**3. Egusi value chain in Nigeria**

The concept of the value chain has evolved over time with three main variants, namely the French Filiere approach, Michael Potter's value chain approach, and

#### *Sustainable Agricultural Practices: Value Chain of Egusi, A Local Soup Condiment… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109854*

commodity chain and global capitalism [29]. In agriculture, the concept of a value chain is centralized on the differentiation of the entire agricultural system and the peculiarities of each player in the value chain with the aim of enhancing the performance of the entire system [30]. Value chains have been viewed as the driver of production, and organizational relations and networks are developed [31]. In recent times, there has been a push for a cyclical approach to the value chain as opposed to the linear approach.

Egusi seeds come from Egusi gourd, which looks very similar to watermelon. Unlike watermelon, the pulp is bitter and not edible, so this gourd is grown primarily for the Egusi seeds, which are similar in size to small pumpkin seeds. Shelled Egusi seeds are creamy in color. The seeds are cultivated mostly in the north-central part of Nigeria. The seeds are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, proteins, and vitamins. Egusi is used as a major condiment in preparing Egusi soup, which is a celebrated and regular dish in Nigeria. Due to its popularity, it has a household name in every region, such as Miyan Agushi of Miyan Gushi in the north, Efo ElEgusi in the western part of Nigeria, and Ofe Egusi among the Igbos of the southeast. Unconfirmed reports suggest that on average, over 50% of Nigerian households prepare Egusi soup every week. Recent development suggests that Egusi is now packaged and sold in supermarkets, but can also be found in open local markets where they are sold in different measures by weight and also in multiple cup sizes.

Based on the national acceptance of Egusi soup, its value chain cuts across various parts of the country. Stakeholders of the value chain range from the northern farmers, the southeastern retailers, and nationwide consumers. The stakeholders of the Egusi value chain include farm input sellers, traders of agricultural equipment and machines, farmers, farm hands, processors, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers.

In the cultivation of Egusi, certain agronomic practices are prevalent. Egusi is among the first crops cultivated at the beginning of the farming season, which begins around March and April. The first course of action is land clearing during which the farmer cuts grasses and stalks of previously cultivated crops, gathers them, and burns or bury in the soil during tilling. Ridges are made after land clearing and then, the seeds are planted. In order to control weeds, preemergence and postemergence herbicides are used although hand weeding is carried out in some cases. The harvesting process that starts after about 3 months of planting involves gourds collection into mounds for fermenting, seeds extraction and washing, drying, and shelling. Yet in spite of the widespread consumption of this product, not much work has been done on its agricultural sustainability. It is this gap that the current study is designed to fill.
