Concord Times (Freetown)
Moses A. Kargbo
13 October 2009
Freetown — Sierra Leone is among seven cassava growing countries in Africa set to benefit from a US$5.3 million funding from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA.
Under the project 'Unleashing the Power of Cassava in Africa (UPoCA)', farmers will be financed to increase production in the next two years. Also to benefit are farmers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Project coordinator John Msemo said over 15,000 farmers across Sierra Leone will benefit from new breed cassava seed in the pilot project.
The new seed variety, he said, will increase cassava production by more than 50 per cent as it can produce up to 18-25 tonnes per hectare.
IITA was said to have already contacted district councils to select farmers to pioneer the project.
IITA manager for UPoCA project, Braima James said through the project, they aim to promote cassava as an engine for rural economic growth. He said the project focuses on cassava because of its ability to create low and steady prices for basic food products.
"The UPoCA project aims to empower farmers and their organisations to provide an adequate supply of cassava products at economically affordable prices," he said.
Among the project's strategies are developing and giving farmers improved cassava varieties besides equipping them and agro-processors with the knowledge and skills to reduce post harvest losses.
The UPoCA project will also offer cassava users diversity by stimulating the production of value added cassava-based food and industrial products.
A range of user friendly improved post harvest technologies developed by IITA and national partners will be disseminated for the production of starch, dried chips, high quality cassava flour and other products, thereby adding value to the crop.
IITA has more than 100 international scientists based in various IITA stations across Africa and dedicated to the development of technologies that reduce producer and consumer risk, increase local production, and generate wealth.
IITA is an Africa-based international research-for-development organisation whose activities are centered on increasing agricultural production, improving food systems, and sustainable managing natural resources together with stakeholders.
Research at IITA covers crop improvement, plant health, and resource management of cassava, cowpea, soybean, maize, banana, and yam within a food systems framework.
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