How to Start Soya beans Farming in Nigeria

Soybean is among the major industrial and food crops grown in every continent. The crop can be successfully grown in many states in Nigeria using low agricultural input. Soybean cultivation in Nigeria has expanded as a result of its nutritive and economic importance and diverse domestic usage. IITA along with partners has developed improved technologies for soybean production.

Soybean is not a demanding crop; it grows well with just the right amount of sun, warmth, and moist soil. Nevertheless, in the early stages of soybean growth, it is vulnerable to frost, waterlogging, diseases, and pests. Therefore, agriculture producers need to carefully select the optimal planting window and keep a close eye on their crops during the soybean growing process. Fortunately, modern technologies for growing soybeans allow for remote, near-real-time monitoring of the crop. Once the plants grow mature, harvesting them at the right moment will guarantee that all the farmer’s efforts were worthwhile.

Soyabeans is a broad acre crop. Soybeans is a key source of protein for human and animals. Soybeans is widely used for the production of animal feeds in Nigeria. Soybeans is also known as a staple food in Nigeria.

Farmland or Site Selection; The site or farmland to be used for soybeans farming should have good soil. There should also be a good access road to the farmland for the easy evacuation of the farm produce. The site should have abundant sunshine and tropical climatic condition as soybeans can only grow well in tropical conditions.

 Climatic Requirements: Soybeans is a tropical crop. It can only do well in areas that are warm with abundant sunshine. Soybeans will not do well in cold areas.

Soyabeans crop prefers a lot of sunlight. It also needs a warm weather condition. The more the sun, the better the soybeans yield.

Soil Suitable for Soybeans Farming: Soybeans prefers sandy loamy soil as this the most suitable type of soil for its growth. The soil should also have a well-draining capacity. Pure sandy soil and clay soil do not make soybeans crop grow well.

The soil pH should be 5.0 – 7.5.  Soil that is too acidic should not be used for the growing of soybeans. Soil that has a high alkaline content should also be avoided.

Soil Preparation: Bulldozers should be used to remove trees from heavily forested farmland. Care should be taken so that the top soil will not be removed. Manual labourers can also be used for deforestation; however, this will take a lot of time.

Ploughing, harrowing and ridging should also be done. Several rounds of ploughing may be done so that the soil will have a good structure. Ridging may also be done, though this is not compulsory.

 Choosing the Soybeans Variety to Plant: Hybrid soyabeans varieties are more productive than the open pollinated varieties. Hybrid soyabeans varieties also resist pests and diseases than open pollinated varieties.

Equipment to Use for Soybeans Farming: The following equipment can be used for soybeans farming,

Tractors, Sprayers, Harrowers, Plough, Farm House, Power Tiller, Cutlasses, Hoes, Earth Augers, Weeders etc.

Irrigation: Irrigation can be used to enhance the growing of soybeans. It can also allow soyabeans farmers to grow their crop in the dry season. The following are the types of irrigation that can be used for soybeans farming in Nigeria: Drip Irrigation, Sprinkler Irrigation, Furrow Irrigation, Spray Tube Irrigation etc.

 Planting of the Soybeans Seeds: Soybeans seeds should be planted in 1 cm hole. The intra row spacing of soybeans plant should be 5-10while the inter row spacing should be 10cm – 15 cm.

The following are some soybeans varieties or seeds in Nigeria: Variety: SC-SL01 (S1079/6/7), Variety: NCRISOY 2 (TGx 1989-19F), Variety: NCRISOY 1 (TGx 1988-5F), Variety: TGx 1951-3F (TGx 1951-3F), Variety: TGx 1987-62F , Variety: TGx 1987-10F, Variety: TGx 1904-6F ,Variety: TGx 1835-10E (TGx 1835-10E), Variety: TGX-1448-2E (TGX-1448-2E)

Harvesting: Harvesting starts within 45 – 65 days after the sowing of the seeds. Harvesting of matured soybeans pods in large farms is usually done with the use of mechanized harvesters. For small farms, cutlasses and sickles should be used.

 Post-Harvest: Soybeans is usually sold in the open market after harvest. 100kg bags or sacks are usually used to pack harvested soybeans grains.

Cost to Start a One Hectare Soybeans Farm in Nigeria

The cost to start a one hectare soybeans farm is detailed below:

Rent of one hectare farmland: ₦21,000

Clearing, Ploughing and Harrowing: ₦57,000

Seeds: ₦32,000

Planting: ₦10,000

Irrigation: ₦305,000 – ₦655,000 (Optional)

Fertilizers and Manure: ₦21,000 – ₦102,000 (Depending on soil fertility)

Pesticides: ₦22,000

Others: ₦105,000

How many soybeans to plant per acre?

The optimal density per acre is approximately 100,000 plants, so you should sow around 140,000 seeds per acre (as using a drill results in a 75% average seed survival rate).

How Long Does It Take To Grow Soybeans?

They require anywhere from 100 to 130 days or more to complete their full growth cycle. Because day length affects plant development, longer days can delay flowering in short-day types and lead them to grow in height and node number. Meanwhile, shorter days accelerate flowering, even more so for late-maturing types.

Seed Sourcing: Do not purchase seeds from the open market. Always buy seeds from verified seed companies or the seed producers nearest to you

Date of planting: Do not plant too early (before the establishment of rain) because a prolonged dry spell after planting may result in permanent wilting of the crop

Late planting, on the other hand, may expose the crop to attack by some late-season pests and deprive the crop of sufficient moisture if the rains stop early

Seed rate: About 50–70 kg (20–28 standard mudus) are required to obtain a population of 444,444 plants/ha

 Seed dressing: Treat seeds with fungicides, such as Apron Plus, or Thiram, before planting, at the rate of 1 sachet/8 kg of seeds for protection against soil-borne fungal diseases

 Plant spacing and sowing, Sow soybean by hand, planter, or by drilling

Plant 3 to 4 seeds/hole at a spacing of 75 cm between rows and 10 cm between stands

Alternatively, drill seeds at 50–75 cm between rows and 5 cm within rows

For the early maturing varieties, a spacing of 50 cm between rows and 5–10 cm within rows

Do not sow seeds more than 2–5 cm deep

 Fertilizer: A good fertilizer recommendation for soybean production depends on a good soil test

Under normal conditions, soybean should provide itself with nitrogen through biological nitrogen fixation

Until nodulation occurs, the soybean plant depends on soil nitrogen for growth

Apply a mixture of 2 – 3 bags of NPK 15:15:15 in addition to 2 bags of SSP fertilizers

Apply fertilizer on or not later than 7 days after planting

 How to inoculate soybean with NoduMax

Measure 10 kg of soybean

Place the amount in any container that will accommodate the seeds

Prepare the sticker. Dissolve the content of the enclosed packet of gum Arabic into 200 ml of warm water

Apply the sticker to 10 kg of soybean seeds and mix them until uniformly coated

Add 100g of inoculants (1 sachet of NoduMax) to the seeds and mix until seeds are uniformly covered

Cover the inoculated seeds with a cloth and put it under the shade for the sticker to set

Plant the seeds on the same day that you inoculate them

Plant the inoculated seeds in a well-prepared moist soil and cover immediately

 Weeds control: A properly timed weed control program can minimize their effects

Weed control in soybean could be achieved manually or with the use of chemicals or by a combination of both methods

 Manual weed control: Carry out the first weeding at 2 weeks after planting and the second at 5–6 weeks after planting

 Chemical weed control: The choice, however, depends on the predominant weed species and the availability of the herbicide

Herbicides are available for pre-emergence or post-emergence weed control

If the herbicide is applied at planting, one weeding may be required at 5–6 weeks after planting

For pre-emergence weed control (Mix Glyphosate with Pendimethalin or Dual Gold) in a ratio of 150mils for Glyphosate, 200 – 250 mils for Pendimethalin and 150 – 200 mils for Dual Gold all in 20 litre knapsack and spray within 24 hours after sowing

For post emergence weed control (use Raptor or IRIS at 1.5 – 2 litres per hectare when the plants are 19 – 21 days after planting

Insect’s pest control: Insect pests can be controlled with a single spray of Cypermethrin + Dimethoate at flowering stage

Harvesting

At maturity, the pod is straw- coloured

Harvesting of soybean is recommended when about 85% of the pods have turned brown for a non-shattering variety but 80% for shattering varieties

The crop can be harvested when the seeds are at the hard-dough stage

The seed moisture content is between 14 and 16%

Harvesting can be done with a cutlass, a hoe, sickles or mechanized operation

Cut the mature plants at ground level

Stack them loosely on tarpaulin and allow them to dry in the open for 2 weeks before threshing

Do not harvest by hand-pulling because this may deprive the soil of nutrients added by the crop

Threshing soybean: Thresh manually or mechanically when the plants are properly dried and as soon as possible

Storage: Dry to 12% moisture for storage of 6–12 months and to 10–11% for longer storage

Place bags of clean soybean on a rack in the cold room or in ambient store

Soybean farming is highly profitable and offers excellent export opportunities to Nigerian farmers. The crop is in high demand in Asia, Europe, and America, with China being the world’s largest soybean importer. In 2020, Nigeria exported 490 metric tons of soybean worth $343,000, mostly to India and other Asian countries. However, despite its potential for export, Nigeria’s soybean production is still below its potential, with local consumption accounting for a significant portion of the production.

Soybean farming is a lucrative business opportunity that can contribute to the economic growth of Nigeria and Africa. With the right investment, training, and support, farmers can maximize the potential of this crop to increase yields, create jobs, and generate revenue from exports.

With proper planning, management, and investment, soybean farming can be a viable and profitable business in Nigeria and Africa, contributing to sustainable agricultural development and food security for the region.

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