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The Resources of the Niger Delta: Agriculture 13.2.5 OTHER ECONOMIC TREES IN THE LOWLAND EQUATORIAL MONSOON ECOZONE

Other economic trees which are common include Rubber, Coconut, Mango, Breadfruit, Jackfruit, Citrus, African Pear (Dacryodes edulis), Avocado, Cashew, Papaya, Cocoa, Guava, Plantain, Banana, Kola Nut and Bush Mango (Irvingia gabonensis). Robusta coffee would grow well also. All these trees are suitable for small-farmer production, and we would stress here, that in the interests of income equity, social stability and ecological health, we do not advocate the establishment of commercial mono-crop plantations of tree crops anywhere.

13.2.6 THE RAFFIA PALM IN THE LOWLAND EQUATORIAL MONSOON ECOZONE

Raffia palm, which is really part of the forest ecosystems described in the next chapter, is included here because the Lowland Equatorial Monsoon ecozone has so little forest that it is more appropriately covered under agriculture. The tree is dependent on the cultured riverine forests and not only produces the economically important gin (kai-kai) but also raffia twine and thatching.

13.2.7 PADDY RICE IN THE LOWLAND EQUATORIAL MONSOON ECOZONE

Small-farmer paddy-rice, as practised in and around Anyama in the Fresh-Water ecozone, would grow well around the seasonal lakes and narrow flood plains of the rivers in the Lowland Equatorial Monsoon ecozone, and in view of the large amounts of rice grown elsewhere in the Niger Delta, it is surprising that so little is seen in the ecozone.

13.3 AGRICULTURE IN THE FRESH-WATER ECOZONE

In terms of current land use, agriculture is less important here than in the Lowland Equatorial Monsoon ecozone. However it is in this ecozone that the potential exists for increasing the regional and national agricultural product in terms of oil palm products and rice for which the area is, in many ways, ideal.

13.3.1 THE FIVE MAIN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES IN THE FRESH-WATER ECOZONE

Currently agriculture is largely based upon the following five activities.

See the following chapter.

Similar in principle to Lowland Equatorial Monsoon agriculture, and which suffers or is likely to suffer the same problems which can be (and are being) solved in the same ways. However the situation a alleviated here by the proximity to the flood-plain and swamp forests (including the palm forests) which provide resources to which the people of Botem-Tai (for instance) in the Lowland Equatorial Monsoon ecozone do not have access. 139