Drop in yam production sparks appeal for global action

Ibadan, Nigeria - Tumbling world yam production has fuelled calls for increased global funding for research activities in yam—a crop that serves as food security to millions of people in Africa. Latest data from the Food and Agriculture Organization show that world annual yam production fell 11.5 per cent from 52 million tons in 2006 to 46 million tons in 2007.

“This calls for more investment in yam research to tackle the declining productivity,” said Robert Asiedu, IITA Director, at a yam workshop organized by the Institute in Ibadan that ended today.

Of the 2007 production figures, West Africa accounted for about 43 million tons, with farmers cultivating farmlands less than the size of a football field as major producers. “Farmers are struggling. Yield is going down because of low soil fertility, increased pest problems, and the slow pace of getting new technologies to farmers. So the farmers are basically using their own traditional methods,” said Asiedu.

Traditionally, land fallow used to be the main source of soil nutrient replenishment but this is no longer the case as available farmlands get thinner, leaving no room for fallow. Besides, local farming methods still dominate the farm landscape.

“What we need is to put across to farmers new technologies. For instance, how they can get high quality seed tubers of improved varieties,” Asiedu emphasized. The yam forum, which drew experts from across Africa and Japan, sought to fashion out the way forward for increased yam production by prioritizing definite actions needed to be taken in the next 10 years.

Makoto Nakatani, Director of the Planning and Coordination Division of Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), said his country would collaborate with IITA to improve yam production in Africa. “We will work on key areas that will improve production,” he said.

Japanese planned investment in yam production in Africa is part of that country's earlier pledge to assist Africa in combating food price crises. “We have been investing in rice research in Africa but we need another crop because rice alone cannot solve the problem of food insecurity in Africa. That is why yam is also a good option,” he added.

Unlike cassava, another tuber crop, yams could be stored up to six months without any sophisticated technology, a quality that has made the crop a buffer against food crises and famine.

Asiedu said the support by JIRCAS to yam research was a development in the right direction for Africa.

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Dr Robert Asiedu, [email protected]

R4D Director
Jeffrey T. Oliver, [email protected]

Corporate Communications Officer (International)
Godwin Atser, [email protected]
Corporate Communications Officer (West Africa)
Communication Office
IITA - Headquarters
Ibadan, Nigeria
URL: http://www.iita.org
About IITA
Africa has complex problems that plague agriculture and people's lives. We develop agricultural solutions with our partners to tackle hunger and poverty. Our award winning research for development (R4D) is based on focused, authoritative thinking anchored on the development needs of sub-Saharan Africa. We work with partners in Africa and beyond to reduce producer and consumer risks, enhance crop quality and productivity, and generate wealth from agriculture. IITA is an international non-profit R4D organization since 1967, governed by a Board of Trustees, and supported primarily by the CGIAR.