The Rainy Day Harvest

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Some months back during the dry season, I cultivated some cassava on a small piece of land around me. It was a good planting time. The plant grew well, and when it was time for weeding, the weeding was done.

In Nigeria, we do not joke with farming. Coupled with the current economic situation in the country, we just have to go into agriculture. And it pays a lot because it provides food and also brings money. Farming is stressful, no doubt, but it is rewarding.

About a month ago, the rainy season set in, and it rained heavily, even till this month. I visited the farm two weeks ago and noticed that some of the cassava leaves were turning yellow. I decided to uproot one to see what could be the cause. Behold, I discovered that the cassava inside the soil had decayed. Could it be the variety of cassava or the rain? I could not tell, but I had to look for a way out before I lost all of it.

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So today, I decided to go for a harvest. Although it was raining, I had no choice. I stepped into my little farm and began harvesting. Even though a lot of the cassava had decayed, I was still able to gather about one and a half bags of cassava, which I could either use for garri processing or sell.

It was not the harvest I had hoped for, but I am still grateful. At least I did not lose everything. This has taught me to consider drainage next time and maybe plant on slightly raised beds. Farming is full of lessons.

How is the harvest in your area? Have you ever witnessed such decay before? How did you handle it?

NB : All photos are mine