Potentials and Challenges of Kolanut Production in Niger State, Nigeria

Table 5

Summary of the practices and activities involved in kolanut production in Mokwa and Lavun LGAs of Niger State.

S/N	Characteristics	Lavun LGA	Mokwa LGA
(1)	Status of plantations	Old plantations with some young ones	Mainly old plantations
(2)	Soil improvement	Application of organic manure and mulching;	No application of manure nor mulching;
(3)	Regeneration of old kolanut trees	Pruning of old kolanut trees to initiate sprouting of new shoot; Felling of old trees to initiate coppicing.	Old kolanut trees are allowed to naturally fall. Pruning or felling not adopted.
(4)	Multiple land use/Incorporated crops	Deliberate planting of crops like pineapple, sweet potato, within and vegetables like okro, spinach, oil palm, and so forth	Only spared banana and/or oil palm trees within kolanut plantation; no deliberate planting of other crops
(5)	Yield	Relatively increase	Decrease
(6)	Labour	Family and friend; and paid labour	Only family and friends
(7)	Chemical application to preserve kolanuts in storage	Indirect	Direct