Roots and tubers provide great opportunities for long-term poverty alleviation and food security
September 30, 2013
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.
“Root 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,” 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.
The 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.
Dr Nzola Mahungu, ISTRC-AB President, who is also the Country Representative for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in DR Congo said, “Root and tuber crops play an important role in ensuring food security in Africa, and we must tap the opportunities of these crops.”
Widely 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.
For 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.
“But the potential of these crops is yet to be fully exploited,” Dr Mahungu said.
The 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.
Specific areas of interest include:
- African root crops trade and market scenarios
- Policies favorable to competitiveness of root crops in Africa
- African scenario on production and utilization of root and tuber crops
- Business and investment scenarios on competitiveness of root crops in Africa—benchmarking Latin American, Asian, and European markets (Learning from Latin American, Asian, & European industries)
- Mobilizing investors for sustainable root and tuber crops research and development.
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