Tiv foods

Tiv people are largely farmers and they have abundant foods.

Benue state is named Food Basket of the Nation. The Tiv people contribute much to this. Tiv constitutes about two thirds of Benue state population and produces more than half of the foods from the state. They are one of the biggest providers of yam and cassava not only in Nigeria but the whole world.

Yams at Zaki Biam yam market in Ukum, Benue State, Nigeria

Nigeria sometimes rank as the leading yam, cassava and soyabean producer in the world, Benue ranks as the leading state in Nigeria while the Tiv area of Benue leads. So Tiv sometimes ranks as global leaders in production of certain foods.

Though they produce a large variety of foods they prefer to eat more of ruam yo (pounded yam) with at least two types of soup: Nyam (meat or fish) and iue kunden (vegetables or other non meat/fish foods).