IDO (EKITI) – An Agriculturist, Mr Simeon Gbolagunte, has advised vegetable farmers in Ekiti State to embrace cultivation of traditional vegetables as they prepare for the dry season farming.
Gbolagute gave the advice on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) at Ifisin community in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti state.
According to him, traditional vegetables such as senecio biafrae (efo worowo), amaranthus hybridus (efo tete) and talinum triangulare (efo gbure) have enormous advantages in terms of nutritional composition for human health.
“The health benefits of these leafy vegetables was responsible for the high demand for them during the dry season.
“It also provides opportunity for farmers to make money when cultivated during the period.
“Embracing the cultivation of these traditional vegetables in large quantities would make the vegetables available all year round for our consumption.
“It will also improve the living standard of the farmers because much gain would be made through the sales of the vegetables,“ Gbolagunte said.
The agriculturist, however, advised farmers not to put much emphasis on application of fertilizers to the vegetables “because these traditional vegetables do not necessarily need it.“ (NAN)