IITA partners Biocrop on seed yam production

Disclosing this at the launching of the aeroponics system of yam seed production recently in Abuja, the Project Coordinator of the Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA), Dr. Norbert Maroya, explained that the system involves “rapid multiplication of yam seeds from vine cuttings in water as the growth medium.”
Dr. Maroya said that after concluding the research work, YIIFSWA, a project being undertaken by ITTA and other partners, decided to work in conjunction with the private sector, farmers and other stakeholders in the yam value chain so as to ensure acceptance, sustainability and spread of the system across the country.
He said through the system, production will be greatly improved in yam growing countries of West Africa, including Nigeria,“where less output has been recorded over the years as a result of the use of low quality seeds obtained from diseased yams of previous year’s harvest.”
On post-harvest losses due to glut, among other factors, the project coordinator said that the challenge will be conquered through farmer empowerment and strengthening of the yam value chain for increased activities in processing, storage, preservation and marketing.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Biocrop Biotechnology Limited, Mr. Joseph Odusanya, said the company got involved in order to propagate the aeroponics system and enable farmers have access to affordable high quality yam seeds.
He said if the private sector and individual farmers did not partner with the YIIFSWA project on mass production of yam seeds in Nigeria, the research work will be of no value as it will remain on the shelf just like others in the past that could not be commercialised.