Introduction
Soybean are a variety of edible bean belonging to the legume family. They are native to East Asia but are now cultivated and consumed across the globe in a wide range of climates.
The protein content of soybean is 36–56% of the dry weight. Soybeans are a good source of various vitamins and minerals, including Molybdenum, vitamin B1, vitamin B9, Vitamin k1.
Soybean is a non-native and non-staple crop in sub-Saharan Africa with potential to be a commercial crop owing to its wide range of uses as food, feed, and industrial raw material.
In 2021, the production of soybean in Nigeria was estimated to be 467 thousand metric tons. Between 2010 and 2021, the soybean meal crop in the country increased, registering the highest growth in 2011, when the production grew by about 25 percent compared to the previous year. In the last years, the production remained stable. Source (statista.com)
Uses
Soybean is a key ingredient in making:
- Animal feeds
- Soy cake (Tofu)
- For soy milk
- Soy yogurt
- Cosmetics and soap making
- Soy oil.
Production, export, import and consumption in Nigeria
Production= 600,000, Export= 18,967, Import= 51,799. (source: FAOSTAT)
Growing Soybean
The best type of soil for soyabean farming in Nigeria is well-drained loamy soil that isn’t packed too tightly. If you are working with soil with high clay content, mix it with sand, mulch, or peat moss. Do not plant soyabean on sandy soil or a waterlogged environment.
Duration and Season
Soybean does well on many planting dates, if humidity is available. For planting soybean in different ecological zones in Nigeria, experts from IITA, University of Maiduguri recommend that farmers should consider planting between June to second week of July.
Sowing and harvest period
In the vegetative stage, the crop is very tolerant of caterpillars but very susceptible to silverleaf whitefly attack. Soyabean for shelling and fresh use are ready for harvest from 65 days after sowing. However, dry soyabean require 100 or more days to reach harvest.
Main Producing States in Nigeria.
- Benue (Main Production Hub)
- Adamawa
- Kaduna
- Kano
- Katsina
- Kwara
- Taraba.
Relevant Agencies in Nigeria.
- SEC (Nigerian Soy Excellence Center)
- SOFAN (SoyBean Farmer’s Association).
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