What used to be empty spaces behind many houses in Ibadan is now becoming a source of daily income, as more residents turn their backyards into small gardens to grow vegetables and make little money.
With food prices rising in the market, families are discovering that a small piece of land, even as small as a few feet, can produce scent leaves, ugu, okra, pepper, tomatoes and other crops that can be sold to neighbours and market women.
Mrs. Victoria Ojo, a resident of Omi-Adio, told the Newsnaija that she started her backyard garden last year with just N2,000. She planted ugu and scent leaves in old paint buckets and sacks. Today, she harvests every week and sells in small bundles of N200 and N500 to neighbours, making an average of N8,000 weekly.
According to her, the business requires little capital but demands consistency. She waters her plants early in the morning and in the evening, uses kitchen waste and poultry droppings as manure, and re-plants immediately after harvest to keep the income flowing.
Experts say backyard farming is one of the easiest side hustles for low-income families because it does not require rent or shop. Mr. Bayo Adesola, an agricultural extension officer in Ibadan, explained that crops like ewedu, okra, green pepper, spring onions and bitter leaf mature within three to six weeks and can be harvested multiple times.
He said families can start with what they have – sacks, old tyres, buckets and plastic bottles – and use their verandas or fences for climbing crops like ugu and cucumber. “You don’t need a large farm. With 10 sacks of soil, you can start a garden that feeds your family and still gives you something to sell,” Adesola said.
Some residents are also raising small livestock alongside their gardens. Mr. Chukwudi Nnaji, who lives in Apete, combines his vegetable garden with a pen of 15 broilers and a few rabbits. He uses the animal waste to fertilize his crops, while the vegetable waste feeds his animals. He told Newsnaija he makes an extra N30,000 monthly from sales of vegetables and chickens.
Women are leading the trend, as many now supply fresh vegetables to food vendors and small restaurants. Iya Alagbo, a food seller in Challenge market, said she prefers buying from backyard farmers because their vegetables are fresher and cheaper than those transported from far villages.
To succeed, experts advise beginners to start small, plant what people around them buy daily, and keep records. They also recommend joining local farmers’ WhatsApp groups to learn about pest control and market prices, and to avoid using harmful chemicals that can affect health.
For many families in Oyo State, the backyard garden has gone beyond feeding the home. It has become a lesson that little drops of effort, harvested weekly, can fill a purse and reduce dependence on market prices.