Indigenous Food Yam Cultivation and Livelihood Practices in Cross River State, Nigeria
Yam production, processing, distribution, and marketing processes are underpinned by socio-cultural beliefs shaped by ritual practices and indigenous wisdom. We used semi-structured interviews, public meetings, keen observation, local informants, and a review of secondary materials to assess local i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | World |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4060/4/2/20 |
| _version_ | 1797592297735454720 |
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| author | Eti-Obong Simeon Ema Jude Ejikeme Obidiegwu Cynthia Adaku Chilaka Emmanuel Matthew Akpabio |
| author_facet | Eti-Obong Simeon Ema Jude Ejikeme Obidiegwu Cynthia Adaku Chilaka Emmanuel Matthew Akpabio |
| author_sort | Eti-Obong Simeon Ema |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Yam production, processing, distribution, and marketing processes are underpinned by socio-cultural beliefs shaped by ritual practices and indigenous wisdom. We used semi-structured interviews, public meetings, keen observation, local informants, and a review of secondary materials to assess local indigenous understanding of interconnected perspectives of yam farming processes, socio-cultural perspectives, and livelihood practices in communities in southern Nigeria. Our findings revealed that over 90% of farmers depend on experiences of adjusting to seasonal challenges, storage practices, and fertility enhancement. Cultural beliefs and spiritual practices pervade farmers’ social attitudes to improving farming operations. Almost 70% of yam producers are aged 60 years and above and depend on crude tools and traditional methods of land management and production process, even though the modern and innovative farming methods and practices are limited. Farmers respond to the poor public support system of extension services by informal networking and local associational relationships with diverse schemes to support and encourage members. Government and organizations should take advantage of these informal structures to empower farmers through micro-credits, education, information, training, supervision, and mechanization. Different groups of actors organized into formal social structures like cooperatives will take advantage of bulk buying, selling, transportation, access fundings, information, education, and training from public and non-governmental institutions. The study findings have demonstrated that the socio-economic structure of the Obudu community has developed extensively on account of decades of yam production and processing, supporting chains of a livelihood network, entrepreneurship, and relationships of mutual cooperation and co-existence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:49:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a16f5274bf8242399fcf3e1f2a1877c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-4060 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:49:17Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | World |
| spelling | doaj.art-a16f5274bf8242399fcf3e1f2a1877c72023-11-18T13:07:01ZengMDPI AGWorld2673-40602023-05-014231433210.3390/world4020020Indigenous Food Yam Cultivation and Livelihood Practices in Cross River State, NigeriaEti-Obong Simeon Ema0Jude Ejikeme Obidiegwu1Cynthia Adaku Chilaka2Emmanuel Matthew Akpabio3Department of Geography & Natural Resources Management, University of Uyo, Uyo P.M.B. 1017, Akwa Ibom State, NigeriaYam Research Programme, National Root Crops Research Institute Umudike, Km 8 Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, Umuahia P.M.B. 7006, Abia State, NigeriaInstitute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UKDepartment of Geography & Natural Resources Management, University of Uyo, Uyo P.M.B. 1017, Akwa Ibom State, NigeriaYam production, processing, distribution, and marketing processes are underpinned by socio-cultural beliefs shaped by ritual practices and indigenous wisdom. We used semi-structured interviews, public meetings, keen observation, local informants, and a review of secondary materials to assess local indigenous understanding of interconnected perspectives of yam farming processes, socio-cultural perspectives, and livelihood practices in communities in southern Nigeria. Our findings revealed that over 90% of farmers depend on experiences of adjusting to seasonal challenges, storage practices, and fertility enhancement. Cultural beliefs and spiritual practices pervade farmers’ social attitudes to improving farming operations. Almost 70% of yam producers are aged 60 years and above and depend on crude tools and traditional methods of land management and production process, even though the modern and innovative farming methods and practices are limited. Farmers respond to the poor public support system of extension services by informal networking and local associational relationships with diverse schemes to support and encourage members. Government and organizations should take advantage of these informal structures to empower farmers through micro-credits, education, information, training, supervision, and mechanization. Different groups of actors organized into formal social structures like cooperatives will take advantage of bulk buying, selling, transportation, access fundings, information, education, and training from public and non-governmental institutions. The study findings have demonstrated that the socio-economic structure of the Obudu community has developed extensively on account of decades of yam production and processing, supporting chains of a livelihood network, entrepreneurship, and relationships of mutual cooperation and co-existence.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4060/4/2/20yam cultivationnative wisdomsocial economyNigeria |
| spellingShingle | Eti-Obong Simeon Ema Jude Ejikeme Obidiegwu Cynthia Adaku Chilaka Emmanuel Matthew Akpabio Indigenous Food Yam Cultivation and Livelihood Practices in Cross River State, Nigeria World yam cultivation native wisdom social economy Nigeria |
| title | Indigenous Food Yam Cultivation and Livelihood Practices in Cross River State, Nigeria |
| title_full | Indigenous Food Yam Cultivation and Livelihood Practices in Cross River State, Nigeria |
| title_fullStr | Indigenous Food Yam Cultivation and Livelihood Practices in Cross River State, Nigeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Indigenous Food Yam Cultivation and Livelihood Practices in Cross River State, Nigeria |
| title_short | Indigenous Food Yam Cultivation and Livelihood Practices in Cross River State, Nigeria |
| title_sort | indigenous food yam cultivation and livelihood practices in cross river state nigeria |
| topic | yam cultivation native wisdom social economy Nigeria |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4060/4/2/20 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT etiobongsimeonema indigenousfoodyamcultivationandlivelihoodpracticesincrossriverstatenigeria AT judeejikemeobidiegwu indigenousfoodyamcultivationandlivelihoodpracticesincrossriverstatenigeria AT cynthiaadakuchilaka indigenousfoodyamcultivationandlivelihoodpracticesincrossriverstatenigeria AT emmanuelmatthewakpabio indigenousfoodyamcultivationandlivelihoodpracticesincrossriverstatenigeria |