Seed Yam (Dioscorea esculentum) Improvement for Income and Food Security in Northern Ghana

Abstract

A study was conducted at Dingoni in the Tolon District and Nabari in the West Mampursi District, all in the Northern Region of Ghana during the 2014 farming season to train farmers to generate high quality seed yam and create awareness among farmers on the need to use the improved seed yam. The study also sorts to isolate fungal pathogens, if any, from harvested yam that could cause disease in storage. The aim of this study therefore, was to increase yam productivity through the minisett technique for livelihoods and food security for smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana. In all twenty yam farmers from each community were selected and trained in yam minisett technique in an on-farm trial involving four yam cultivars. Results indicated that there was a high percentage sprouting of yam cultivars (up to 87.4 % in 28 days). This makes the yam minisett technology a good option for rapid multiplication of seed yam the study areas. Leaves produced by yam cultivars were higher at Dingoni than Nabari and this may be attributed to good rainfall distribution at Dingoni than Nabari. Number of tubers per hectare, average tuber weight, tuber length and tuber girth were all higher at Dingoni than Nabari. Some harvested yam tubers showed signs of dry rot with Aspergillus niger being the strongest candidate responsible for the rot. Participating and non participating farmers in the study were of the view that more farmers should be trained in the yam minisette technology and recommended that the study be extended to other communities in Northern Ghana.