How I Came About Dwarf Pawpaw By Isaac Oluyi

Preamble

I am pleased to be sharing with you today. I appreciate the opportunity given to me by the Admin to facilitate this session on 'Cultivating Dwarf Pawpaw for Profit Making '. I do not take this for granted at all.  So,  I say I am grateful. Let me begin by sharing with us how I came about my dwarf pawpaw.

How I Came about Dwarf Pawpaw

In 2015, specifically in June,  I went to Songhai Farms in Port Novo for a training workshop on Fish Farming.  A day to the end of the training,  I engaged one of the workers of the farm in a discussion on the extremely short pawpaw tree I had seen on the farm! He told me so many fascinating things about the pawpaw that sounded too good to be true.  I became enthralled  that I decided to give it a shot by buying some seeds. I showed the seeds to some of my colleagues who tried to talk me out of it that it would not grow. Despite their discouragement,  I was not moved. On return to Nigeria,  I planted the seeds, nurtured them into seedlings and later transplanted them. The rest,  they say, is history. I have since gone ahead to make good money from it. Even my doubting colleagues have all patronized us by buying our seeds, seedlings and fruit salad!

What is the relevance of this story to our discussion?  The relevance is that it is only those who take actions that will see results. Nothing works except we make it work.

General Introduction
Common name: Papaya
Botanical name: Carica papaya
Origin: Originally Tropical America,  but it has spread to Indonesia, Thailand and so many parts of the world
Season: All Year Round

Dwarf pawpaw,  like other types, has an enzyme that soothes the stomach and calms indigestion. Its inner part is oxblood in colour and grows to between 5 to 6 feet.  It is said to last for 5 years (claim not yet substantiated by the facilitator). It is a self-pollinating variety that is also resistant to Papaya ring spot virus. This means that our dwarf pawpaws are hermaphrodites.  They pollinate themselves.  The fruit typically weighs 4 to 6 pounds,  and has excellent flavour,  aroma and texture.

Pollination
If a papaya is adequately pollinated,  it will bear a light crop of fruits lacking uniformity in size and shape. For a bisexual breed like ours,  they all fruit well with no exception from our experience.

Climate
The Papaya is tropical and near tropical specie,  very sensitive to frost. It needs plentiful rainfall or irrigation,  but must have good drainage.  Flooding for 48 hours is fatal.

Soil
While it will do best in light,  porous soils rich in organic matter,  the plant will grow in scarified limestone or various other soils if it is given adequate care. Optimum PH ranges from 5.5 to 6.7. Overly acidic soils are corrected by working in lime at the rate of 1.2 tonnes per acre.

Pawpaw: One of the Most Underrated Crops

There is no doubt that pawpaw is one of the most disparaged and belittled crops. This could have been the reason behind the actions of my colleagues who tried to talk me out of it when I first stumbled on the dwarf pawpaw. Why is pawpaw so underrated?  It is because it is commonplace.  We find it almost everywhere.  In fact,  it grows on its own without being cultivated.  So,  why will any serious-minded farmer cultivate it?

Nutritional Benefits

1. It is a fair source of iron and calcium
2. It is fat/cholesterol free
3. It is rich in antioxidants
4. It is rich in Vitamin C
5. It is rich in Vitamin A, among others.

Economic Benefits
1. Its nutritional benefits make it a commonly consumable fruits
2. There is ready made market for it
3. The seeds can be preserved and sold to farmers
4. The seeds can be grown into seedlings and sold out.
5. It can be processed into fruit juice for commercial purposes.
6. It can form part of fruit salads or assorted fruits,  packaged and sold.
7. The peels can be fed to livestock,  among others.

Other Amazing Benefits
The leaves of papaya are very useful in healing and curing cancer and dengue fever, and for good health. According to researchers the phytonutrients in the leaves are great antioxidants, greatly boosting the blood flow. This is due to the papain, phenolic compounds, and alkaloids in them. The first two catalysts are dynamic segments of papaya and can assist in the assimilation of proteins and are utilized to treat acid reflux, digestive problems, and bloating. Also, the alkaloid mixes named carpaine, pseudocarpaine, and dehydrocarpine provide chemo-preventive impacts.

These are the benefits of papaya leaves:

Blood platelet production – it is highly important to keep the blood platelet when you are seriously ill. Papaya leaves are the best in improving its production in the agreement with Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine.Support the liver – the leaves are used as a base for treating problems with the liver like liver cancer, liver cirrhosis, and jaundice.Prevents diseases – the papaya leaves juice is packed with acetogenin, a compound able to prevent from dengue fever, cancer, and malaria. It is a back-up for the immune system and can fight bacteria and viruses in the body.Boosts energy levels – drinking papaya leaves juice each day can help you boost your energy levels and assist you with chronic fatigue.Supports the digestive system – the leaves are packed with protese, amylase, chymopapain, and papain compounds that separate carbs, protein, and also enhance your processing. Those who have problems with digestion can make a great use of the juice, controlling their digestive framework. It can also help in mending the stomach lining and peptic ulcers through dispensing with microscopic organisms. The procedure can help in diminishing colon irritation which is brought on by IBD.Soothes inflammation – inflammation causes allergies and diseases, and the juice provides anti-inflammation properties that can reduce it without any further problems to be caused.Regulates the period – the juice can help you with PMS symptoms and will balance the cycle.Protects the cardiovascular health – the leaves are rich antioxidants that will boost the immune system, protect the heart health, and dilate the vessels.Lowers blood sugar levels in a natural way – the juice enhances insulin affectability and directs the glucose levels. It also contains cancer-prevention agents which diminish the auxiliary entanglements of diabetes like greasy liver and kidney harm, lessening the oxidative anxiety as well.
Papaya juice – place some clean papaya leaves in a juices and mix it in order to extract the juice from it. Store it in a small bottle in the fridge for 4-5 days. In order to make it more palatable, mix it with another juice if you want to. You can also place 1- papaya leaves in a blender and add a cup of water. String the mixture through a cheesecloth, and the juice is ready.Papaya tea – take 2 liters of water and 10 medium-sized papaya leaves, placing them on fire and boiling them until the water is half left. Let the mixture cool off and take the tea in small doses. Store it in a fridge for 5 days. Drinking it fresh is the best.Leaf extract – you can find it in capsule form, tea leaves, and tincture, but opt for organic. Those in the market are mostly GMO.

Given the benefits above,  it is not out of place to explore its cultivation  for profit making by farmers. So,  let us go a bit technical now.

Propagation
Papayas are generally grown from seeds. Germination may take two to three weeks. It can also be propagated through seedlings and later transplanted.  When seedlings are being transplanted,  they must be carefully handled.  When planting,  either seed or seedling,  dig half a metre hole. Apply compost and plant. I do not advise the use of organic fertilizer, please. Use organic manure as much as possible and the result will be phenomenal.

Season
Planting may be done at any time of the year. Note however that it requires a lot of water.  So,  if it is planted during the dry season,  ensure it is properly irrigated.

Yield
In the usual papaya plantation,  each may ripen 2 to 4 fruits per week over the fruiting season.  Healthy plants, if well cared for,  may average 34kg of fruit per plant per year.

Marketing: Sourcerite Farms Model
1.Once it is harvested,  we add value to it by using it for fruit salads.
2. We also extract the seeds for preservation so as to be sold out to farmers
3. We also nurture the seeds to seedlings for sales.
4. We make fruit juice from it too.

Our model is not rocket science. It can be adopted by anybody. One thing is certain : The model is working.

Conclusion
Fellow nation feeders,  I must stress here that papaya,  especially the dwarf one,  is money - spinning. Yet,  it is not being explored. I want to encourage us that given what we know now,  let us expedite action.  It is not what we know that matters,but what we do with what we know.  Thanks for your attention.


Facilitator : Isaac Oluyi,  CEO,  Sourcerite Farms and Proprietor,  Sourcerite Farmers Academy,  Modakeke -Ile-Ife.