By Blessing Micah (U19MM1140)
At the first sign of the rainy season, Nigerian homes begin their yearly ritual: stocking up on dried tomatoes, canned paste, and mentally preparing to say goodbye to fresh stew. Jollof and vegetables take center stage, but university students aren’t thrilled. They keep asking, how can we survive without our go to pot of stew?
For students, a pot of stew is a lifesaver. Whether it’s boiled yam, spaghetti, or rice, the stew is there for them after long, stressful days on campus. That dependable routine, however, ends once tomatoes vanish, and vanish they do, like clockwork, every rainy season.
But why does this annual heartbreak keep happening?
Professor Daniel Gwari, a plant pathology expert, says tomato plants become highly vulnerable during the rainy season. Diseases like early and late blight, bacterial wilt, and Tuta absoluta (a leaf miner pest) thrive in wet conditions, attacking the plants and stopping fruit production.
The problem does not stop there. Flooding and poor drainage often lead to waterlogged soil, which ruins crops. Transport becomes another nightmare. Mira Mehta, CEO of a tomato processing company in Jos, notes that bad roads during the rainy season delay and damage tomatoes being transported from major farm areas.
According to a 2024 report by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Nigeria loses over 50% of its tomatoes between farm and market during the rainy season.
So, despite all the advances in agriculture, can our annual breakup with tomatoes ever be avoided?
Maybe. But for now, grab your vegetables and hang tight. I’ll be back with more on how we might mend this broken relationship.