OUR INDIGENOUS TOMATOES RIPENING WHILE THE REGULAR ONES IN THE MARKET SCARCE/EXPENSIVE

For those interested, the seeds of these indigenous rich-tasting, reddish, nutrious tomatoes are available so you can also plant. Interestingly, during the rainy season when the regular tomatoes are expensive in the market because they are scarce- its the offseason every June, but these indigenous tomatoes when matured at this period and have some hours of sunlight, ripen and ready for consumption. I and my research assistant gladly making the seeds available.

OLUYINKA ALAWODE, FOUNDER, FARM CAFÉ

I studied general agriculture at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria and later focused on Agricultural Extension. After graduation, I went to School of Journalism. While working as an agricultural journalist with BusinessDay, Nigeria’s foremost business newspaper, interviewing farmers, agro-processors, visiting farms, attending conferences within and outside Nigeria, I discovered there was an information gap in the agribusiness industry. I have attended different trainings mostly on writing and reporting skills – science writing, script writing, business writing and so on as well as digital marketing skills, graphic designs etc in the bid to strengthen my communication skills. I have also worked as a freelancer with WRENMedia, UK reporting and writing mainly for Spore Magazine published by Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) headquartered in the Netherlands and discovered there were still lots of untapped potentials in agriculture. Having realised that Information and Communication Technology is vital to the development of the agribusiness industry, I started Farm Café – an agribusiness information service in 2016 mainly driven by ICT. Farm Café has evolved more as a social enterprise providing information, digital marketing and B2B connections for stakeholders in the industry. To further build capacity in that regard as an Agribusiness Information Broker, I attended the course by International Centre for Research -Oriented Development in Agriculture (iCRA) in 2018 on skills for inclusive business brokerage to make agribusiness work. I keep exploring different ways of using ICT media to support existing and aspiring operators in agribusiness and to circulate information. Through my agricultural information services I started discovering that many agricultural produce, some of which are wasted and some of which are not so well- used can provide many solutions to health and beauty challenges that people experience. This information is not really new but apparently has not been well-circulated in the past and therefore not well explored. So through Farm Café I have started also disseminating information on using agricultural produce for natural health and beauty solutions. I have also gone into actually doing researches on usage of agricultural raw materials for health and beauty solutions…

FARM CAFE IS FIVE (5) YEARS IN OPERATION...to God be the glory...

To God be the glory... FARM CAFE IS FIVE (5) YEARS IN OPERATION The challenges have been huge but the mandate to prosper agribusinesses through ICT remains. Also, as a result of health challenges that people experience which could easily have been averted if they knew the full benefits of agricultural produce - simple foods, as well as the need to avert some damaging beauty treatment that people undergo as beauty could still be achieved with simple herbs, spices, fruits and natural oils, we are now including natural health and beauty information. Started February 29th, Year 2016, Farm Cafe: Agribusiness Information Services is 5 years in operation and now also informing on agro-based Natural Health & Beauty. I give God the glory, I appreciate my family for the kind support, friends and associates and all the international organisations that have graciously given me training and exposure on agriculture, writing, business, ICT and so on. Oluyinka Alawode

THESE ARE TOMATOES INDIGENOUS TO NIGERIA

Nigeria Indigenous Tomatoes

When the seeds of these indigenous tomatoes are extracted from the pulp they make very tasty stews. It would also be good for jollof rice and any dish blended tomatoes are used for with the usual peppers like habanero. With or without the rounded onions, these tomatoes are very tasty - they have a sort of exotic taste, so if onions are too expensive you can still get a delicious taste for your dishes with these indigenous tomatoes. When blended, they look and feel like packaged tomato pastes but these are very fresh with no preservatives, taste very much better and no doubt highly nutritious. The stew is so very delicious See attached the photos They are grown in some villages in Southwest Nigeria - not sure if they are grown in other regions of the country. Please who knows the local and/or scientific names of this tomato indigenous to Nigeria? I have the seeds and would be glad to give some out – let’s explore this tomato option. #tomatoes #sweettomatoes #delicioustomatoes #Nigeriaindigenoustomatoes #Africaindigenoustomatoes #tomatoeswithdifference #richredtomatoes

SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM FARM CAFE

FARM CAFÉ: AGRIBUSINESS INFORMATION, MARKETING/PUBLICITY AND B2B CONNECTION SERVICES

Farm Café is an Agribusiness Information, Marketing/Publicity and B2B Connection Services, see: http://farmcafeng.com/business-post.php?id=159 . Farm Cafe can be contacted on Phone/ WhatsApp: +234(0)8092236484, Emails: info@farmcafeng.com, farmcafe@outlook.com Farm Café: www.farmcafeng.com provides Agribusiness Information, Marketing/Publicity and B2B Connection/Facilitation for existing and potential investors with vested interests in Nigeria’s Agriculture/Agribusiness Industry. We provide services for individuals and organisations needing information on Nigeria’s Agriculture sector or with products and services that can be marketed or publicised to the target stakeholders in Nigeria’s Agriculture/Agribusiness sector. We source suppliers for individuals and businesses that want to buy agro commodities and other agro products from Nigeria. On request, we connect potential and existing investors in Nigeria’s Agribusiness Industry with individuals and organisations they need to move their businesses or projects forward. Farm Cafe can be contacted on +234(0)8092236484, info@farmcafeng.com, farmcafe@outlook.com