December 17, 2020

Becoming a successful plantain farmer

Staple Crops

Nigeria

With an annual production of 2.4 million metric tons, Nigeria is one of the largest producers of plantain in West Africa. Plantain production in Nigeria is concentrated in the southern parts of the country, contributing significantly to rapid food security as the third important starch staple after maize and cassava. Production is still majorly in the hands of unskilled and unorganized smallholder farmers, with little or no access to modern production inputs, inefficient extension systems, social infrastructures and a structured market, resulting in low reduction in yield per hectare.

Crystal Dominion Foods, in partnership with 2SCALE aims to double its current production capacity to produce and offer fortified nutritious plantain chips to 20,000 low income consumers who demand 20 tons of plantain chips monthly by processing locally sourced plantain from smallholder farmers around South western states of Nigeria.

In order to improve plantain production and productivity, stakeholders in the value chain identified several challenges that farmers still face. Therefore, Crystal Dominion Foods and 2SCALE have taken many initiatives to first organize the value chain and strengthen the capacities of the various actors, mainly the smallholder farmers like the young Michael Joshua Ikechukwu.

Youth moving towards agriculture

Michael is a 25 years old plantain farmer. He has been farming for four years now. With his 6 acres of lands, he has the ambition of becoming a great plantain farmer. Like most of the young people in Nigeria, Michael did not see farming as an occupation for the youth. Formerly, he was working at a pharmacy for someone else. As his parents have a lot of land, he realized that he could also make money from farming. But he knew doing so would require a lot of skills and capacities. He explains:

When I started farming, I used to have issues. For instance, I may plant four thousand suckers, only three thousand may survive at the end. I didn’t care about the season. I used to plant anytime without any focus.

In October 2020, Crystal Dominion Foods and 2SCALE organized a training on good agricultural practices in plantain production. The main purpose of this was to train youth and women on sucker multiplication techniques. This would ensure farmers have continuous access to disease-free, high yielding plantain suckers. This provided good employment opportunities for youth and women. They were also taught good practices that could increase plantain productivity per hectare and more income to plantain farmers.

As for Michael, this has increased his motivation.

When I attended the training, First of all, I learnt that I could plant one thousand suckers, and all can survive. I was really surprised. That motivates me in my farming activity.

A profitable crop

Plantain is a long-life crop. It gives more income than many other annual crops. Once planted, it can be harvested for years according to its maintenance. From seed production to processing, the sector of plantain involves a lot of business opportunities for the youth and women.

Farmers spend about ₦100 to buy one plantain sucker. After the training, Michael realized that sucker multiplication is another good opportunity. He decided then to put this into practice.

I learned that instead of spending ₦100 to ₦200 to buy one sucker, I can generate my own sucker. So, I could use that money for other works. I also realized that even with sucker multiplication, I can make a lot of money, apart from farming. That’s what I am doing currently.

Michael now believes farming is a lucrative business which the youth can engage in and earn more for themselves. Having access to clean planting materials makes it easier to become a successful farmer.

I would like to be a bigger farmer in the next five years. I wish to have a large plantain farm and even wish to be exporting my products.

Share this update: