Facilitating Healthy Seed Yam Entrepreneurship in the Niger River System in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper explores the results of a programme designed to facilitate entrepreneurship centred on healthy seed yam (Dioscorea rotundata) production on the eastern bank of the River Niger. Ware yam farmers residing along the eastern bank, upstream of the Niger/Benue confluence, source their planting material from towns such as Ilushi in Edo state, which involves significant travel and expense. The project encouraged 10 ware yam farmers living in Edeke village (Idah local government, Kogi state) to specialize in healthy seed yam production by employing the adapted yam minisett technique (AYMT). This employs a sett size of around 80-100 g treated with a joint insecticide and fungicide dip. The treated setts are planted directly into the field, not first planted into a nursery as with the yam minisett technique (YMT). The Edeke farmers received a loan from the Diocesan Development Services (DDS) to employ the AYMT to produce healthy seed yams on a significant scale. However, while sales of seed yam by four of the farmers generated a significant and positive gross margin, six farmers opted to plant their seed yams in the subsequent season (2012) to produce ware yams. This paper presents some of the results, and discusses the decisions taken and the dilemmas faced by the farmers in the production of seed and ware yam and the possibility of initiating and developing new markets for seed yam in the Idah area.

IMPACT OF THE ADAPTED YAM MINISETT TECHNIQUE ON WARE YAM (DIOSCOREA ROTUNDATA) PRODUCTION UNDER FARMER-MANAGED CONDITIONS IN NIGERIA

“…One of the central limitations to yam production which has received some attention from researchers is the availability of good quality planting material, primarily seed yams (Ekanayakea and Asiedu, 2003; Mignouna et al, 2014; Morse et al, 2009; Okoli, and Akoroda, 1995). These can be very expensive (Korada et al, 2010; McNamara et al, 2012; Morse et al, 2009), largely because yam tubers are easily damaged and susceptible to attack from a range of pests and diseases, including nematodes, which continue throughout the cultivation, storage and marketing cycle (Korada et al, 2010). The pest and disease problems within planting material have proven to be difficult to address, partly because of the wide range of organisms involved and their persistence through the cultivation, storage and marketing periods (Aboagye-Nuamah et al, 2005; Coyne et al, 2006).…”

Case studies of Roots, Tubers and Bananas seed systems

“…YMT, designed for rapid, high-volume seed yam production (Orkwor and Asadu 1998), involves cutting a ware yam into many setts of about 25 g each, dusted with pesticide and wood ash, and planted in a nursery bed for pre-sprouting. In AYMT, cut setts of about 100-150 g (later reduced to about 80 g) are dipped into a mild cocktail of chemicals (fungicide + insecticide; 100 mg of mancozeb, 70 ml of Basudin, and 10 l of water) for 5-10 min, air dried at room temperature under shade, and planted directly into the fields on the following day (McNamara et al 2012; see Figure 4.1).…”

“…In the DFID project, the YMT was modified to become AYMT, by increasing the size of the minisetts to about 80-100 g, combined with a chemical treatment to protect from pests and diseases and planting directly in the field, bypassing pre-planting in nurseries (Table 4. 1;McNamara 2012). Because of the simplicity, costeffectiveness (labor savings), and high germination rate, AYMT was well appreciated by the farmers and is fast emerging as the choice technique for seed yam production in West Africa.…”

“…A study by McNamara et al (2012) in Edeke, Kogi State, concluded that the cost of producing seed yam in 1 ha, using minisetts, varied wildly from N0.9 million ($5,800) to N5.3 million ($34,000). Few of the studies specified in detail the technology used.…”

“…Production costs can also depend on the variety of yam planted, the season of the year, the market outlet, and the quality and sizes of the seed yam (Table 4.2). Planting density chosen by the growers also affects cost and production (McNamara et al 2012). …”