Potato production in Nigeria
Nigeria is one of the largest producers of potatoes in Africa. The potato was introduced to the country in the 19th century by Christian missionaries and is largely cultivated in the central region of the country in Plateau State.
History[]
The Irish potato was first brought into Nigeria in the 19th century by Christian missionaries. During World War II, the colonial government encouraged Nigerian farmers to grow potatoes to feed British troops stationed in West Africa.[citation needed] A handful of European potato varieties, including pinepernel, ackersegen, dekema, and roslin eburu were introduced to Nigeria afterwards to little success. In the early 1970s, the State Ministry of Agriculture in Benue took in another set of varieties including ajax, mirka, spunta, Nicola, desiree, diamant, dan-Cameroon, alpha, cardinal and Baraka.[1] In 1976, the Potato Research Programme of the National Roots Research Institute was established in Kuru, to look into ways of improving potato production in the country. In 1986, yet another set of varieties was imported into Nigeria: kondor, bertita, delcora, vento, famosa and romano.[2]
Production[]
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 321 kJ (77 kcal) |
17.47 g | |
| Starch | 15.44 g |
| Dietary fiber | 2.2 g |
0.1 g | |
2 g | |
| Vitamins | Quantity %DV† |
| Thiamine (B1) | 7% 0.08 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 3% 0.03 mg |
| Niacin (B3) | 7% 1.05 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 6% 0.296 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 23% 0.295 mg |
| Folate (B9) | 4% 16 μg |
| Vitamin C | 24% 19.7 mg |
| Vitamin E | 0% 0.01 mg |
| Vitamin K | 2% 1.9 μg |
| Minerals | Quantity %DV† |
| Calcium | 1% 12 mg |
| Iron | 6% 0.78 mg |
| Magnesium | 6% 23 mg |
| Manganese | 7% 0.153 mg |
| Phosphorus | 8% 57 mg |
| Potassium | 9% 421 mg |
| Sodium | 0% 6 mg |
| Zinc | 3% 0.29 mg |
| Other constituents | Quantity |
| Water | 75 g |
| |
| †Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA FoodData Central | |
The potato is a tuber crop which has high nutritional value. It has protein, calcium, and vitamin C. One potato of medium size contains 50 percent of the daily vitamin C needs of an adult. Its protein content is reported to be very high compared to other tubers and roots.[3]
According to a 2013 study, Nigeria ranks seventh among potato-producing countries in Africa and fourth in Sub-Saharan Africa,[citation needed] with an annual production yield of around 843,000 tonnes (830,000 long tons; 929,000 short tons) and an actual planted area of 270,000 hectares (670,000 acres).[citation needed] In spite of that, the average yield in Nigeria of 3.1 tonnes/ha is among the world's lowest.[citation needed]
Potato production in Nigeria predominantly occurs in small farms whose farmers still rely on traditional tools such as machetes and hoes as opposed to tractors.[citation needed] According to a 2012 study, an estimated 300,000 households in Nigeria engage in potato production, which translates to an average planted area of 1 hectare (2.5 acres) per household each year.[4] The country's main potato-planting region is the Plateau State (Barkin Ladi, Bokkos, and Mangu) which accounts for almost half of the national potato yield.[citation needed][4] Other potato-producing areas include Kaduna and Benue. Potato production takes place in both the wet season (April till August) and the dry season (September till March). Additionally, a low level of production occurs from October till January in Kano.[4]
The potatoes are then graded by the Potato Research Programme. On average, some 200,000 tonnes (200,000 long tons; 220,000 short tons) of locally farmed potatoes are sold within the country each year while another 100,000 tonnes are unofficially sold across the West African borders.[citation needed] Potato production in Nigeria faces many constraints, including the unavailability of good-quality potato seeds, poor storage methods, insufficient education on farming methods and pest control, inadequate research and development, and inadequate farming equipment.[citation needed]
Cuisine[]
The potato is regarded as the fourth most important root crop in Nigeria, following the cassava, yam, and cocoyam.[citation needed] French fries and potato crisps are widely consumed in Nigeria, with locally produced potatoes being used to make Monties and The Kings potato crisps.[citation needed] However, the majority of potato-based snacks in the country are still imported.[citation needed]
References[]
Citations[]
- ^ Aniedu 2015, p. 1.
- ^ Aniedu 2015, p. 2.
- ^ "Potatoes, nutrition and diet" (PDF). Food and Agriculture Organization. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Plaisier et al. 2019, p. 14.
Bibliography[]
- Aniedu, Onymechi (2015). "Production system and varietal effects on potato production in Jos Plateau, Nigeria". Journal of Agriculture and Social Research. 15 (2).
- Plaisier, Christine; Dijkxhoorn, Youri; Rijn, Fédes van; Bonnand, Johann; Talabi, Olufolajimi (2019). "The vegetable and potato sector in Nigeria: An overview of the present status". Wageningen Economic Research. ISBN 9789463951876.
- Agriculture in Nigeria
- Potato production