**A.2 Farmer A**

Tell me about the last time you planted Egusi seeds; when was that? *The way will cultivate Egusi is that when rain falls in April, we begin the cultivation process. By the end of April, we should have finished everything that pertains to planting.*

Where did you plant? *I plant on my farm.*

How did you prepare the land? *Before planting, we first prepare the land. If there are grasses or shrubs, we cut them, gather them, and then burn them.*

Does the land belong to you or did you also plant in some other persons' land on any arrangement? *I rent a land.*

Do you plant on the same land all the time? *I do not get the same land every time.*

Do you plant any other crop before the Egusi planting season on the same piece of land? *We do not plant any other crop before planting Egusi.*

Do you shift to other places? *If we plant on one land this year, by next year, we will change to another piece of land.*

How do you water the land? *We do not plant until the rainy season begins.*

Do you plant Egusi with other plants such as in between yams? *No, we plant only Egusi, not together with any other crop.*

What pest(s) are common in Egusi production and how are they controlled? *We buy the necessary pesticide and apply.*

How do you treat Egusi to guide you against damage from pests? How do you harvest Egusi? *When we finish planting, we spray preventive chemicals.*

What do you do with the land after harvest? *After harvesting, we bury what is left of the pods when we make ridges.*

How do you prepare the Egusi for storage after harvest? *When the leaves are shaded, we gather them and use a cutlass to slice them. We then leave the Egusi pod to rot. It takes between 6 and 8 days. When we come back, we scoop the contents of the pod and take it to the river for washing. After washing, we bring it home to dry. When it is fully dried, we bag them in sacks.*

Do you sell or consume the Egusi after harvest? *We do not sell the Egusi immediately. We store it until the price has gone up.*

How do you relate with your customers, farm workers, and suppliers? *For the workers who help me, I pay them. I also pay for my suppliers. Only with the harsh economic conditions, I do not get enough to pay my workers.*

What do you think about the profitability of Egusi cultivation? *I would say that Egusi farming is a profitable business.*
