for human consumption. The best known and most often cultivated land snail in Nigeria is the Giant African Land snails (GALS).
Other type of land snails are:
1. Achatina achatina (Giant Ghana tiger)
2. Achatina Marginata (Margies)
Health Benefits of Snails
1. Snails are a great source of the valuable lectin, possesses anti-cancer properties and helps in boosting the immune system and fighting against cancerous cells.
2. The snail slime is extremely rich in allantonin, collagen and elastin, which is beneficial for the treatment of skin diseases and broken bones. The secretions also have a copper peptide, which is regarded as the only source of a substance manufactured for creating creams that are useful in minimizing scars and wounds.
3. Serum secreted by these snails is an excellent source of oligosaccharides that act as a hydrator for the skin. When applied directly on the skin, this serum works wonders.
4. The venom extracted from the ocean snail is highly beneficial for people suffering from suffering from addictions, depression and Parkinson’s disease.
Don’t fetch or buy baby snails for rearing; buy the grown ones so that after they have been domesticated in their Pen; they can be sure to mate and reproduce.
You can start Heliculture business in small; medium or large scale; the choice is dependent on your plan and available start-up capital
A successful snail culture requires:
Functioning equipment
Good snail pen
Hygrometer : for measuring the humidity of the atmosphere
Thermometer: for measuring temperature.
Accurate soil moisture content:
Good humus soil
Weighing scale
Vernier caliper: The Vernier Caliper is a precision instrument that can be used to measure internal and external distances or diameter of an object accurately.
Water sprinkler or watering can
Good breed of snail
Requirement for a good snail farming
1. Temperature: The temperature requirement for optimum snail production ranges from 45-75°F. At temperature less than 45°F snails hibernate, when temperature is greater than 64°F snail becomes inactive. When greater than 75°F, all growth stops and at 80°F snail aestivate.
2. Humidity: Humidity requirement must be 75-95%. Humidity over 80% will promote snail activity, especially at night and ensure good growth. Humidity in a snail farm must not exceed 95%.
3. Wind movement: Wind movement is normal for good snail rearing, because high wind movement speeds up moisture loss and could result in high mortality (death) in the snail farm.
4. Snail enclosure: Snail enclosure must be damp not wet, the use of waterlogged area is discouraged and rain water must be allowed to run off immediately.
Moisture content: moisture content of 80% is favourable at night.
Ninety nine percent of snail activity, including feeding, occurs in the cool, dark night time, with peak activity taking place 2 to 3 hours after darkness, night time dew helps the snail to move easily and snails prefer to hide in shaded area during the day.
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ORIGIN
Though its Origin has not beeen well established but its believed that Okra originates from West Africa, its scientific name is “Abelmoschus esculentus” and can also be called “ Hibiscus esculentus”
Okra known as lady’s fingers, gumbo, okro (English); gombo, gumbo (French); bandakai, bindi (India); Kachang bendi (Malay); quimgombó (Spanish).This crop belongs to the family Malvaceae. It thrives well in a well drained deep soil. Optimum temperature required is 25-30 0 C. It takes about 90-100 days before okra starts flowering.
VARIETIES
Some of the varieties of Okra are:
Park’s Candelabra Branching: which is a base-branching okra plant. This type of branching enables easy harvesting.
Louisiana Green Velvet: it is spineless and smooth. Its plant is often about 6 feet tall.
Cultivars/hybrids of okra include Annie Oakley, Annie Oakley II, Green Best and 1285.
PLANTING
The planting of Okra can be done either directly in the garden or first on the nursery site before transplanting. Okra thrives well in fertile, well-drained soil preferably loamy. You could soak the seeds overnight in tepid water to help speed up germination. Intra-row spacing ( spacing in between plants on the same row) on permanent field should be about 1 -2 feet apart, while inter-row(spacing in between rows) should be about 3-4feet apart. Weeding should be done as at when necessary. If cultivated during dry season, watering may be necessary.
Farm yard manure or compost manure could be applied to boost soil fertility.
Pests and Disease
Stink bugs
Aphids
Corn earworms
Fusarium wilt
Constraints
Insect and disease attack: There have been high incidences of insect pests and disease attack.
Inaccessibility to improved varieties of seeds
Harvesting
Harvesting should be done every other day in other to reserve its freshness. Harvested okra is about 2-3 inches long. Cut the stem with a knife just above the cap. The varieties of okra with spines could irritate the skin while harvesting, so it is advisable to put on hand gloves while harvesting.
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HELLO,
Are you still indecisive about when and how to start farming after listening to different news,jingles and hearsayabout the diversification of the economy to Agriculture?
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THE ACTIVITIES IN FISH FARMING
FISH POND CONSTRUCTION
The bulk of the investment capital in fish farming goes into pond construction which are of two categories: Above-ground pond and Sunken earthen pond.
Above-ground pond
This is mostly used where space is limited e.g around the home. It may be constructed with cement-plastered stone chips, sandcrete blocks with a good plastering,pure concrete that is reinforced with iron rod, fabricated fiberglass or just simply plastic tank. As the name implies an above ground pond is like a water storage tank having an open top.
Earthen pond
An earthen pond is created by excavating soil from a selected site in a river,valley, or fadama,marshy or swamp land or by the side of the course of a perennial spring, stream or river.
PRODUCTION INPUTS
The major production inputs in a fish farm are water, seed fish, feed, liming materials, fertiliser and fishing net.
Water for filling the pond
Water for filling the pond may come from various sources, such as spring, stream, river, lake, underground, rainfall, public water supply etc
Seed Fish
Seed fish for stocking the pond may be at any of the three stages of growth
FRY:- The smallest sized young fish, 3-30 days after hatching
FINGERLING:- Medium sized young fish 6-10cm long
JUVENILE:- The largest sized young fish
Fish Feed
Carefully sifted maggots from decaying poultry droppings and white ants from an anthill are excellent protein sources for pond fish. Securing them could be messy and their availability inconsistent.Therefore,sustainable commercial fish farming invariably depends on compounded feed for optimising fish growth.
Miscellaneous production inputs
Other none the less important production inputs in fish farming includes
lime:- for neutralizing pond water acidity
Fertiliser:-for boosting the growth of phytoplanktons and pond weeds
Scoop-net:- for sampling pond fish
Drag-net:- for harvesting
others include weighing scale, plastic or metal containers.
(continue on the link above)
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DEFINITION OF FISH
Fish is a completely aquatic animal, a vertebrate characterised by the possession of gill for breathing, fin for swimming and a typical elongated body ending in a finned tail and usually covered with scale
NUTRITIVE VALUE
Fish is a highly palatable and digestible quality food. The flesh is rich in protein (90-92% of the dry weight) and a friendly fat (less than 2.0-1.8%).It supplies the body with inorganic minerals (phosphorus, potassium, iron, zinc etc) as well as Vitamins A and B complex. Fish is recommended for cardiovascular disease patients because of its unique fat composed of omega -3fatty acid. Compared to beef and pork,fish is relatively cheaper and usually there is no religious taboo against its consumption.

AQUACULTURE:- FISH FARMING (Do It Yourself)

INTRODUCTION
Fish farming is an aspect of agricultural production, offering employment opportunity, creating wealth from land that is primarily considered unsuitable for conventional agriculture.
Fish farming called Aquaculture is gradually becoming a mainstay due to the recent diversification of the economy to agriculture in Nigeria.It is a highly technical enterprise suggesting that prospective investors must be armed with sufficient and relevant information before investing.This write-up therefore is about providing relevant information to both prospective and practicing fish farmers.
Many books, blogs, seminars and trainings have no doubt dwell on fish farming but my write-up stands out due to the simplicity of its format, presentation and not boring the readers with unnecessary details. Whether you are a student, farmer or have relative interest in Aquaculture you can use this valuable information to the full as every aspect of practical fish farming has been covered from the very beginning to harvesting stage and beyond.