constraints to seed yam production accomplishment by the seed component team in improving seed quality and supply

1. http://www.iita.org/web/yiifswa/home
Overview of YIIFSWA Seed
Component
B. Aighewi (Presenting for team)

2. • Introduction
• Constraints to seed yam production
• Accomplishments by the seed component team in
improving seed quality and supply
• Conclusion
Outline of Presentation

3. • Slow rate of multiplication
• Poor availability of improved seed
• High cost of planting materials
• Absence of regulation of quality of seed tubers
• Quality standards not well defined
• Predominance of seed recycling resulting in build up
diseases and pests
• Competes with food
Constraints to seed yam production

4. The Seed System Component of YIIFSWA

5. 1. Functional and reliable pre-basic, basic and certified seed
yam production systems established in Ghana and Nigeria
2. Farmers using clean planting materials increase their
yields by at least 40%
3. Tuber pest damage in storage barns reduced by at least
25%
4. Novel high ratio propagation techniques for production of
high quality seed yams established
5. Diagnostic tool kits available for production of clean seed
yam and certification
Major Expected Outputs

6. Major Achievements by the seed
component team

7. www.iita.orgA member of CGIAR consortium
Locations of Activities of the Seed Component

8. Training of trainers (NGOs)
Improving quality of
farmer-saved seed:
Informal system

9. Activities with yam farmers in Nigeria and Ghana
Sensitization of farmers Farmers practice to cut minisetts Planting demonstration plots
Monitoring of demonstration plots Farmers are impressed with the yieldsHarvesting and sorting

10. Training on improving quality of farmer-saved seed yam in
2015
NGO No. of demos Females
trained
Males
trained
Total
AFD 40 577 1,682 1,259
JDPM 27 266 878 1,144
MSHR 230 7,399 9,380 16,779
SHOP 20 685 839 1,524
Total Nigeria 317 8,927 12,779 20,706
CRS 30 1,491 2,296 3,787
ECASARD 25 341 790 1,131
SAVE 21 - - 1,345
Total Ghana 76 6263
Grand Total 393 26,969
There was contact with more farmers during field days

11. Number of farmers trained from 2012 to 2015
Country 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total
Nigeria 3,603 11,195 12,000 20,706 47,504
Ghana - 5,047 3,250 6,263 14,560
Total 3,603 16,242 15,250 26,969 62,064

12. Quantity of QDS produced in 2015
Institution Quantity
Produced
Weight (kg)
NRCRI 33,688 6,630
JDPM 8,452 2,369.2
AFD 18,753 3,725.1
SHOP 10,997 3,725.8
MSHR 42,267 6044.8
GLDB 8,516 2,664.4
CRS 15,213 3787.0
ECASARD 8,868 1,764
SAVE 7,828 1,567.8
Total 146,754 30,710.3

13. High ratio propagation
1. Up to 10, 000 and 12,000,
pre-basic and basic seed
respectively, of 20 varieties of
yam available;
2. Opportunity for year-round
production : Irrigation
farming;
3. Built capacities of 2 private
partners, 3 public research
institutions in Nigeria and
Ghana.
Unclean plant Cleaning

14. Pathway to the delivery of high quality seed yam (Formal
system)
Ware yam producers

15. Training of NARS and commercial seed producers to establishment
of sustainable availability of high quality seed yam
• In 2013, 33 technical staff of NARS were
trained on production of pre-basic and
basic seed yam
• In 2014, 33 commercial seed yam
producers were trained on quality seed
yam production using minisetts
• In 2014 and 2015, training on quality
management protocol and certification
was done for staff of NASC and PPRSD
• 18 technicians from public and private
organizations trained on producing pre-
basic and basic seed

16. Production of pre-basic, basic and certified seed
yam Country Institute Type of seed No. of seeds Weight (kg)
Ghana CRI Pre-basic 21,700 -
Nigeria NRCRI Pre-basic 34,542 5,187
Total Pre-basic
Seed
56,242
Ghana GLDB Basic 10,455 476.8
Nigeria NASC Basic 1,618 (Dr)
9,396 (Da)
366.6
2,948.4
Total Basic
Seed
21,469 3,791.8
Ghana Private Certified - -
Nigeria NASC Certified 902 273.6
Total Certified
Seed

17. Production of clean seed yam
Virus-free seed stock was distributed to NRCRI (810) and CRI (30)

18. Training Workshops on quality management and practice
Two training courses organized
13 – 14 July 2014, CRI, Kumasi, Ghana
45 Participants
Two training courses organized
11 – 12 August 2015, IITA, Abuja, Nigeria
45 Participants
•Theory and practical sessions in the field
•Participants have put the teachings into
use in 2015 season
YIIFSWA protocols and knowledge
extended to benefit CAY seed project

19. Farmer exchange visit to Nigeria
• 26 farmers and extension agents
from Ghana and Nigeria visited
Illushi, Idah and Kwali.
• To learn first hand from dedicated
seed yam farmers.
• Very interactive sessions stimulated
more interest in seed production.
• Requested for more of such visits

20. Monitoring visits to locations of YIIFSWA intervention

21. Studies on yam storage
• Technology of curing developed and
validated
• Gibberellic acid has been identified
for control of sprouting
• Two varieties with good keeping
qualities identified in Ghana
• Trials to test affordable improved
barns completed at four sites in
Ghana
• High levels of heavy metals found in
processed yam flour in Nigeria

22. Preliminary results from experiment on
cut sett versus whole seed
• Whole seed tubers are better than cut setts of
similar size
• Significant interaction found between type of
sett and size
• Whole 30 g seed was better than cut 90 g
setts
(Value of seed yam from different sources)

23. Training materials/publications produced
• Seed yam production from
minisetts: A training manual
• Posters on yam minisett
technology and vine cuttings for
seed yam production
• Flyers on minisett technique
• Seed yam business, market
development plan and record
• Publications in scientific journals
• Working papers
SEED YAM BUSINESS, MARKET
DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND RECORD
HIGH QUALITY SEED YAM FROM MINISETTS
Aighewi B.A. and Maroya G. N.
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture
Use minisetts to rapidly increase the quantity and the quality of your seed yam..
Select healthy mother seed tubers
Cut tubers into minisetts of 25 – 80
g depending on size of seed tuber
desired.
2
3
Treat freshly cut minisetts in mixture
of fungicide (eg. Mancozeb 100 g) and
insecticide (e.g. Chlorpyriforce, 70 ml)
in 10 l of water.
Spread out treated minisetts
under shade to dry.
Plant minisetts at a spacing
of 100 cm X 25-30 cm .
Maintain crop to keep plants
free of weeds, pests and diseases
6
Harvest quality seed tubers for sale
or use in ware yam production.
5
1
7
4

24. Challenges encountered
• Erratic and late start of rains
• Some partners do not collect all the
information they are requested to get from
farmers

25. Conclusion
• More farmers have been trained than
targeted due to involvement of more NGOs
• Farmers are now convinced the technique
works
• The formal seed system is on course and will
develop faster with the development of high
ratio propagation methods.

26. Institution Country Role
IITA Nigeria Produce clean seed stock and backstopping
CRI Ghana Pre-basic seed production
NRCRI Nigeria Pre-basic seed production
GLDB Ghana Basic seed production and supervision of
certified seed producers
NASC Nigeria Supervision of production of basic and
certified seed; quality control and
certification
PPRSD Ghana Quality control and certification
NACGRAB
NRI
Nigeria
UK
Production of clean seed stock
Storage studies
Key Implementing Partners: Research &
Regulatory Institutes

27. Role: Farmer training through demonstrations
to improve seed quality
• Nigeria
–Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary (MSHR)
–Justice Development and Peace Movement (JDPM)
–Arimathea Foundation for Development (AFD)
–SHOP
• Ghana
–Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
–Ecumenical Association for Sustainable Agriculture (ESCASARD)
–Sustenance Agro Ventures (SAVE)
Key Implementing Partners: NGOs

28. Acknowledgements
• The Donor: The Gates Foundation
• All YIIFSWA implementing partners – NRCRI, CRI,
SARI, NASC, GLDB, PPRSD, MSHR/DDS, CRS - for
various contributions
• IITA-based YIIFSWA team Agricultural Extension
Agents
• The trained farmers who have become trainers

29. Thank
You