Indeed, a visit to the farm revealed that large number of unemployed youths now take solace in vegetable farming in the area which also offers opportunity for market women to buy at cheap prices.
As from 6 o’clock in the morning, market women from different parts of Lagos metropolis troop to the farm to buy fresh vegetables which they later sell at various markets.
Some of the farmers who spoke to Daily Trust said the business has been profitable and that it requires only a little capital, about N500, to start farming in the farm.
According to Alhaji Umaru Garuba who has been in the farm for about 15 years, acquisition of farmland for farming is free while vegetable seeds could be bought at nearby Iba market for as low as N20 depending on the quantity one requires.
“I have been in this business for the past 15 years and up to date I have no regretted. Allocation of land to prospective farmers is free once you inform the military authority in Ojo barracks since the land belongs to them and if there is vacant space, all you need do is to go and clear it and start farming,” he said.
Garuba said presently he has on his payroll three workers whom he pays N15,000 each per month, adding, “farming vegetable is lucrative and no government official has come to the farm to disturb us.”
It was learnt that harvesting vegetables only takes three weeks while ‘ewedu’ takes four weeks.
Another farmer, Augustus Ischise said he came to the farm three years ago and it has been a success story. Ischise who was busy attending to his customers said he started farming with N500 and he makes an average of N2,000 daily from the farm when his plantation is ready for harvest. “What will man do after finishing school and no work? I have to find something doing”, he said.
Within each portion of farm, there is a small channel where water is obtained to irrigate the vegetable farms. Ischise said this has helped the farmers especially during the dry season.
A market woman, Mrs Adeola Joseph who is a regular visitor to the farm said it has helped the women in the market to grow their businesses, adding, “I have been a regular customer to the farm for past three years and my vegetable business has expanded.”
She said they usually arrived at the farm early in morning to buy in wholesale, adding, “there is profit in this business. Though there is no fixed price for what you buy but by the time we get to our market we make double the amount we bought the commodity,” she said.
