What To Do With Ganye Yams:-

The cultivation of yam in West Africa began more than 11,000 years ago. The region is tagged as the “Yam Belt”; owing to the region’s account for 94% of the total yam production worldwide. Nigeria, the world’s leading producer of yam, accounts for 76 per cent, with Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo and Benin Republic representing 18 per cent that made up the 94% Yam Belt production.

Yam is an important staple food and energy source for many Nigerian households because of its high cultural and traditional roots among many ethnic groups. It is culturally superior to other root crops like sweet potato, Irish potato and cassava. Yam can be consumed as fried, porridge, cooked, pounded or even roasted. Nigeria’s 200 million population is estimated to have an average annual yam consumption per capita of 270kg.

According to a data by atlas, Benue State is the largest yam producer in Nigeria, with Taraba second, Nassarawa third and Adamawa fourth. In Taraba for instance, areas known for yam cultivation include: Wukari, Zing, Yorro, Donga, Takum, Ussa etc. These five areas combind account for the Taraba’s 24,534 1000 tones total production whilst Adamawa’s Ganye is the sole area harvesting 10,000 metric tons of yam for local consumption and exports purposes.

In the realm of cultural diversity, Nigeria shines as one of the world’s brightest stars. This richness is evident in our languages, attire, local traditions, and, most prominently, in the food we eat. Yam in Ganye is not just a crop, it is part of the Chamba people’s cultural delicacy they will always commonly subscribe to.

Yams cultivation is expensive; from planting to harvesting processes require hard labor input. However, yam seeds are scarce and expensive due to limited seed supply. Because of these, not all people are known for yam cultivation.

For about two decades, yams harvested in Ganye are exported by dealers directly to Abuja, Kano, Potiskum, Azare, Gombe, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Bauchi, up to Niger Republic through Kano borders. Local merchants come from nearby Yola, Mubi, Lamorde, Fufore, Gombi, Maiha, Girei, Kaltungo, Billiri, and Akko to load trucks of yams in Ganye market. The yam market floods with yam produce from Wednesday to Saturday continuously from July to November.

This year, due to the sudden hike in fuel prices; the cost of farm inputs such as fertilizer and herbicide, labor and transportation costs has also skyrocketed. Consequently, these economic impacts has significantly paralyzed yam exportation from Ganye to about 8 other northern states. Today, yam farmers in Ganye are left to choose between selling their produce in Ganye yam market for a handful of profit or export and risk severe loss owing to cost of labor, taxes, transport expenses and market instability.

Ganye, known for its agricultural potentials and natural resources, presents a plethora of investments opportunities for the both local and international community. What Ganye yam farmers ought to do now is turn this economic distress to their advantage by galvanizing into yam processing. The Chamba people must lean from the Igbos; who locally process Cassava into Garri, Palm kernel fruit into Palm oil, Plantain to Plantain flour as well as yam into yam flour.

The potential demand for yam flour in Nigeria stands at an estimated 300,000 tonnes annually. However, the present supply falls significantly short, meeting only about 20% of this demand. This deficit persists due to the limited number of organizations involved in mechanized and commercial production. Yam flour is experiencing a surge in popularity, and demand for yam flour is increasing in both local and international markets.

In Nigeria, there are just 38 officially registered brands of Yam flour products, collectively producing around 11,000 tons each year. However, unbranded or local Yam flour products dominate the market, accounting for approximately 58% of the total consumption. This prevalence is due to their cost-effectiveness and affordability.

Ganye have reached the era where it can neither export nor preserve the yams it harvest from spoilage. As Ganye cannot self-consume the whole yam it produces, the key players in the yam value chain; farmers, middlemen and the wholesalers will suffer the consequences of neglecting yam potentials in the processing industry.

Before, Ganye yams can stay up a minimum of 2 months without perishing, but nowadays, barely do they last 2 weeks after post-harvest due to application of NPK fertilizers. Moreover, there is no storage facilities to store them thereby making the produce more vulnerable to adverse climate conditions. As such, farmers prefer to leave the yams buried in the farm. If Ganye yam farmers desire to escape the bracket of present and future losses of yam, then the time is now!

The economic advantage of Yam Flour over Fresh Yam Tubers: In Ganye market, 100 medium-sized fresh yam tubers fetch an average of ₦45,000. Conversely, 1kg of Poundo yam flour costs ₦2,500 in Nigerian supermarkets. It’s noteworthy that only 1 medium-sized yam tuber (weighing 4-5kg) is required to produce 1kg of yam flour. This implies that from 100 medium-sized tubers, you can obtain 100kg of yam flour. At a selling price of ₦2,500 Naira per 1kg, the total return would amount to ₦250,000.

The production process for this instant yam flour is a very simple and straight forward process. The system involves yam selection, slicing, parboiling, drying and finally milling of the yam to turn it into flour state.

Production can be carried out by locally sourced machinery which include yam slicer, yam par-boiler, hammer mill with cyclone and for the need of hygienic packaging an industrial sealing machine will be needed as well as weighing machine.

Also, the GGS20B/C Yam Powder Flour Making Machine is designed for automatic milling, capable of processing 50-100kg of yams per hour, operating at 220V/50Hz. Its compact size allows for easy installation in a small space, making it similar to a Maize or Beans thresher machine. To ensure uninterrupted operation, it’s recommended to have a medium-sized generator on standby in case of power shortages.

In the past, Ganye lacked its own sachet water factory, relying on imports from Yola by FARO, NANFAN, ADM, ASMA’U, ZAYA etc. Today, indigenous brands like NAMBERU, A.A SAIDA, NABCO, and JABARI not only supply locally but also outside Ganye. This highlights transformation from importation to production hence our capacity to process and export yams.

I believe by creating a good supply and distribution channel, we can sell our yam flour products to supermarkets, restaurants, online stores, and individuals. Aside from attracting industrial development, it will also bring employment to the youths in Ganye that probably would have migrated to South in search for greener pastures. Our farmers too, would be relieved, as they will not have to watch their food crops waste. I call on government and private investors to explore this opportunity.

Haven shared this valuable idea with you, I will over-stress my position by citing one of my mentors in the Agriculture Industry, a former Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and now the President of African Development Bank, Mr Akinwumi Adesina who said “By 2030, the size of the food and Agribusiness in Africa will reach $1 trillion dollars. So if you are thinking of how to make money, this is the sector to be in”