Taking Exception to Poverty, through small scale Agricultural project (Part 2)

We shall in continuation, be viewing 4-different aspects of small scale agricultural projects,  namely:

Ø  Pepper plantation

Ø  Snailery

Ø  Rabbitry

Ø  Fishery

Ø  Others

Pepper Plantation

-          Almost everyone eats pepper,

-          It can be dried and preserved at periods of excess,

-          Can easily be developed into branded products.

We now have companies who buy it as raw materials for production. On a 2 plots of land, laying fallow somewhere in the neighbourhood, your means of livelihood can be

guaranteed; it could also serve as stepping stone to greater things. Please don't get me wrong, it may not provide you a 2billion naira private jet or a 225 million naira bullet proof car, but can make you a responsible man or woman, who can stand shoulder high to face all that is required.

Pepper (capsicum annuum) referred to as 'Ata Rodo' in western Nigeria, can survive for 18 to 24months if well taken care of. It is a shrub, vegetable plant, requiring sufficient sunlight to grow well, spreads its arm to about 2-2.5ft, requiring plenty of water in organically rich and well drained soil. Its major problem Root-knot nematodes can be controlled with sufficient water if grown on land where flooding for very few hours could be achieved, nematicides could also be a solution to the control of Root-knot nematodes. Land requirement 2plots of land (or more), good soil, with sufficient

water supply.

 Other requirements

• Fruits to extract seeds
• Beds to nurse seedlings
• Water hoes
• Knapsack sprayer
• Hand trowel
• Manure or fertilizer (NPK)- Phosphorous as major.
• Herbicides (pre-emergence)
• Labour for clearing
• Local Baskets Business Projection

On a 2-plots of land, expected plant population at 2- feet in row and 3-feet in column is about 2400plants. Plants get to maturity and fruiting within 80-110days on the field. Under good management and marketing, a stand should give not less than

#100 in a month. Revenue of #240,000 monthly.

Your recurrent cost cannot be higher than 10percent of revenue under good planning, while initial investment can be kept as low as #100,000. With a sum of #216,000 as monthly income, you are surely a better person in the Nigeria of today.

 (This write-up is meant to inspire you. You can get a detailed step by step manual and feasibility report on request, for a token. Also available on request are already established seedlings). Join us as we discuss Snail rearing later.