"Impact of agriculture in your area "

Warm greetings all and welcome to my blog,today I'll be participating in the contest held by @selina1.

how does climate affect agriculture in your region

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climate has a very significant impact on agriculture in my country Nigeria, as the country heavily depends on weather conditions especially rainfall.

Variability of rainfall:

Farmers rely on seasonal rainfall for their crop production and other agricultural activities.
Inadequate or excess rainfall causes droughts or flooding,both of which are harmful to crop and livestock production.

Temperature Changes:

The growth of crops like maize are hindered and low yields occur due to heat.

Warm temperature also affects soil moisture and increases loss of water through evaporation which leads to drought.

Flooding:

Flooding is often caused by heavy rainfall and it is very common in Nigeria.Floods in Nigeria usually destroy farmlands, wash away crops, and reduces soil quality, making it's fertility lesser for future farming.

Pests and Diseases:

Changes in climate leads to outbreaks of crop pests. This affects crop health and leads to low yields of crops.

Agriculture being the major source of food for most Nigerians, the negative impacts of climate on agricultural production increases food insecurity and poverty especially in villages.

Adaptation Strategies:
To overcome the negative effects of climate on agriculture,farmers in Nigeria have adopted various practices like irrigation, soil conservation techniques and many others.
Government policies have also helped in early warning against climate change to sustain agriculture.

Explain what vegetables are grown in your region during the winter season and about them

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• Tomatoes:

Tomatoes are one of the most popular and widely consumed vegetables in Nigeria,they are used in cooking of stews and sauces.Though there is no winter in Nigeria something similar to it is called harmattan due to its cool temperature, therefore tomatoes are grown during harmattan because of the cooler temperature.Tomatoes require irrigation because there is no rainfall during this Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and potassium and they are mostly cultivated in the northern part of Nigeria because that is where irrigation systems are common.

• Cabbage
  Cabbage is a green vegetable that grows better in cooler temperature known as harmattan because cabbage does not grow well in extreme heat. It is often grown using the irrigation method.it is also grown in the northern states or part of Nigeria due to their cooler climates.

• Lettuce
  Lettuce is a vegetable used in preparing dishes like salads.it is cultivated during the harmattan season using the irrigation system. it is low in calories and has high water content.it is grown primarily in urban farming areas and regions with good facilities for irrigation.

• Carrots
  Carrot is a very nutritious root vegetable used in preparation of sauces and many other dishes.Carrots usually grow well in the harmattan weather because extreme heat can affect the formation of it's root.

• Spinach
  Description: Spinach is a green leafy vegetable used in cooking.Spinach grows quickly during harmattan season using irrigation method.it is grown widely across Nigeria especially by small-scale farmers.

Explain about the market price of local seasonal vegetables in your area

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Seasonal Availability:

Vegetables are cheaper during the time they are harvested due to high supply and lower cost of production.

For example,during the rainy season vegetables like okra, spinach, and peppers are cheaper and affordable.

During the harmattan season the price of vegetables like tomatoes and lettuce may increase due lesser rainfall.

cost of transportation:

when there are poor roads and high price of fuel the cost of operation increases and this leads to higher prices in the market,but if there is good road and low price of fuel the price of goods will reduce.

Region:

Prices may vary between regions. For example vegetables are cheaper in the northern states because that is where they are grown and more expensive in southern areas because the cost of transportation from the northern to the southern part is included in the price.

Demand: There is higher demand of vegetables during festive seasons because farmers know that people can't do without buying the vegetables, therefore they increase the price and the customers have no other option than to buy them.

Thanks for reading.

I am inviting @santamorillo,@tahispadron and @sureway044 to take part in this contest.