Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Effectiveness of participatory research to sustainable seed yam production: The case of the cay seed project

3^rd Global Food Security, Food Safety & Sustainability Conference

May 21-22, 2018 | New York, USA

Jonas Osei-Adu

CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Ghana

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

To response to the scarcity of quality seed yams for increased productivity, the Community Action in improving Farmer Saved Seed yam (CAYS SEED) project was launched in 2014. The objective was to promote the positive selection technology as a means to reduce virus incidence and severity in yam production. This technology was promoted in association with other improved technologies such as; the use of neem leaf power for soil treatment, minisetting, seed treatment and planting on ridges as a full package. Using participatory research, 30 farmers per community were selected within 16 communities in Ghana and Nigeria. To assess the effectiveness of the participatory approach, perception studies based on informal research methodology was used to elicit information from participating farmers. Results indicate that the approach was effective in disseminating improved seed yam technologies to farmers. Farmers are able to vividly describe the positive selection and other technologies disseminated to them. Effect of the minisett technology on increasing the quantity of quality seed yam was established. Despite the great change in perceptions of farmers as a result of the participatory approach, some constraints were identified. The positive selection technology was labour intensive and time consuming. Preparation and application of the neem leaf powder becomes a challenge when large farm sizes are involved. Ability to identify the right time to plant to avoid producing ware instead of seed yams was also a challenge. It can be concluded that the participatory approach adopted was successful. Sustaining this approach, will require adequate funding of national research systems to mainstream it into the technology dissemination system.

Biography :

Jonas Osei-Adu is an Agricultural Economist at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute in Ghana. With 10years experience in agricultural research, he has published 14 journal papers, 10 conference papers and 2 handbooks. As an experience monitoring and evaluation expert, he has worked on several international projects namely; BMGF funded CAY SEED project, World Bank funded WAAPP, AfDB funded DONATA and SARD-SC projects, DFAT funded Crop small ruminant project, etc. Due to his hard work, he was awarded Best Worker of the year on two occasions as a Technical officer and Research Scientist. For its contribution in attracting funding to his Institute, he recently won the Directors special award for 2017. He is currently pursuing a PhD at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana with a research topic “Estimation of productivity and cost effectiveness in seed yam production; the case of Ghana and Nigeria.”
Email:aduseiz@yahoo.co.uk