Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa: Effectiveness of a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional team-work

Authors

  • Norbert G. Maroya International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
  • Asiedu R International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • Asiedu R International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • Lava Kumar P International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • Lava Kumar P International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • D Mignouna International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • D Mignouna International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • Lopez-Montes A International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • Lopez-Montes A International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan, Nigeria
  • Kleih U Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Central Avenue, Chatham, Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
  • Kleih U Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Central Avenue, Chatham, Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
  • Phillips D Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
  • Phillips D Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
  • Ndiame F Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
  • Ndiame F Natural Resources Institute (NRI), University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Central Avenue, Chatham Maritime, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
  • Ikeorgu J National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, P.M.B. 7006 Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria
  • Ikeorgu J National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, P.M.B. 7006 Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria
  • Otoo E 5Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, P.O. Box 3785, Kumasi, Ghana
  • Otoo E 5Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, P.O. Box 3785, Kumasi, Ghana

Keywords:

Yam, value chain, capacity development, seed yam, propagation, Ghana, Nigeria

Abstract

The overall goal of the five year project “Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West  Africa†(YIIFSWA) funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and led by the International Institute  of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria was to: (a) increase yam productivity by 40% for 2,00,000  smallholder yam farmers in Ghana and Nigeria and (b) deliver key global good research products that  will contribute to the 10-year overall vision to sustainably double incomes from yams for 3 million  smallholder yam farming families and contribute to ensuring food security for producers and consumers.Implemented by scientists of twenty partner specialized organizations, comprising research institutes,  Universities, governmental and non-governmental organizations, YIIFSWA has impacted yam value  chain stakeholders through research and development interventions. The significant contributions  made in the project during the past 18 months’ period are discussed in this paper. These include: a  baseline survey conducted in key yam growing areas in Ghana and Nigeria, training of yam producers  on adapted yam minisett technique and production of seed yam, undertaking in depth value chain  assessments, developing the capacity of Farmers Organizations (FOs) by linking them to service providers  (SPs), participatory evaluation of new yam genotypes, successful development of yam virus diseases  diagnostics and development of novel techniques for high ratio yam propagation such as aeroponics  and bioreactors.  

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Published

2015-01-15

How to Cite

Maroya, N. G., R, A., R, A., P, L. K., P, L. K., Mignouna, D., Mignouna, D., A, L.-M., A, L.-M., U, K., U, K., D, P., D, P., F, N., F, N., J, I., J, I., E, O., & E, O. (2015). Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa: Effectiveness of a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional team-work. JOURNAL OF ROOT CROPS, 40(1), 85–92. Retrieved from https://ojs338.isrc.in/index.php/jrc/article/view/126

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Research Articles

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