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Difficulty: EasyAgricultural Systems, Crop Production, and Pastoralism in Nigeria

Which of the following cash crops is predominantly cultivated in the dry Sudan savanna belt of northern Nigeria?

  1. GroundnutAnswer
  2. B
    Cocoa
  3. C
    Oil palm
  4. D
    Rubber

Answer

Groundnut is predominantly cultivated in the dry Sudan savanna belt of northern Nigeria.
Groundnut is an drought-resistant legume well-suited to the well-drained, light sandy soils and relatively low annual rainfall of the Sudan savanna belt, particularly in states like Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, and Sokoto.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the climatic and ecological features of the Sudan savanna belt
The Sudan savanna experiences lower annual precipitation (600–1000 mm), a pronounced dry season, and light sandy soils.
Crop distribution across Nigeria follows a latitudinal gradient dictated by rainfall duration and total annual amount.
2
Match cash crops to their primary growth environments in Nigeria
Drought-tolerant annual crops like groundnuts and cotton thrive in the northern savanna, whereas perennial tree crops (cocoa, oil palm, rubber) require the humid southern rainforest environment.
Tree cash crops cannot withstand the prolonged dry season and low humidity characteristic of northern ecological zones without extensive irrigation.

Key Concept

Ecological zoning of cash crop production in Nigeria
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Agricultural Systems, Crop Production, and Pastoralism in Nigeria

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