Growing Through Challenges: My Journey in Gardening and Livestock Farming

Saturdays like this are often dedicated to working in the garden. In this present time and age, a single source of income is hard enough to meet our needs. There are bills that need to be settled, and it's necessary for one to step up their game by having multiple streams of income. In the past, people would say it is not advisable to venture into many businesses at the same time, but the harsh reality today is that having multiple income streams is essential if we are to cope with the economic crisis in our country and around the world. No matter how much one earns from a single job, it often isn't enough to cover bills and take care of family responsibilities. One has to be proactive and resourceful to stay afloat.

Most Saturdays, I dedicate time to work in the garden where I rear animals—goats, rabbits, and hens. I also have a section for plantation. Last year, the cassava I planted grew well. This year, I’ve already started preparing the land for cultivation. Unfortunately, the cassava I planted last month did not germinate, likely due to a lack of rain. It’s only recently that we've experienced the second rainfall of the year. I hope that in a couple of weeks, by the time April arrives, we will witness more rainfall to support crop growth.

Yesterday, I started making the ridges but couldn’t do much, so I had to employ the services of two Aboki workers. They helped plant the cassava, and today, we continued working on the ridges. I also plan to plant vegetables and peppers, as these will contribute to our cooking needs. Being self-sufficient in terms of food is important. Even though we can’t grow everything we eat, it's better to cultivate some of our food rather than buy everything from the market. If we keep buying, there won't be enough money left for other household expenses and to support the family.

I’ve been facing issues with the goats eating up the plantation. I got tired of this and decided to put sticks around the plants, hoping this would prevent the goats from destroying them. If they weren’t my goats, I don't know what I would have done. Another challenge is with the rabbits. I’ve tried several times to get them to reproduce. Unfortunately, one of the male rabbits died, and another one is currently paralyzed. Despite my efforts to ensure mating, it hasn't been productive.