EU FUNDING FOR AFRICAN YAM RESEARCH

Yams are plant tubers eaten as vegetables.
They are an important commodity in Africa.

A research project to improve and promote yams in West and Central Africa has received a €750,000 grant from the European Union’s African, Caribbean and Pacific Science and Technology Programme (EU-ACP).

“Strengthening Capacity for Yam Research for Development in Central and Western Africa” (SCYREC) aims to improve the capacity of yam research in an area which includes Cameroon, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo. The support comes amidst renewed global interest in yams as a vital income and food security crop in Africa.

SCYREC will help find sustainable solutions, through science and technology, to the challenges facing the crop and exploit its tremendous potential with regards to poverty alleviation. IITA will manage and implement the project in collaboration with a team of partners in 13 research institutions in the six countries. The EU-ACP-funded project hopes to provide a platform for increased documentation and dissemination of information about yam research and development and tackle other challenges relating to yam production, marketing and cultivation.

David Annang, IITA-SCYReC Project Coordinator said: “This is something good for the region where yam plays an important role in nutrition and economic well-being of the people.” He added: “We are hopeful that the project will tackle the many challenges facing increased yam production.”