{"id":13117,"date":"2026-06-20T12:26:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:26:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.iita.org\/news-item\/roots-and-tubers-provide-great-opportunities-for-long-term-poverty-alleviation-and-food-security\/"},"modified":"2026-06-20T12:26:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T12:26:24","slug":"roots-and-tubers-provide-great-opportunities-for-long-term-poverty-alleviation-and-food-security","status":"publish","type":"news-item","link":"https:\/\/iita.org\/fr\/news-item\/roots-and-tubers-provide-great-opportunities-for-long-term-poverty-alleviation-and-food-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Roots and tubers provide great opportunities for long-term poverty alleviation and food security"},"content":{"rendered":"\"Image\"<\/a>Improving the competitiveness of roots and tubers will help in alleviating poverty in Africa, considering that 80 percent of people in the rural areas depend on agriculture as a source of livelihood, according to Ghanaian President, John Dramani Mahama today.\n\n\u201cRoot and tuber crops (sweet potato, cassava, and yams) provide great opportunities for long-term poverty alleviation and food security much more than any other staple foods produced in the African, Caribbean, and Pacific regions,\u201d said Mahama who was represented by Mohamed Alpha, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology Innovation, at the 12th symposium organized by the International Society for Tropical Root Crops-Africa Branch (ISTRC-AB) in Accra, Ghana.\n\nThe symposium comes at a time when global attention on agriculture is trending up. It provides scientists and partners in development the opportunity to reexamine the competitiveness of root and tuber crops with a view to harnessing their potential and accelerating Africa’s economic growth.\n\nDr Nzola Mahungu, ISTRC-AB President, who is also the Country Representative for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in DR Congo said, \u201cRoot and tuber crops play an important role in ensuring food security in Africa, and we must tap the opportunities of these crops.\u201d\n\nWidely consumed across Africa, root and tuber crops play a key role in the continent, providing incomes for farmers, generating wealth, and cushioning the effect of shortfall of cereals.\n\nFor instance, cassava is a source of livelihood for over 300 million people in Africa, and with climate change the root crop is becoming increasingly important, thanks to its ability to withst and drought and growth on soils with marginal fertility.\n\n\u201cBut the potential of these crops is yet to be fully exploited,\u201d Dr Mahungu said.\n\nThe conference which begun today, 30 September 2013, provides a window of opportunity for partners to compare notes and develop strategies that will unleash the potential of root and tuber crops in helping enhance the economies in the region.\n\nSpecific areas of interest include:\n