You
will definitely agree with me that the rate or degree of poverty in
Nigeria is alarming, the rich are getting richer while the poor are
struggling hard with no limits.
The
price of staple food has hiked ridiculously, an average salary earner
is now gradually becoming poor as his income no longer suffice his basic
needs not to talk of the family. Nigerians are choked and confused as
the economy is in the state of moribund.
The
Government are trying their possible best to ensure this threat is
nipped in the bud, but the situation has been seriously debilitated from
the past administration. One of the glamorous responses of the
government to ameliorate the sinking economy is the rejuvenation of the
agricultural sector of the country, the government are calling upon the
ebullient youths to actively participate in Agriculture to make it a
means of diversify the economy from the big brother, OIL.
However,
the youths are deterred by the startup capital need to kick start the
venture. Undoubtedly, agriculture is a capital consuming project because
anything worth doing at all, is worth doing fine and well. To
enjoy the potential prospects of the field, huge capital is required,
this is where the government intervention is needed – in form of
subsidies on farm implement, fertilizer, pesticides and other production
factors to make the field interesting and lively.
However,
in contrast to the above mentioned needs the government might not
respond fully to this call. It is left to the potential agripreneur to
sort for his or her way. Remember, no matter how big or magnanimous your
dream is, there is always a smaller version of it you can cling on and
make it grow to its actual magnitude. It is even advisable to start a
business as small as possible and watch it grow into an empire.
Agriculture,
unlike other fields, is dynamic is nature. There are different aspects
one can delve into with relatively low startup capital. Vegetable
farming is one aspect of agriculture where millions can be made
unnoticed. Vegetables, examples are Pumpkin leaves (UGWU), Jute (EWEDU),
Celosia, Water melon, Cucumber, are widely consumed in Nigeria today at
a very stable price, the price never falls.
As
a vegetable farmer, you have successful delved your source of income
into a more reliable, secure and stable one. You make money monthly with
no obstruction or competition if you operate on irrigation level, which
is mostly advised. Vegetables have short gestation period, like a
month, meaning you harvest a month after sowing.
Vegetables
are widely accepted as they are nutritious and recommended by health
practitioners. This makes the market open and booming. Vegetable seeds
are never expensive, they can be procured locally and planted. The land
is never a problem as there are cheap farm settlements one can apply
for. It is less time consuming, it doesn’t require much attention. Once
it has been planted, the farmer will spend less than 3 hours their daily
to irrigate and add fertilizer. However, the farmer can hire a labour
to help in that and when the harvesting time comes, the farmer with the
buyer goes to the farm together. The beautiful thing there is that it is
the buyers that will harvest it the farmer just give price and the
transaction is done and dusted.
Note:
this is achievable when proper land preparation method is done,
adequate supply of water, timely fertilizer application and effective
pest and disease control.
I
hope as you are reading, you have started planning how to get your own
farm.
Good, but don’t procrastinate, start up as soon as possible and
begin to live like a king….share and wake others up!!!
