With about 68 percent of global output coming from
Nigeria, yam plays a key role in the country and the West Africa region as a
whole, contributing to protein and dietary calorie intake.
The
crop is also used for cultural events including marriages and annual festivals.
However, yam production is declining in some
traditional producing areas due to declining soil fertility, increasing pest
pressures and the high cost of labor.
Dr.
Robert Asiedu, IITA Director for West Africa says devising a roadmap for the
crop’s value chain is therefore imperative.
The
need to draw a strategy for yam is driven by the desire to harness the
exceptional qualities of the crop which are yet to be fully exploited for
economic growth and food security, he stated.
Researchers
and partners have been meeting at the International Institute of Tropical
Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan to draw a strategy for yam for Nigeria.
The
strategy aims to put yam on the national agenda as the oil-rich nation embarks
on efforts to transform its agricultural sector.
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Dr.
Asiedu reechoed the importance of yam not only in Nigeria, but also globally.
"The strategy will guide us in ensuring synergies
and focus on real priorities as we work with partners to unlock the potential
of yams", he said.
So
far, Ghana has developed its strategy, paving the way for increased export and
other industrial uses for the crop. Ghana is the world's second-largest yam
producer after Nigeria. But only 30,000 tons of Ghana’s total production of
seven million tons are currently exported.
The strategy would enhance more coordinated efforts
towards addressing the constraints to increased yam production, and would give
farmers the opportunity to improve their incomes and better their livelihoods.
Dr
Antonio Lopez, IITA Yam Breeder, said having a strategy for yam that would
dovetail into the national agricultural policy of the government would bring
several benefits to the country, including increase in economic development.
Meanwhile,
agriculture experts in Ghana and Australia are collaborating on a research to address
challenges with post-harvest losses in yam production in Ghana.
Available
statistics indicate between 30 and 60 percent of yam harvested in Ghana are
lost through post-harvest storage. The income levels of farmers, processors, traders
and other stakeholders are affected yearly as a result.
The
team will come out with improved techniques to store yam, reduce post-harvest
losses and increase food security by 2015.
The
two year research involved Ghanaian researchers from the Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the Crop Research Institute of
the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CRI-CSIR).
The
programme is funded by the Australian Development Agency, AUSAID.
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