Tomato: Potentials for Alternative Source of Economic Empowerment in Kano State

Abstract

This paper is a study of the potentials of tomato production as a viable source of economic empowerment. An empirical survey was undertaken through oral interviews in Kano to identify farmers’ revenues, and agricultural development thereby assessing the connection between tomato production and economic reliance. The paper also highlighted the potentials in tomato farming, the major constraints militating against its sustainable production and measures for alleviating these constraints. This scenario was explained using climatic and weather characteristics with appropriate agronomic and economic measures by reference to a constructive theoretical model through which the interrupted supply trend can be overcome. The Kano River Irrigation Project increased production in the dry and wet seasons with about 70% of the total tomato and other vegetable products in the entire Northern part of the country coming from Kadawa dry season faming. This scheme makes significant contributions to employment, growth, and empowerment. People are better off as a result of the dry season farming. The paper advocates tomato farming as an alternative for economic empowerment of the teaming youth.

Keywords: Economic Empowerment, Farming, Tomato, Youth