STAKEHOLDERS DISCUSS ROOT, TUBER IMPROVEMENT (Page 20)

Story: Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Sunyani

Stakeholders of the implantation of the Root and Tuber Improvement Programme (RTIMP) from across the country have met in Sunyani to review the progress of the project, which started last year.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Ghana are jointly funding the eight-year project with a total of $21.8 million.
The RTIMP, which is a follow up to the Root and Tuber Improvement Programme, [RTIP], which was started in 2000, has the objective to build competitive, market-driven and inclusive root and tuber commodity chains, supported by relevant, effective and sustainable delivery mechanisms of services that are easily accessible to the rural poor.
Cassava, Yam, Cocoyam, Sweet Potato and Frafra Potato, found in the Upper East Region, are classified as root and tuber crops.
About 100 participants, made up of researchers, farmers, processors, representatives of non-governmental organisations and staff of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, attended the two-day workshop.
The National Programme Co-ordinator of the RTIMP, Mr Akwasi Adjei Adjekum, explained that there were several farmers who cultivated varieties of the crops in the 1980s, but their yield was low owing to an attack of the African Cassava Mosaic Disease.
In view of that, he said, MOFA in collaboration with the Crop Research Institute in Kumasi, developed new varieties with improved yields in 1996, but the farmers were not aware of the availability of those varieties so IFAD came in to support the government with the RTIMP.
Mr Adjekum explained that the RTIMP was initiated with emphasis on processing and marketing of the produce in addition to the production aspect under the RTIMP in the first phase so that the farmers would this time around benefit.
He indicated that the project would assist cassava processors to acquire more efficient equipment, since currently, the cassava processors were using less efficient machines in the processing of cassava into gari, adding however that, the equipment would be supplied in the form of grant and credit.
He noted that with a more efficient equipment, the processors could purchase more cassava and process them, and in the end earn more money as the project would also assist them to access market for their produce.