Research proposals for increased and sustainable production of root and tuber crops in Ghana under the Agricultural Sector Services Investment
1997
In Ghana, cassava (Manihot esculenta), yam (Dioscorea spp.), sweet potato (Ipomea spp.) and cocoyam (Xanlhosoma and Colocasia spp.) fonn the major root and tuber crops. They contribute more than 60 percent of the daily caloric intake of majority of Ghanaians (Ofori, 1991). Root and tuber crops especially cassava have been playing significant role in ensuring food security in Ghana (Dapaah, 1991). Fanners who cultivate these important food crops are faced with the problem of getting high and stable yields of good quality roots/tuber per unit of area, time and labour input. These crops have less resistance to pests and disease pressures such as viruses, anthracnose, nematodes, tennites, beetles and millipedes. These therefore contribute to both major preharvest and postharvest losses of food from susceptible varieties of root and tuber crops (Asiedu, 1997, Mercer et al., 1993, Afuakwa, 1996). The project has an overall goal of improving root and tuber crop production in Ghana. It consist of four main sections~ these are 1. Varietal breeding and gennplasm collection, 2. sustainable crop production, 3. Integrated pest management and 4. socioeconmics.
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