30. Cultivating asparagus in Dadin-Kowa area of Gongola River Valley, Gombe State, Nigeria
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Abstract
This study looks at the cultivation of Asparagus in the river Gongola valley around Dadin Kowa, Gombe state, Nigeria. The plant is a temperate crop and is usually consumed as vegetables in meals and also serves some medicinal purposes in some of the production areas. In recent times some parts of the tropics have started growing it with some degree of success. The study adopted a mixed methods research methodology. Data for the study was gathered from primary and secondary sources. Primary data was sourced over five years of field observations in the farms cultivating the plant in Dadin Kowa and purposive interviews with key informants cultivating the crop. The secondary data was sourced from relevant literature and the internet. Findings from the study suggests that over 90% success rate of Asparagus production in the tropics can be attained, once farmers make the right choice of farmlands and proper control of other variables like climate, availability of water and selecting the right specie to be grown. The study recommends more specific researches on cultivating the plant in the tropics and ways to encourage its consumption as a vegetable, improving plant production and for herbal medicinal purposes.
Keywords: Asparagus; Growing; Irrigation; Leaves; Spears; Tropics; Water