- Question: Why is Urban Farming a Vision of Dolapo-Frank Farmers Organization
Answer: The incidences of banditry, terrorism and kidnapping with occasional deaths that occurred in Nigeria had caused great scare in farmers to go to their distant farms and this had created scarcity of the produce thereby increasing cost of living and poverty level. Yam production in sacks in the backyard or spaces near homes had become a desirable option of production technique among urban dwellers in Southwest Nigeria as it provided avoidance to banditry.
2. Question: Why has Dolapo-Frank Farmers Organization picked yam as a crop in the Urban Farming Programme
Answer: The worldwide production of yam as contained in the 2018 Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations report, revealed an approximated 72.6 million tons with Africa contributing 97.1% while three remarkably three nations of Nigeria, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire produced 67.4%, 11.1% and 10.3% respectively (FAOSTAT, 2020). Yam serves as a major food source and cash crop, thus, combating malnutrition, food insecurity and poverty in addition to its significance in the cultural, social and religious life of the people particularly in the environment of West Africa (Obidiegwu and Akpabio, 2017).
The high levels of carbohydrates, including fibre, starch and sugar attested to yam’s potential as a source of food while other nutritional benefits were confirmed with the crop’s composition of proteins, lipids, vitamins and minerals (Dutta, 2015). The therapeutic potentials of yam as a result of its bioactive compound content was reported in Ramirez and Garcia (2019) while the pharmacological activities of yam peptides and proteins were reported in previous investigations (Obidiegwu et al., 2020).
- Question: What had been the constraints to abundant yam production in Nigeria
Answer: Increased production of yam is believed to be constrained mostly by high cost of seed yam, high labour demands for land preparation, planting, staking, weeding, harvesting and transport to market. The constraints, are categorized into three major parts of seed yams scarcity, labour, and staking materials and these are significantly reduced by production of seed yam using the minisett technique and the production of both the seed yam and ware yam in sack filled soil.
4. Question: What are the common varieties of yam cultivated in Nigeria
Answer: Varieties of yam
- White yam (Dioscorea rotundata)
- Water yam (Dioscorea alata)
- Yellow yam (Dioscorea cayensis)
- Trifoliate yam (Dioscorea dumetorum)
- Chinese yam (Dioscorea esculenta)
5. Question: Give the local yam crop value chain
Answer:
Yam Recipes: Some amazing dishes you can make with yam for your reading & a refreshing mood.
i. Yamarita: Egg coated yam. It combines the taste of fried yam and eggs, all in one bite.
Preparation: It is made by dipping the sliced yams in seasoned whisked eggs before
frying them.
ii. Yam balls: A sweet delicacy.
Preparation: The yam is first boiled and blended to make a mash of it. The mash is further used to wrap any kind of fillings desired, like veggies, shredded beef and the likes and coated with eggs before frying.
iii. Baked yam and cheese: A sweet delicacy.
Preparation: To make baked yam and cheese, first, boil some slices of yam till it is soft and in a separate pot, make a sauce with assorted meats and veggies.
In a baking pan, spread the sauce and then spread the cooked yam on the sauce and add grated cheese on it. Bake till the cheese melts. Serve and enjoy the incredible taste.
iv. Yam porridge
Preparation: The yam is first boiled and blended to make a mash of it. Cooking oil and other spices are added and stirred.
v. Boiled yam and egg sauce
Preparation:. Boil yam, fry some eggs and eat together (more like rice and stew).
vi. Pounded yam
Preparation: Boil the yam until it is soft. Pound the yam using a mortar and a pestle till it becomes fluffy and compact. Serve with any soup of your choice.