By Fatima Muraina

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Cocoyam is a popular food crop and stable food in Nigeria. It comes in several varieties. Some varieties are used for soup, others are boiled, while some are used to make porridge and many others.

Health benefits of Cocoyam

It contains a good amount of Thiamine, Copper, Manganese, Niacine, Calcium, Vitamins B6, A, E and C. Other nutrients include Zinc, Pottassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Iron, Riboflavin, and Protein.

Land acquisition

Well drained sandy-loam or loam-clay soil will be best for cultivation. Getting your seedlings ready are an important requirement as well.

Cultivating Cocoyam

This requires tilling the soil. You can decide to use mounds or ridges. It is good to apply enough compost manure when farming your crop.

Give adequate spacing to encourage proper growth and proper utilization of farmland to encourage bumper harvest. Higher ridges will encourage deeper penetration.

Tending your crop is necessary for bumper harvest. This involves weeding and piling more soil to the base of the stem.

Profit Potential

Marketing the products is a major challenge but it is better to join a farmers cooperatives to give a leverage for adequate pricing.

Farmers cooperatives help in sharing information about buyers. The high demand for it is good for business.

Taking a stroll into any market will reveal that it is not always available all-year round creating a better chance to make more profit.