High cost of "Garri" rejuvenate farming spirit in Nigerians

Many residents of Enugu, particularly those living on the outskirts of the city, have embarked on cassava farming due to the high cost of “garri” in the market.

Garri — processed cassava flakes — is a popular staple food in Nigeria.

Naijaroyaltyculture.blogspot.com gathered that the rising cost of garri might have necessitated the  move, as the people were compelled to look for pragmatic ways of sustaining their families.

A teacher, Mr Edwin Mba, underscored the need for the citizens to engage in farming and produce some of the foods they consumed, adding that cassava remained the easiest and most reliable crop they could cultivate.

He advised everyone to get back to farm in order to sustain individual families or else, the children will all die of hunger. A resident, Mrs Ijeoma Ugwu, said that she could no longer afford to buy “garri” in large quantities because its price had spiralled from N700 to N1,200 per paint rubber container.

She, however, expressed the optimism that the situation would be better in 2018 since she had embarked on cassava farming.

According to her the current high cost of garri has taught her some hard lessons.

She believes next year will be much better because she already has a farm and by next year she will harvest cassava and make more money.

A youth corps member, who pleaded anonymity said that he had already cleared four plots of land in his village in Benue, in preparation for cassava farming.

He said that if he was able to generate enough income from cassava farming, there would not be any need for him to look for a salary job.

Besides, Mrs Ugochi Ibe, a civil servant, said that she had already sent some money to her relations in her village to help her to plant some crops. Ibe expressed the hope that whenever the farm started producing cassava, her spending on “garri” would consequently cease.

All the same, Mr Elochukwu Eze, a cassava farmer, blamed the high price of garri on the current decline in cassava production.

He, nonetheless, expressed the hope that with the increase in the number of people going into cassava farming, there would be adequate supply of “garri” and other cassava-based foodstuff in the markets soon.