From Subsistence to Surplus: Folake's Cassava Success Story

When Folake Adeyemi first attended a GAIN training session in early 2024, she was skeptical. After years of struggling with poor cassava harvests and barely making ends meet, she had grown accustomed to disappointment. But something about the trainer's passion and the practical demonstrations caught her attention.

"I remember thinking, what do I have to lose?" Folake recalls, sitting under the shade of a mango tree on her now-thriving farm. "My yields were so low that my children were going to bed hungry some nights. I had to try something different."

The training covered improved cassava varieties, proper spacing techniques, and organic pest management. Folake learned about soil testing, composting, and the importance of timely weeding. But more than techniques, she gained confidence.

Within six months, the results were undeniable. Her cassava plants grew taller and healthier than ever before. When harvest time came, Folake couldn't believe her eyes. She had tripled her usual yield, harvesting over 15 tons from her two-hectare plot.

"The first thing I did was buy new school uniforms for my children," she says with pride. "Then I invested in more land. Now I'm training other women in my community using what I learned from GAIN."

Folake's story is not unique. Across Odeda Local Government Area, hundreds of farmers are experiencing similar transformations. The key, according to GAIN's agricultural specialists, is combining traditional knowledge with modern, sustainable practices.

Today, Folake serves as a lead farmer in her community, hosting demonstration plots and mentoring new participants in GAIN's programs. Her farm has become a learning center where neighbors come to see the results of proper cassava cultivation firsthand.

"GAIN didn't just teach me how to farm better," Folake reflects. "They taught me that I have the power to change my family's future. That's a lesson worth more than any harvest."

Her advice to other struggling farmers? "Don't be afraid to try new methods. The old ways kept us poor. These new techniques, combined with our hard work, can lift us out of poverty. I'm living proof."

As Folake walks through her lush cassava fields, pointing out healthy plants and explaining her techniques to visiting farmers, it's clear that her transformation goes beyond agriculture. She has become a leader, an educator, and an inspiration to her entire community.