Awele Agro Banana Estate
Promoting sustainable and inclusive food systems, AWELE BANANA ESTATE focuses on responsible agricultural practices, specifically cultivating plantains for their high market potential. Plantains, being the world’s most important crop, play a crucial role in global production and trade. The recently published Global Banana Market report forecasts a CAGR of 0.68%, reaching USD 14540.72 million by 2028, underlining the significant market opportunities and demand for this versatile fruit.
In order to explore this market and make profit while providing value to the people by satisfying demand, AWELE AGRO ESTATES saw this as a profitable investment. This motivation was equally fostered after our market research on the demand and supply of banana.
Commercial banana farming in Nigeria can be a rewarding venture with several objectives and benefits.
Our agro land is located at Ifite-Ogwari, Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State. Ayamelum LGA is in the southern part of Nigeria with headquarters in Anaku. The towns that make up the local government are Omor, Umueje, Omasi, Igbakwu, Umumbo, Anaku, Umuerum, and Ifite-Ogwari. These communities are notable for agriculture and large scale food production due to availability of vast land for agricultural purposes. This year, the Faculty of Agriculture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State has been moved to Ifite-Ogwari, making the town a fast growing area. This is actually the right time to build there. Ayamelum’s area is situated at the border between Enugu and Anambra State.
Commercial banana farming offers the potential for substantial profits. Bananas are widely consumed in Nigeria and Africa, and the global demand for them continues to rise. By cultivating bananas on a large scale, we can tap into this market and generate significant income.
Banana farming creates employment opportunities. From planting and nurturing banana trees to harvesting and processing the fruit, there are various stages that require labor. Additionally, banana farming can lead to job creation in related sectors such as transportation, packaging, and distribution.
Nigeria has the potential to become a major exporter of bananas to other African countries and global markets. By participating in commercial banana farming, we can contribute to the country’s export revenue and strengthen its position in the international market while making sustainable profits too.
Banana plants help prevent soil erosion and maintain soil fertility. They are an environmentally sustainable crop choice. By engaging in commercial banana farming, we contribute to soil conservation and sustainable agriculture.
Diversifying agricultural activities by adding banana farming to existing crops can provide stability and reduce risk. Bananas can be grown alongside other crops, enhancing overall farm productivity. This way, we can grow crops that have short-life span and make money from them while waiting for the plantain to mature.
Beyond fresh bananas, there are opportunities to create value-added products such as banana chips, banana bread, and smoothies. Commercial banana farming allows farmers to explore these avenues. This is an agenda we are working on – Processing banana, packaging, branding, and distributing the products to supermarkets, and malls.