Articles
SURVEY OF SPICES PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA
Article number
911_55
Pages
473 – 478
Language
English
Abstract
The contribution of spices to sustainable agricultural development globally is enormous with promising potential in the area of food, medicine, industry and pharmaceuticals.
However, in Nigeria this potential is underutilized and information on spices cultivation and uses is lacking.
A diagnostic survey in four ecological zones in Nigeria was therefore conducted to identify the socio-economic characteristic of producers, percentage of crops cultivated as spices and also access the producers perception of spices in respect to the economic, medicinal and nutritional importance.
Higher percentage of male farmers (81.1%) was involved in spices production with 45.4% between the ages of 40-49 years.
Greater percentage of respondents (46.8) cultivates 10% of their farm size to spices while 43.3% have 10% of their net income accrued to the sale of spices.
Results also indicated that Allium cepa (onions), Allium sativum (garlic) Parkia biglobosa and Piper guineensis were ranked as most important economically while Allium sativum, Cymbopogon citratus, Piper guineensis were ranked as most important medicinally.
Nutritionally, onion, Parkia biglobosa garlic and Zingiber officinale (ginger) were rated as most important.
There is need to sensitize farmers to devote more of their farm land to spices production giving particular attention to spices with high economic, nutritional and medicinal potentials.
However, in Nigeria this potential is underutilized and information on spices cultivation and uses is lacking.
A diagnostic survey in four ecological zones in Nigeria was therefore conducted to identify the socio-economic characteristic of producers, percentage of crops cultivated as spices and also access the producers perception of spices in respect to the economic, medicinal and nutritional importance.
Higher percentage of male farmers (81.1%) was involved in spices production with 45.4% between the ages of 40-49 years.
Greater percentage of respondents (46.8) cultivates 10% of their farm size to spices while 43.3% have 10% of their net income accrued to the sale of spices.
Results also indicated that Allium cepa (onions), Allium sativum (garlic) Parkia biglobosa and Piper guineensis were ranked as most important economically while Allium sativum, Cymbopogon citratus, Piper guineensis were ranked as most important medicinally.
Nutritionally, onion, Parkia biglobosa garlic and Zingiber officinale (ginger) were rated as most important.
There is need to sensitize farmers to devote more of their farm land to spices production giving particular attention to spices with high economic, nutritional and medicinal potentials.
Publication
Authors
O.S. Adebayo, B.A. Adelaja, C.A. Akinpelu, T.A. Fariyike, L.O. Olajide Taiwo
Keywords
survey, production, Allium sativum, Piper guineensis, Parkia biglobosa, Zingiber officinale, Nigeria
Online Articles (67)