MEETING URBAN VEGETABLE NEEDS: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

@dayqunlay1 wrote an excellent agro-centric post HERE. This one is equally good. Leaf through it:

In Lagos and many cities all across Africa, there is a steady and continuous demand for vegetables due to the large number of people residing in these places. Farming vegetables in the urban area is often overlooked but it truly creates an amazing business opportunities for farmers and prospective farmers alike. A lot of entrepreneurs are making use of the large demand in the city markets to their advantage by making quick profits through vegetables in the ever growing cities. 
 

One of the cheapest sources of vitamins and essential minerals to humans is through vegetables. They have always been a common ingredient for many African stews, soups and sauces.

This article will try to shed more light on the opportunities that abound in the vegetable business and how you can personally take an advantage of it, but first let’s consider how vegetables are grouped.

VEGETABLE TYPES

Vegetables can be categorized into three; 

1. Leafy vegetables: Leafy vegetables are vegetables farmed mainly for their leaves. Examples in this group includes, lettuce, Amarantus (efo in Yoruba), Corchorus (ewedu in Yoruba and Rama Ayoyoin Hausa), water leaf, bitter leaf, Celosa spp. (sokoyokoto in Yoruba) etc 
2. Fruit vegetables: these are vegetables planted because of their fruits. Examples include tomatoes, garden egg, okra, pepper etc.
3. Root/tuber vegetables: These are vegetables that are planted because of their roots. Carrot and onions are examples of root vegetables.

WHY IS THERE AN INCREASE IN VEGETABLE DEMANDS IN CITIES?

Unlike cassava, yams and grains which are usually planted more in rural areas and transferred to the cities for sales, vegetables are regarded as ‘perishables’ as such, they need to remain fresh to preserve their nutritional value and also importantly the market value.

As the population and size of these cities grows, and people migrate from the villages to the urban centers, farming vegetable in the city were the consumers resides has become the best alternative.

A report by UN estimates that Africa’s urban population will treble by 2050. Over the last decade or so, Africa has had one of the fastest rural-urban migration rates. Lagos for instance, had less than 80,000 inhabitants in 1940 but today has more than 13 million people and the growth is expected to continue.

Due to the absence of good roads and adequate refrigerated storage device in many rural locations, the vegetable needs of many cities is now being supported by vegetable farms present in the city. One major advantage of urban vegetable farming is the ability of farms to provide vegetables all year round due to the availability of irrigation (wells, pipe-borne water and bore holes). It should be noted that vegetables command a much higher price in the dry season.

URBAN VEGETABLE FARMING MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

The demand for vegetables in many cities is huge and continuous. With the growing awareness of people to ‘healthy eating’ and a lot of Africans acquiring foreign tastes (such as coleslaw and salads), the need for vegetables will always be there.

If you currently reside in the city, you can make some space in your backyard. Do you have a piece of fallow and undeveloped land within the city? If you do, please stop wasting that space and try vegetable farming!

HELPFUL TIPS FOR PROSPECTIVE URBAN VEGETABLE FARMERS

One major advantage in this business is gaining access to a land with a close proximity to the city markets. Also, water availability should be considered. You should ensure you have a close water source and an alternative to rain (wells, bore holes, pipe-borne water etc.) especially during the dry season so as to ensure all-year round vegetable farming.

The income generated from the sales of vegetable in the dry season is usually up to three times compared to that of the rainy season prices. Thus, farmers should target more of their products to coincide with this period. The market is usually flooded with vegetables in the wet season (due to availability of water through rain and just anyone can farm vegetables during that period), thus prices tend to be low and this leads to marginal profits.

Vegetables such as lettuce and other leafy vegetables which require a short period of growth can be grown in the wet season for immediate returns while waiting for the dry season.

Selling your vegetables beyond your farm is another successful strategy you can employ. Market women and vegetable vendors who buy from farms and sell in the markets earn up to four times more than the actual vegetable farmers. Gaining direct access to consumers is important in order to increase your profit potential.

Households, caterers, supermarkets and restaurants should be targeted as they are usually willing to do business with you considering you will be supplying them at a lower price compared to that of the open market.

FEW FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE STARTING URBAN VEGETABLE FARMING

Like it has been mentioned earlier, closeness to the city is a major advantage in vegetable farming. However, the land to be used must be a fertile land. Chicken waste has been proven to be a very good source of manure. 

The topography of the land to be used too should be considered. A land that is steep-sloped in nature is not ideal for vegetable farm because it can easily be eroded. A sloppy land will also run off water easily when been irrigated.

You are also expected to decide the type of vegetables you will be producing. The trends, popular diets and custom of your targeted city will help you decide this.

Pests and nematodes can be a problem on your farm due to continuous farming. Safe and environment friendly pesticides and nematicides should be applied so as not to have any residual effects on the consumers. 

CONCLUSION

All form of farming is one sure way to revive the Nigerian economy. Agriculture provides immediate employment opportunities, and can actually produce millionaires, if given the chance and support needed.

Adeniran Adekunle is an Agriculture graduate and is the CEO of His- eminence farms. He’s a farmer and agroconsultant.

adeniranadekunleo@gmail.com

 @dayqunlay1

10 MOST ANNOYING PEOPLE IN NIGERIA

You people need to stop. Seriously!!

No. I’ll overcome the temptation to lazily and predictably lump those pesky politicians in there. That has been/is being repeatedly and more eloquently done by erudite writers. Instead, I will create a list that includes less dramatic but no less serious things that you people do. If you are one of these people, Nigeria will be a better place if you change. In no particular order, here goes:

10. People Who Keep You in Suspense When Narrating a Gist: As a teenage boy, how do you know you’re in love with a girl? Ask a hundred different guys and you’re likely to get a hundred different responses. So I’m a boy who talks to other boys and a compendium of these conversations have given rise to a hypothesis which says: “the amount of info you’re willing to divulge about your intimate moments with your woman is directly proportional to the intensity of your feelings for her.”

Back when childish kissing-n-telling was the classless norm, if she’s a girl you really like, you’ll be stingy with details when your inner circle asks how far, but if she’s a girl that is using you for sex alone, you leave nothing to imagination when describing your conquests. You people would probably be eating suya when it is time for one of you to narrate his latest conquest. “So how did it go”

“Well, after ushering me into the room, she told me to lock the door and…”. At this point, the idiot narrating the story becomes insensitive and reaches for a piece of suya on the table. While waiting for him to resume the story, he proceeds to open his beer, tilt his cup and slowly pour it.

Is this one not unfortunate like this?

Afterwards, he asks “where did I stop,” before taking a swig from the cup. Usually, it is at this point that you almost wish the beer will go through the wrong orifice and that narrator will just choke to death. Almost.

You slow, dawdling, indolent bastard.

(never had a story to tell)

9. People Who Fry Fries but Won’t Let You Eat Until Everything is Ready: When did you last hug your Mama? Or worse still, your father? I mean, for me, it’s a really tough thing to do - - as we just didn’t have that kind of upbringing. No hugs. Just the perfunctory “you this boy, won’t you eat” you-should-know-I-worry-about-you kinda words and gestures, but never hugs. Never hugs. That ain’t traumatic, but I will tell you what is.

You know when your mama is frying meat/fish/egg/akara/potatoes/yam/plantain and you stroll into the kitchen to pick one or six of these hot, freshly fried things and she uses her perforated spoon to hit the back of your hand before telling you to wait until everything is fried and ready? What is their endgame gangan?

Some will even say it is indiscipline to pick these fries as they are leaving the oil. No, it’s not! It’s just that I have a fleeting appetite that needs to be satisfied immediately I crave food. Okay, let us even joylessly say it is indiscipline. Whenever you do these things to your children, some tough questions arise in their heads:

•  “Am I a bastard?”
• “Is this woman my mother like this?”
•  “Did they adopt me in this house?” 

Serious questions

Surely, if the aim is to feed me, I don’t need to be sat at a dining table for that to happen. Thankfully, I cook too and I’m usually generous with fries even if some are still on fire. Now imagine leaving your mother’s house, getting yours, and having a partner that does the same thing!!!

Dear Nigerian cooks, stop traumatizing your children/spouses by disallowing them from spontaneously accessing fries. It is scientifically proven that denying kids access to fries will twist their psyches until they masochistically espouse Stockholm syndrome and relish, nay, crave more pain.

Addicted to pain and heartache, these traumatized kids grow up to support Arsenal.

8. ‘English-is-kuku-Not-My-Language’ people: Look, let me say that before 2009, I never voluntarily uttered a word inEnglish. My English language statements were always in response to questions from teachers. In retrospect, I feel this was borne out of the concern of being laughed at when mistakes happen.

Now that I’m no longer 15, I have since recognized that mistake-making is crucial to learning and improving.

The annoying part of this is that I often hear ridiculous statements trying to justify communicative ineptitude (with English) by saying “shebi Oyinbo people too don’t speak my language”. By no means am I advocating that English should take precedence over your local language, but English is Nigeria’s lingua franca as it is. Stop using the English-is-kuku-not-my-langauge line. Just stop it.

Ankali

Not knowing English is not a sign of patriotism. Strive for self-improvement okay? I hope you find your reason so you can stop calling soft, fizzy drinks minerals.

4. Oldsters Who Sing Praises of the Past:Apparently, arguably sef, for a brief epoch in Nigerian history, the land overflowed with milk and honey, but pining for these times again helps no one. We can’t even employ the working principles of 1950 and expect it to work now. There is no sense to doing these rubbish comparisons apart from valiantly trying to manipulate worry and casting aspersions on the future. It is simplistic. It is destructive and ultimately, it is annoying.

Sing another song

Bill Clinton beautifully wrote that the “the future can be better than the past, and each individual has a personal, moral obligation to make it so.”The rot did not start today and it will not end tomorrow. So, instead of singing praises of the past, why not start scheming to ensure the future will no longer be what it used to be ehn?

5. “I’m Bored” people: Upon leaving camp, I saw a beautifully named village on my posting letter and my heart sank when I saw that my village was at least ten kilometres away from a tarred road. My first thought was “ah, despite all the dancing I did for Platoon 7, I still didn’t get posted to a city.” 

People redeployed and all that, but I met some like-minded people who had the same mind-set with me: “you make shit happen anywhere you are.” I am happy to report that ever since NYSC started in ’73, I must be in the top 50 of people that enjoyed the scheme the most.

On social media, one is wont to seeing status updates or posts declaring “am bored,” or “Abakaliki/Gusau is no fun.” Oh please!! Even if you are in PH/Lagos/New York, fun will not be automatically conveyed to your room by some magic.

We should now goan fry stone?

Get out. Meet people. Do things. Try these immoral (but not illegal) things if you’re into such things. Do fun, halal stuff otherwise. Just don’t sit in the corner of your room and be yelling “am bored.” 
Like the Nike maxim says: Just don’t do it.

6. Spouse Snatchers: I said in the beginning this is a semi-serious post, so spouse here does not denote husband/wife. That said, biologically, you know girls physically develop at a faster rate than boys and a sixteen-year-old girl you’ve been talking to as a fourteen-year-old boy will suddenly have her head turned by a seventeen-year-old boy. SMH. This used to be annoying, but as one grows, equanimity falls on you.

If all you have, like myself, is prospect and your spouse meets someone that can immediately offer him more, why get angry! Yorubas will say “gbaf’oga e.”

Collect for your boss.

Respect person wey pass you.

Well play

I now have inner peace and all that, but for all those who successfully snatch other peoples’ spouses, we have mad respect for you, but boy, do we find y’all annoying.

7. People Who Say Bad Stuff About Other People to Get Sex: Okay. The coolest persons in this life:

•     Goalkeepers who eat chewing gum 
•    Women who wear sneakers
•   Uncles that buy you beer and take you to the club as a 15-year-old 
•    People who drive with one hand on the steering wheel
•    Intelligent people
•    People who speak more than two languages
•    Andrea Pirlo

Conversely, I could make a list of uncool people, but I’ll just highlight one category of people in this class. They are persons that malign other people just so they can swoop in like a centaur and claim the man/woman after their constant badmouthing has caused a rift.

Barney Stinson is our God

It is against the bro/sis code. It is crass. It is a classless and obtuse thing to do. I hold the opinion that one person’s demerit isn’t necessarily your own merit. Where is the subtlety? Just play your own game without resorting to shamelessly slighting the other party. Be tactful. Be elegant. Praise your opponent even! Reverse psychology is a thing. Understand it and use it.

8. I’m a Man-United Fan, But I think Iwobi is better than Martial:

Let me deal with this idiot

As a scientist, you’ve gotta have a little bone of atheism in you in order to be able to follow (and believe) Darwin’s theory of evolutionism. Geologists will have us believe (with good explanations, mind you) that the entire solar system was formed about six billion years ago when a spinning disc-shaped hot cloud of interstellar gases (and dust) in our part of the galaxy developed a very hot epicenter which resulted in a series of thermonuclear reactions that provided the proto-Sun’s energy through hydrogen fusion. Further turbulence of the solar nebula led to the condensation of these gases, and invariably led to the birth of the planets; as they are.

Apart from being the most cumbersome paragraph I have ever written, it, at least, raises the ‘Evolution vs Creationism’ debate. However, one thing that can never be debated is the enormity of the earth and the sheer volume of its constituents; human beings especially. There are more than seven billion of us on this thing, and while our degrees of relevance vary, we like to think that all lives matter and everyone has a voice.

That said, even the spokesperson of a group could not possibly convey the sentiment of majority of a class of people, let alone, the view of every member of that demographic. So, this number 8 is dedicated to the people who use what they are as a prefix to what they want to say. So while you say “I’m a United fan but…” before declaring Iwobi is better than Martial might make your statement seem unbiased, it does NOT make your opinion correct. Bro, you don’t speak on behalf of Man-United fans and your views don’t represent the consensus of United fans.

Say your stuff without any unnecessary preamble and get your annoying self out of our faces.

9.  RT If You Don’t Watch Game of Thrones:  

Who do you think you are gangan?

When I was in secondary school, Van Helsing came out and not having anyone to borrow me the CD, I didn’t get to see the film until five months after its release. By that time, the expectation and anticipation had built up so much that it was almost unbearable. When I finally watched the movie, the hype just could not match the actual thing because I had put the movie on an incredibly high pedestal. It was not a bad movie at all, but I expected too much.

Ever since 2004, I have had this distrust for the hype attached to movies, and it seems some of you people are like that also. I am not writing this for you to change your mind about watching/not watching Game of Thrones, nah! Although, with my own circle of friends and my girlfriend, when one of us reads a dope book or sees a dope movie, that person must mention it to the others so that all of us in the group will be able to interestingly make references to lines/characters in those movies and books. It is an esoteric something.

Not to proselytize o, but I love creative people and when an author creates a plot that will threaten to twist your mind and that book is adapted to a long-running series, of course I will want to see it.

Like my skepticism about hyped movies, you are right if you choose to refrain from watching a film. That is your prerogative, even though I feel you could be missing out on a very good piece of entertainment, when objectively examined in and of its own. 

BUT, please, for the love of all that is good, do NOT brag about not having watched any episode of #GoT. That you are not following a particular trend doesn’t make you special or wiser than those who are. Don’t watch #GoT, but please don’t come and be thinking it's something to brag about. 
Who is your mate?

10. You Did Not Sweep This Place: Have you ever been on the precipice of contemplating murder? As a kid, I used to, and I will tell you about it. Of all house chores, washing plates is my favourite by some distance; as I find it therapeutic. My least, of course, was sweeping in the presence of an adult. You might sweep a place with a wider surface area than the Pacific and one adult will just cast a cursory glance and see that one speck of dirt and while pointing one useless finger at that spot, will say: “you did not sweep this place.”

Will I make it in life like this?

It is a funny old world and this has probably instilled the hatred of not doing a thorough job in me as I have grown older. Saying you-did-not-sweep-this-place ranks just below you-are-not likely-to-make-it-in-life in the list of things not to say to people. Just find a subtler way of putting it. Like, take off your shoes, walk to that spot, pretend to be chatting on WhatsApp, use your leg to do a fluid movement, clear your throat and we will take a cue and come back to sweep that spot. Whatever you do, do NOT say “you did not sweep this place.”

Jara) #WeThankGod: This last one is jara because it has featured on another list, but it still counts here. Here goes:

#WeThankGod: I recently typed to a dear friend; “a good morning?” and I got a nondescript “good morning”. I launched into a Gandalf-style lecture about good mornings.When some of us say words, we actually,intentionally used those words. When I ask ‘how are you’, it’s a question, not a greeting. I ask,fully expecting an honest appraisal of how you are. Cold? Enervated? Happy? Horny? To some of us, ‘fine’ is only the second worst way you can answer the how inquest.

The worst response of the average Nigerian to any ‘how’ question, is, of course, #WeThankGod.

• How was your test?
• How was the interview?
• How is the gonorrhea treatment going?
• Shey you are making sales?
• Shey profit is biting market?

All these questions, and more, will likely prompt a #WeThankGod response from an average Nigerian. Is there a distinct lack of effort in our attitudes towards answering questions? Has the country so frustrated us that we now see the artof making conversations as a waste of time. I sit to hide how much sales/money you’remaking? See ehn. We all thank God, but when I ask you something, tell me something. Don’t thank God. 
Are you mad?

--CAPTAINCUE (...is a freelance writer taking on gigs for unridiculous money. Send me a direct message on Twitter @Captaincue or send me a mail with your writing needs at kaptaincue@gmail.com)

TWITTER CONCOCTIONS (S01, E03) : #45Minute Sex

Having lawyers as friends can be painful; as they are wont to be annoying when you attempt to have a normal, outside-of-the-court, not-on-the-stand conversations with them. Some of them find it hard to abandon their lawyery persona, but I’m now used to it. Conversely, having them as friends also comes with its perks; as you tend to be more aware of the implication of words, gestures and whatnot.

You also pick up some smart, philosophical terms like ‘plausible deniability’. In line with this, I cannot tell you I have not been writing erotica under a pseudonym for a website for the past few weeks. I cannot tell you that because:

• I’m going to have kids and I don’t want my kids growing up to read how fucked up their daddy’s mind/activities was
•  I have a wild imagination. I have imagined that an uber-religious outfit will be impressed by my writing portfolio and offer me a job, only for the CEO to retract the offer after seeing that my protagonist in the erotica has repeatedly slept with his boss' wives

I feel sorry for you people because you are being deprived of some exceptional prose, but that is by the way. Today’s topic is something I have always wanted to write, but Wednesday’s series of #45Minutes tweets have presented an opportunity for my friend to write in. Due to the tedium of writing ‘my friend said...,’ I will just use “I” instead. As ever, this started rather innocuously when a guy tweeted another guy claiming he pounds people’s daughters for #45Minutes.

FACT:

1) People have sex. Lots & lots of it, in fact. So let us not even attempt to pretend otherwise. Nigerians fuck a lot. It’s basic human nature.
2) There is a seeming ‘shameful’ tag that society’s collective moral compass has attached to sexual discourse.
3) Fierce ignorance of pertinent knowledge pervades and plagues this zeitgeist.

AFTER THE FACT:

1) Physically and psychologically, sex is meant to be one of the escapes of our daily lives and therefore, designed to both be pleasurable and enjoyable. In a recent article that highlighted existential racism in football journalism, that writer decried the use of certain words to describe black players. “Strong, powerful, built like a bull, raw, explosive , big..” without ever really using words like “skilful, intelligent, poise...”

In a similar vein, one can infer the perspective from which most people see sex from the words they use to describe it. You see and hear people using words like ram, bludgeon, knack, plunge, hit, choke, hard, fast, tear. TEAR!!!!!!

The form of our country has so distressed most Nigerians and we look to fuck away our pent-up frustrations with our sexual partners. Hence, the seemingly widespread notion that sex is always about dominion and raw, animalistic, incessant pounding. I’ll end this subsection by saying that sometimes, it is (about power) and other times, it is about subtlety. Learn to mix it up.

2) I have been described on occasion as ‘inappropriate,’ but I think that stems from the fact that sexual discourse creeps most people out. The first time I ever asked my friends about intimate stuff was when one of my women started squeezing my nipples during coitus. It was the most un-sensual thing ever done to me and I cringed in disgust. So I asked my male friends if nipple squeezing has any effect on them. The wide ranging answers have educated me and I’ll be a better husband to my eventual wife. For something that takes up this substantial percentage of our time, I think we should be talking about sex, as much as we talk about football, shoes, music & other stuff.

Let us start un-sinning sexual discussions.

3) COMMUNICATION is key during this thing: Okay. I like to think I’m a half-decent footballer and every single time I take to the pitch, I play CB or DM and I end the match (no matter how friendly or competitive) with a scraggy voice due to incessant bellowing of instructions at teammates (no matter how good they are).

Now, on the prism of life, football ranks just below sex and most of you will agree with me that ordinary football cannot be played without communication, let alone sex. See ehn? When you indiscriminately have sex to some level, a girl that was calling you ‘Boda Tijani’ will call you ‘Bros Tee’, then ‘TeeJay’ - - before she finally removes bros and you become Tijani. Lol.

I’m just saying that if I let you put my penis between your teeth and you allow my penis INSIDE you, what level of intimacy is left again? Why the rubbish shyness again? I don’t get why some of you cannot look at your sexual partner and ask/say what you/(s)he wants so you’ll tailor your performance to that preference.

Look, I have been on top, beneath, beside, behind and inside you (literally) for fuck's sake, why can’t we talk to each other! This distinct and disturbing lack of communication around a most important topic has seemingly given most boys the preconception that the average woman wants to be pounded until you create a crater. This might be the case, but the onus is on us to find out and actually understand the working principles of what our partners want.

4) You are a 23yearold boy and you believe you can’t sustain an erection without tramming up your system and drinking alleged performance-improving potions. Are you not unfortunate in life like this? True, from condensed street knowledge, a random girl you engage in casual sex with will be hard to convince to come back if your first impression is not ‘strong’ enough. But you should not set a false standard you will never be able to replicate without those drugs.

I just think that at some point in your distant future, even though you started drugging up in order to last longer, the cumulative effect will be that you won’t even be able to get it up anymore without help. But what do I know? Sha don’t use porn standards to gauge yourself. Which takes us to the next point:

5) If most guys can pound for #45Minutes like they claim on the online, who are those that these women are complaining about?! My fornicating friend, don’t kill yourself trying to emulate people who overrate their badness on Twitter by manufacturing reputations at will. People like us that can actually do these things (by the grace of God) don’t boast because of political correctitude. Lol.

Semi-finally, a wonderful sort of friendship is one comprised of persons of the opposite sex where both of them have long overcome the urge to tear clothes off each other. When you have this kind of friendship, you will trade information on the ideal stuff that ‘good sex’ entails. It is then you will find out that contrary to pop sayings, most can’t stomach (shoot me) the famed eight incher.

Finally, I (my friend) strive for holistic betterment on all facets of my life and sex is also part of it. In fact, I engage in occasional pre-marital sex so I can gather experience for my incepting wife in 2025. I jest, of course. Seek knowledge, have discussions and get better at this sex thing. It's good for your ego, your psyche and your body.

Leave standards for those Twitter people.

(remember, this is a blog of drunken writings. Don’t take it too seriously)

--CAPTAINCUE (...is a freelance writer taking on gigs for unridiculous money. Send me a direct message on Twitter @Captaincue or send me a mail with your writing needs at kaptaincue@gmail.com)