**7. Implications of the findings and conclusion**

This study set out to investigate the prevailing agricultural practices in the Egusi value chain in Nigeria. The author from the outset intended to evaluate the sustainability of the Egusi value chain and to recommend more sustainable practices. However, the findings of this research indicate that the concept of sustainable agriculture is alien to some stakeholders in the value chain. The research was carried out using a qualitative and thematic approach. In light of the findings, the following issues need to be addressed by the regulatory agencies as well as the farmers' cooperative society.

The stakeholders in the Egusi value chain have poor knowledge of sustainable agriculture. The players in the value chain are mostly uneducated and unaware of the current trends in agriculture and are at best constitute small-scale farmers that rely on traditional methods for farming. However, there are traces of some unsustainable agricultural practices within the value chain. Some of these practices include indiscriminate use of chemicals in seed treatment, pest and weed control, and storage. It was also found that the market forces are being controlled using artificial scarcity to guarantee profitability. This practice by the stakeholders calls for the processing and packaging of Egusi as a retail stock item for sale at groceries stores rather than storing it in jute or polypropylene sacks. Some form of investment is called for to actualize this aspect of the value chain. A recent development suggests that some SMEs now process and package Egusi as a stock item and sold through supermarkets.

Finally, the findings of this research call for greater awareness and education of stakeholders in the value chain, particularly as it affects the use of chemicals in the value chain. This could be initiated through any of their associations.
