Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA) Annual Review & planning workshop Philip Atiim Mawuli Asigbee

February 2016

UArea of Operation (Target)

5 districts covering 3 regions have been reached as follows: Ejura Sekyedumase – Ashanti Region Kintampo North Brong Ahafo Atebubu Amantin Region East Gonja Northern Mion Region

DISTRICT# OF

COMMUNITIES# OF

FARMERS# OF DEMO

SITESEJURA-SEKYEDUMASE 4 506 4ATEBUBU-AMANTIN 8 1031 6KINTAMPO-NORTH 6 750 6MION 4 500 4EAST GONJA 8 1000 10TOTAL 30 3,787 30

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COMPLETED ACTIVITIES/ OUTPUTS 3 CRS staff participated in YIIFSWA

Annual Project review and planning in Kumasi, Ghana.

• Shared project progress and lessons learned.

• New structure of YIIFSWA understood

• Action plans and budgets for 2015 drawn.

Organised project Review with MOFA partners.

• Cross learning among MOFA staff

• Agreed protocol set for 2015

Agreements with 5 MoFA DADUs (FOGs).

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COMPLETED ACTIVITIES/ OUTPUTS cont. Approximately 12,000

people from 35 communities sensitized on yam minisett propagation technique by CRS and MoFA staff.

3,787 farmers registered from 30 communities and benefited from training on minisett technique of yam propagation, Agronomic practices and QMP.list of host farmers.docx

District Male Female Total

Atebubu 653 378 1, 031

Kintampo 300 450 750

Ejura 314 192 506

Mion 341 159 500

East Gonja 688 312 1,000

TOTAL 3,787

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COMPLETED ACTIVITIES/ OUTPUTS cont.

• Clean seeds from 2014 demonstrations and seed bought from the open market were used for planting .

30 demonstration plots installed (land cleared, seeds treated and planted) in 30 COMMUNITIES and used for farmers training.

Varieties planted are; Afia, Nkasei bayeri, Mankrong pona, Dente,Afebetua, sewaa.

2 Project progress reports (semi annuals) compiled and submitted to IITA

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COMPLETED ACTIVITIES/ OUTPUTS cont.• One community receiving

extension services for first time as a result of YIIFSWA intervention.

• 10 farmers (5 m/5f) awarded for adoption and promotion of minisett technique.

• 43 adopters of minisett technology interviewed for production of video documentary.

• harvesting of minisett demonstration plots carried out; 4,773.23 kg of farmer-saved seed yam in place

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COMPLETED ACTIVITIES/ OUTPUTS cont.• Hosted external visits from

BMGF representative, IITA staff.

• Hosted project counterparts in Nigeria (MSHR-DDO) to an exchange visit to project sites in Atebubu and Ejura; deepened partnership and networking.

• Facilitated farmer exchange visit for 9 (1f/8m) farmers and AEAs to Nigeria;

•

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COMPLETED ACTIVITIES/ OUTPUTS cont.

• 20 Agric Extension Agents (All Males) enhanced their knowledge of seed yam Quality Standards (QMP).

• Completed online partner data sheets. (indicators).

• Increased visibility and presence of the project in the districts/communities.

Training on land selection and preparation

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TRAINING ON WEED CONTROL

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TRAINING ON STAKING/ TRAILING

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TRAINING ON PEST & DISEASE MANAGEMENT

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Harvesting of seed yam

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STORAGE OF SEED YAM

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Minisett Adopters

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Minisett Adopter Cont.

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HAREVEST RESULTS

DISTRICT # TUBERS TUBER WEIGHT (kg)

Diseased tubers

Disease tubers weight (kg)

EJURA-SEKYEDUMASE 724 211.8 46 25.6

ATEBUBU-AMANTIN 7,917 2,700.51 1,761 538.4

KINTAMPO NORTH 2,057 267.1 107 19.2

MION 1,040 60.5 15 5

EAST GONJA 4,055 657.7 285 101.9

3 ADOPTERS (Mion) 2,996 875.62

TOTAL 18,789 4,773.23 2,214 690.1

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LESSONS LEARNED

• Award to deserving best adopters whip up adoption among farmers

• Significant increase in adoption rate (about 40 early adopters. 7 women).

• Many unexpected farmers (particularly passers-by) are adopting the techniques .

• Direct targeting of interested farmers and plans to follow up on them to ensure they have adopted.

• Relatively cleaner seed produced this year.

• Need for country level reviews

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CHALLENGES

• Bad weather (long drought spells); low sprouting rate

• Problems with beetles in East Gonja

• Postharvest constraints

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•Thank You