**Why Nigeria Should Prioritize Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato Farming – Farmer**
In an interview, Sunday Ayodele, an orange-fleshed sweet potato farmer in Abuja, discusses the untapped opportunities in this crop’s value chain to improve farmers’ incomes and combat food insecurity in Nigeria.
**Excerpt:**
**PT:** As a passionate farmer, can you give us an insight into potato farming in Nigeria and why you focus on potatoes?
**Sunday:** Potato farming is common in some parts of Nigeria, with Plateau and Kaduna known for Irish potatoes, while white-fleshed sweet potatoes are widespread. Interestingly, although Nigeria is one of the top potato producers globally, it also has the highest rate of malnourished children. This paradox motivated me to farm orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. They are easier and cheaper to grow than other crops, thriving in well-drained sandy loamy soil with minimal fertilizer. Sweet potatoes, particularly the orange-fleshed variety, are nutrient-rich and can significantly address national malnutrition issues. Therefore, I farm OFSP to contribute to solving local and national health problems.
**PT:** You cultivate a special variety called orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP). What makes it special, and are there aspects other farmers might not know?
**Sunday:** OFSP, native to Peru, was introduced to Nigeria by the International Potato Centre in 2005 and has been proven viable for cultivation nationwide. The orange color indicates high beta-carotene content, which converts to Vitamin A, essential for health and immunity. OFSP contains over 13 micronutrients, including Vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B3, B6, D, E, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and iron. It’s not just food; it offers therapeutic benefits for heart health, arthritis, ulcers, diabetes, and reproductive health.
However, the benefits depend on preparation and use, which is why I focus on training and public sensitization about OFSP’s production and processing. The entire plant is useful—the tubers can be cooked in various ways, and the leaves are nutritious and versatile, serving as soup, sauce, or tea. They also make excellent livestock feed. Many farmers grow and sell OFSP without realizing its full potential, so policymakers should leverage practitioners like me to promote its health benefits and boost both demand and production, enhancing Nigerians’ health and economy.
**PT:** What opportunities in the OFSP value chain can Nigerians tap into?
**Sunday:** The OFSP value chain offers numerous opportunities beyond farming:
– **Tuber Production:** Suitable for those with farmland and a passion for farming, it’s lucrative with a short cycle of 90-120 days and high returns on investment.
– **Vine Multiplication:** Ideal for those with limited land but access to irrigation, focusing on producing planting vines for farmers.
– **Processing:** OFSP can be transformed into over 42 dishes and products.
– **Merchant/Aggregators:** Involves logistics and storage, ensuring year-round availability of OFSP tubers.
– **Research:** Developing products like starch, ethanol, biogas, and animal feed.
**PT:** What is required to grow OFSP in Nigeria?
**Sunday:** OFSP cultivation is cost-effective and suitable for marginal soils. It needs sandy, loamy soil and minimal fertilizer but requires sufficient water, especially in the first eight weeks. Therefore, irrigation is crucial for year-round production. Additionally, protecting farms from herders is necessary, particularly during the dry season. The government should promote year-round OFSP production to address food and nutrition security.
**PT:** With high unemployment, especially among graduates, is OFSP an option for them?
**Sunday:** The OFSP value chain is ideal for engaging unemployed youths, offering profitable opportunities in land preparation, vine multiplication, tuber production, food processing, aggregation, storage, and export marketing. It addresses various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and can significantly impact food and nutrition security, biofuel, and climate change mitigation.
**PT:** What challenges do potato farmers face in Nigeria?
**Sunday:** The potato value chain lacks government support, contributing to high malnutrition and Vitamin A deficiency. Unlike rice, maize, or cassava, sweet potatoes receive minimal backing. There’s a need for better road infrastructure, logistics, curing centers, and storage facilities. Additionally, encouraging the use of locally-produced sweet potatoes in food industries and bringing in machinery for puree-making can significantly boost the value chain.
By prioritizing OFSP farming, Nigeria can tackle malnutrition, improve health outcomes, and create economic opportunities for its citizens.
