Agricultural Story #19

@ruthjoe the organizer of this contest, I really appreciate this effort to give us farmers the window to express our thoughts regarding events of agriculture.

And to the Steem-agro Team
@xkool24
@ruthjoe
@ninapenda
@ahsansharif
I say, thank you🙏.

My Cassava Farm

Actually, it is with great joy I took this picture in my village in Akwa Ibom State. It might look like just another green patch to those who are unaware of the plant but to me, this cassava farm tells a much deeper story. One that connected me to resilience, tradition and food security in rural Nigeria precisely my village down to our very home.

Cassava is more than just a crop here in my village considering the numerous lifeline of many households living upon it. From garri to fufu and even starch, almost every part of this plant is useful. This is among many reasons my forefathers choose to cultivated cassava for generations. This particular plot is couple of months old and was cultivated during the early rains of November.

Should you look closely at the stems, you'll notice they're reddish and the local name for this stem is called "akpo nsat" that's a sign of a healthy cassava stem and this kind of stem is tasty in sipping as garri unlike others that lack the quality taste of "akpo nsat nature" as well known for its high yield and disease resistance. We got the stems from the Ministry of Agriculture during a free distribution program last year and since then, we’ve managed the field without chemical fertilizers but just organic compost from poultry droppings and occasional hand weeding.

What I love most about cassava is how forgiving it is lolz. Even in times of drought, the roots keep developing. The leaves may wilt but the tubers underground stay strong. This hardiness makes it perfect for local farmers who can’t afford irrigation or expensive farm inputs.

I hope to harvest this batch soon enough so as to make garri and fufu with it and set back to school.And if the market is right, l will convert part of the garri I will produce to sell at the local Odobo market.
This cassava farm isn’t just about agriculture to me. it’s about identity. It’s about how farming still shapes who I am, even in 2025.
I invite on @waterjoe @zulbahri @spektro224 to participate in the contest.