National yam strategy: IITA urged other African countries to emulate Ghana

Dr. Asiedu speaks at the global yam strategy launch. IITA Director for Western Africa, Dr Robert Asiedu has commended Ghana for taking the lead in developing a strategy for the tuber crop.    According to him, “We also encourage other countries to emulate Ghana, by developing similar strategies that give clear direction on how to make the crop work for the poor and improve their economies.”    Indigenous to Africa, yam is a major staple contributing to food security and incomes, and also plays a significant role in the culture of the people.    The strategy has been designed and developed to provide a holistic approach to sector development by considering both the economic and social value of yam in Ghana. “The methodology used combines IITA’s experience in agriculture research-and-development with ITC’s practice of participatory mechanisms and market-led planning for policy, enterprise, and sector development,” said Hernan Manson, ITC Adviser for Value Chain Development, and Antonio Lopez-Montes, IITA Yam Breeder.    Perlin Gunesoglu, Chairperson for the Turkish-Ghanaian Business Council for DeIk (the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board), observed that the strategy provided a platform for transforming the yam sector into a vibrant industry beyond but not excluding food security.    According to her, “The work being done in Ghana for yam is very valuable and can serve as an example for other countries trying to develop their sector looking at commercial as well as social objectives.”    Perlin pointed out that apart from yam as food, the crop can also be used in many different industries including food, paper, textiles, and adhesives, through value addition. But to achieve a high level of value addition, she emphasized the need for support from the government on each step of the strategy, starting with farming and collection of yam genetic resources.

Ghana becomes the first country to launch national yam strategy

Participants at the Ghana yam strategy launch

Ghana has taken a major step ahead of other yam-producing nations with the launch of a strategy for the development of the yam industry from farm to market. This follows the global conference on yams held in Accra on 3-6 October and ongoing strategic development for the sector.
   “The strategy envisions making Ghana the leading source of premium quality yam products with global penetration and contributing to an improved Ghanaian economy and livelihoods,” says the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan.
   “One of the objectives of the strategy is to develop commercially-driven research and development as well as capacity building in yam value chain,” he added at the inauguration of the strategy in Accra on 8 October.
   The economic value of the yam industry in Ghana has grown quite rapidly in recent years, with its foreign exchange earnings shooting up to the third position among the nontraditional export commodities in the period 2010 to 2012. Demand for yam in both fresh and processed forms is increasing in new markets abroad and domestically. The industry faces tremendous opportunities as well as challenges and requires support policies, and private sector investment to be organized as a whole value chain.
   The Ghana Yam Strategy is a private sector-led road map that started in 2012. It is championed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture with the support of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection.
   The International Trade Centre (ITC) and IITA provided technical support and process facilitation.
   “Despite the contribution of yam, the crop has not been given the right attention. This is what this strategy aims to correct,” says Mr Anthony Sikpa, Chairman of the Ghana Yam Strategy Committee.
   “With this strategy not only will yam be given attention, but it will also provide opportunities for all stakeholders in the yam sector,” he added.

FARA wants more attention on yam research

Participants at the global yam conference in Accra.

The Executive Director, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Dr Yemi Akinbamijo has said that in spite of the contribution to food security and incomes, African crops such as yam have not commanded the attention they deserved, and have as a result remained underutilized.
   “Yams are unexploited in several aspects: actual yields are lower than potential, utilization is low for instance in animal feeds, and potential for diversification of yam products among others is unexploited,” he said.
   Commending IITA for its contribution to yam research and development, Dr Akinbamijo said that the key to unlocking the potential of yam lies in science and technology and empowerment of the producers, marketers, and consumers to take advantage of what research offers.
   According to him, “the challenge is to mobilize the investment required to conduct research and develop the yam value chain into a profitable enterprise for small and large-scale operators alike.”
   The Global Conference on Yams held in Accra, 3-6 October, provides a forum for stakeholders to explore recent innovations in yam improvement, share lessons learned, identify research and development needs, and develop global alliances.
   Dr Robert Asiedu, IITA Director for Western Africa, and the Convener of the Conference said that the event provided a platform for consultation and development of a global strategy for improving the yam sector based on genetic enhancement; crop protection and mitigation of risks due to pests, diseases and climate change; conservation of genetic resources; prevention of postharvest losses; improved seed systems; crop diversification; and enhancing industrial potential of yam and improved market access.
   The ultimate goals of the event are to establish: (i) a global alliance for yam improvement; (ii) gain more investments to advance and expand yam R4D agenda globally, and (iii) contribute to the strengthening of R&D capacity and human resource development for sustainable yam improvement.

Global yam conference calls for more investments on yam R4D

Dr. Sanginga addressing participants at yam conference.

Increasing funding for research and development on yam will help unleash the potential of the crop, improve livelihoods, create jobs, and enhance food security in Africa.
   Researchers, policymakers, and representatives from the private sector at the first ever global yam conference in Accra, Ghana, say that recent investments in yam research are paying off, and demonstrating the crop’s greater potential than what is being realized.
“Sustaining and enhancing funding support for yam research and development backed by political will are needed to unlock the crop’s full potential,” said Director General Nteranya Sanginga.
   He praised the government of Japan, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD) for supporting IITA on yam research and called on researchers to develop a vision for the crop.
   Known as the ‘king of crops’ because of its contribution to incomes and food security, yam also has high cultural value especially in traditional marriages in Africa. However, the crop is under-researched due to low funding, limiting its potential for alleviating poverty.
   “If we attract more investments to advance and expand yam research globally, the anticipated benefits and impacts will be quite enormous,” said the Ghanaian Minister for Food and Agriculture, Clement Kofi Humado.
   Represented by the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, the minister said that there was a need to “soberly rethink through research-and-development, and invest our limited resources judiciously to ensure best results.”

Ghana hosts researchers working on roots and tubers

The city of Accra in Ghana is agog as researchers, farmers and development partners are strategizing ways to improve the competitiveness of root and tuber crops.
The conference is coming at a time when food security is at the front burner, and African countries are reforming their agricultural strategies with a view to feeding itself.
This year’s root and tuber symposium, organized by the International Society for Tropical Root Crops-Africa Branch (ISTRC- AB), attracted international partners, students, farmers and policy makers. Godwin Atser sought stakeholders’ opinions about the conference. Excerpts:

Mohammed Alfa, Ghana Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology Innovation, addressing participants during the symposium in Ghana 

This conference provides a platform for younger scientists to express themselves, and that is already happening, says Prof Keith Tomlins (NRI).

Prof Tomlins

The conference is a success. We have seen the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) taking ownership of ISTRC, and this is a good development. It has been super…I also find the theme of the conference appropriate because we need to find ways of making the root and tuber crops competitive to benefit local farmers -- Elizabeth Parkes (IITA Cassava Breeder).

Dr Parkes

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This year’s theme highlights what is badly needed in Africa. What is needed is not just increasing production but also effective and efficient processing technologies. We also have to link farmers to the market -- Dr Alfred Dixon, Director General, Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute.

Dr Dixon

The ISTRC-AB provides a very important space for the CGIAR to link to research in Africa. The conference theme is appropriate and it gives us a good opportunity for learning. In the future, we need to involve more of the private sector --
Thiele Graham (Program Leader, CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas).

Dr Graham

For the first time, we are having a theme that is addressing the competitiveness of the root and tuber crops. This makes me happy. Also we are having a lot of young champions making presentations. What this means is that we are beginning to build sustainability which is great -- Prof Lateef Sanni (FUNAAB)

 

Prof Sanni

The conference provides an opportunity for African scientists to tell the world what they think is important to them, highlight areas for future development and open up areas for engagement -- Loretta Byrnes (BMGF)

Byrnes

I like to thank all the donors that have supported us. Today, most researchers in agriculture are getting old. But coming here, I can see young researchers and the conference is now serving as a grooming ground. So there is future for research in Africa— Dr Richardson Okechukwu (IITA)

Okechukwu

We have seen a lot of presentations in this conference, and high number of students which is good. I can also see networking going on among researchers—Peter Kulakow

Kulakow