Steem-agro Contest: "Basic Knowledge in Agriculture 52

Hi Steemit community,

I want to open up and talk about something close to home , how agriculture isn’t just something people do on farms, it’s part of our daily life, our survival, and our history. I’ll share what I grow, how I use it, and the struggles and joy in between.

What Is Agriculture?

To me, agriculture is simply growing what you need and sharing what you don’t. It’s planting, caring, harvesting, eating, and selling. It’s not just about big farms or large machines often, it’s about the small patch behind our home, the garden at our door, the leaves we cut for soup. It’s life.

My family and I have always had a small piece of land, a little garden, where we grow waterleaf, cassava, tomatoes, cucumber, maize, and other things. Some years are better than others. But even in difficult times, we keep going because agriculture is more than income, it’s security.

Waterleaf: Our Green Gift

One of the easiest and most helpful plants in our garden is waterleaf. We plant it in rainy season or when the soil is moist. It doesn’t demand much, and it gives fast.

• How we use it: We cut it fresh and use it in soups. Sometimes we mix it with other vegetables. When there is extra, we sell to neighbors or in the small market near us.
  We also have a few pineapple plants. Pineapple takes patience — it doesn’t grow fast. But when it finally comes out, it’s always sweet and worth the wait. Sometimes we eat it fresh at home, sometimes we slice and chill it for visitors. We don’t sell pineapple often, but just having it feels like joy.

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Why This All Matters

Agriculture in my life is not about being rich. It’s about having food when money isn’t there. It’s about teaching myself patience, responsibility, and planning. When I water plants, when I weed, when I harvest,I feel proud.

Sometimes, we sell a little. Not much, but it helps. Maybe 500 naira for tomatoes, 1,000 for waterleaf, or 3,000 for a bunch of cassava. Other times, we just ea.

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Challenges We Face

• Rain delays or excess sun
• Insects and pests
• Lack of manure or good soil
• Tools and labour
• No space for expansion

But despite these, we keep going. We learn from each planting season.

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My Dream

I want to one day have a proper garden with banana trees, pineapples, vegetables, and everything else. I want to grow enough to help others too — not just for business, but for support.

• Why I love it: It grows fast. Even when other crops are failing, waterleaf still comes through. It’s like a safety net.
• Nutrition & value: Waterleaf is rich in vitamins, iron, protein, and minerals. It helps keep our bodies strong. [1]
• Challenges: It spoils fast. If you don’t use it soon, it wilts. Also, because it is high in oxalate, it’s better cooked properly so the bad parts reduce.

Planting waterleaf taught me that sometimes the best things are the ones right under your feet we just have to care a little.

The Other Crops in My Life

• Maize (Corn)
  This year, We planted maize late because of weather delay. It’s just now starting to grow. But I know when it matures, we’ll use it for porridge, roasted corn, or even to feed poultry. If yield is good, we’ll sell ears too.

• Cassava
  Cassava is my fallback. If everything else fails, cassava remains. We plant it, leave it underground, and harvest little by little. We process some into garri or fufu. It stays long, you can pull it out when you need it.

And pride,not pride in money, but pride in work. When people buy my waterleaf, tomato, cassava, I feel seen. When I cook that food we grew, I feel grounded. These hands know how to plant, weed, harvest.

Challenges We Face

• Late planting / weather shifts: Some years rains delay. Some years heavy rain floods our farm.
• Pests & disease: Termites, caterpillars, fungal attacks. We lose leaves or whole plants.
• Market instability: Sometimes after harvest, buyers are few or prices are low. You feel cheated.
• Cost of inputs: Fertilizer, compost, tools cost money. Often we borrow or use organic options.
• Soil fatigue: If you keep planting without giving rest or nutrients, soil loses fertility. You must rotate, rest land.

My Hopes & Calls

I hope more young people see farming as possibility, not shame. Agriculture is not just old people’s work. It’s future.

I hope government supports small farmers with inputs, irrigation, market access. We need good roads, storage, fair pricing.

I hope we cherish our local foods, support each other. When you buy waterleaf from someone, you help a family.

My Hopes and Message

I really hope more young people start to see farming as a real path, not something to be ashamed of.
Farming is not just for the old,it’s for the future.

I hope the government supports small farmers with better tools, irrigation, and access to markets. We need good roads, storage facilities, and fair pricing.

I hope we all learn to appreciate our local foods more. When you buy waterleaf from a local farmer, you’re not just buying a vegetable—you’re supporting a dream, a home, a family.

Let me know if you’d like this as an image or formatted for a blog/social post.

I believe everyone should have access to land, seeds, and water. Agriculture is not just for old people in the village. It’s for all of us.

Thank you for reading my little journey.
Farming is part of my life, and I’m proud of it

@mercy @peace @mhizta