By Umar Nsubuga
Few farmers in Uganda devote resources to growing yams. Often yams grow on their own in the wild or backyard.
Yams have a lot of dietary fibre, which helps to slow down the absorption of sugars thus controlling blood sugar levels.
Over 90% of global yam production takes place in West Africa, with Nigeria as the world’s leading producer. In West Africa, yams are not just food, they are a cultural, social, economic and religious product.
Though the demand for yams in the East African region is high, its production remains low. Most of the yam varieties that grow in Africa must be cooked to be safely eaten.
Excessive skin contact with uncooked yam fluids can cause the skin to itch. If this occurs, a quick cold bath or application of red palm oil to the affected part will stop the itching.
Yams are usually boiled and eaten. The boiled yam can also be pounded with a traditional mortar and pestle to create a thick starchy paste known as fufu in Nigeria.
Another method is to sundry the raw yam pieces. When dry, the pieces turn dark brown powder which can be prepared with boiling water.
Ready market
Aisha Nalule one of the yam farmers in Janda village in Wakiso district says people come from different parts of the country to buy my yams. I direct them to the garden to harvest as much as they want and then we negotiate the price, but most of them own hotels.
Planting
Yams mature between six to eight months, according to Nalule, all a farmer needs to do is to get tubers and bury them under the earth.
She says the leaves can be harvested and prepared like any vegetable or they can be dried and pounded into powder, and mixed with ground nuts sauce.
She also says yams take a long time to grow, but they are profitable and even the market is good. Usually, many people book gardens when they are still young.
