How Ghana became world's leading cocoa, yam exporter -Expert ,NJrt
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DrHansAdu-Dapaah. a globally recognised agriculture ezpert. was recently decorated as the best sclentlBt In Ghana_ He Is also the Director/ Chid Research Scientist at the Crops Research institute, a caunell for .cle:ntlflc and Industdal research [CSIRptnmasl Ghana- He speaks with Seye AdenJyI on how to use crops like cocoa. yam and cassava to boostAfrlcan economy_Excerpts!
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datelopmatJ? Wdl. tt wouIol IC: an w'ldr:nlatonmt I<rmot IOAY ,..~. 15 not aa1ous. Sfrnt. larIy, It wou1d lit' 811 ova- fltBl~1 to dcdarr that NIfO'". Is ~ toward ~,,'''XXI -amI,. btc:IruR noI tn )'OUt" coullby and I don' hn\'!: 8C-" mn 10 ..... tb:' arallablc or ernpttlcaJ data
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you ha~ D1IU1Y rcscard1 _ututes Uke the IntunaUonal IllSUtut(' 01 nvptc:N I\g I1oJ1lun: nITA! wrt: to hdp and assisl boch sdentIIIU and ramw:rs. I think J'OUI' !!pC'td towan:h .d,tevtrl( atgntftcant and 1101lccablc nsnelillur.' development atlOUkt be UI*PIC' and fait. Voura:untr}! "'- morw n'lIIpeCCed,. ~ lNd.~ UJtth dedIcoted an4 Mrlous pracrlsl ""farmers. ., are
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"Nigeria is also a giant in the practice of agriculture. but the country is not making use of the opprtunity and It Is very unfortunate."
ate tht' (:'QI'JtJ1bu'1on d TTTA to tI~ de\~t of agrIcuhure In NIgft1d. .Uld to the tnll~ tn the ttvdI· hood 0( fannt:n; 111 A61aL I would just My your people should stop ('()rtlp&IlirIJnII andJudldouaty tap the 0III1W1li 1UOUR.'a'J and allUndanI manpower ..... thai JOU ~
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What: Is thesitJeation qf c:wriculhue In Ghana hOUI' btoco.u.N I U!dnl ttl IJIt't'1fiIIhc dUTerent neu. &DC ani hearitw CIbosd ....... 0C\IWIlJ]I ~ the pnxtue. tian 91..... en1pl and It. partJcfpatJon In 1M InUr natfonaJ markf(f1 Wdl. "or: are UI.u.lng MWlIe good ~ Ihat • no.... iiIIltnlcUr1g gkIbaI aumUon IlC'atUM there a~ a )0( 01 ~ Which II ... ri.l...u.n pwrunc::nl has PUllu plea: whlc:h .. aI80 ha\ tng posItM: dl'ttla on p·acUsing fArm-
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nok::Ips to I"arm(n. lor tllCiT ~ "rum rmcan:h ,,1Jd dcTdopnolt acdor, 1ft ha~ done: our pa:ru and """"' '& tI'w ntotd 10 partner" With tbr privale and rdusulal scctonJ 10 thai W\" can dlaKfntnate the aJteady ~lnf:ed IcdGiiJIcgka out 10 fanncr8 who "ill mAkt' U8C d thtm. Agrtculture .. fast dm:toptng In Ghana and I mn SLy 1I.at Ule rate 01 gtowth ., the."t· cultural ~ III ( ",w. . . bctwun 5 and 6 per cenl .. but I tlltnk II ..,. ItIlU .kUIcd to Ix' dorIf' Can MOU ment&on ..-ne papulurc::nJPS" thot are well grown bJlfanntn in OhQna LPhJdt CI7W commanding retpl'Cf bt tlM lntHnation.cJJ marbf? Wdl. Jusl NIl~a and otho- WC81 Nn:an countr1c:8. ca.!flAVIl. y.lIn. ('O'Q.:l., r1c.'C.. cofti::oc, M wdI .. ~ olher 0"IJPl' ~ popular ~ Ghar... Yam" the kIrC ~ aD ~ In Chana trite 110 'a Ia. Yam. cor.umed
I. pop,,).r _Iobatly 1n the production aDd 0 ;. porta or yam to the 0 ;. tCflt W I may oaUo_ of tbe ,.orid &1 ••,.. look
ronrard to GhaDa £Or It.. lD~latfuJ conlrlbutlon In the lnlenutlonaJ mat'" k c t? Ghana til • ~ c:xponet d yam all oYer the worid and I don' think N~ na can fltand btAb Ghana In Uk: IUUI d. ~ fIaIle prnduct60n 01 yam despite Ntga1II .hundana:: manpowt'T skIDs aOO large man or land Despite some Iltlle problems confronting our I"annera. IJwy aft" 'tItIII _Ilk to beat any counlly In the wor1d In yam producuon aOO aport. So If the Il'lrmer8 can adopt the ~. oped tleChnolllga.. 1 bd~ aky .. the limit lor fannc::n; In Ghana. espa:talIy tn yam pmdudIoo•. Doea t.ba t m _ J'1lIII .. the aumber oae crop In ~ What • (he pGIIf-tJoa of a Lhcr c::ropI Ukc CMU.,.. rice, eocoa. coree, whkb G b aAa .. ltDown
Evny part of Ar1ca .sI~8rriowI ncsaandcomm tl'""lOlIIoU.edeve:lup:ilO,l mIIfP1ruhrn b I Uxtr countrb beca..-: wtthoutfood.m.VlatnnotsumY't_ OUt thr level mmnunlUntnl to lWa lalKiabk p i Is ddliennl &om C!<JUflUy to muntry. from regIOn lID t'f.:8'On But I WIJUId ..y lhat U~ west tude of ~. II: showtnC8I Joe. 0( <k.df.. caUOn and COltI") Imt'nl to the campaign ol food «.'ICU.I1t)' r-robebly due 10 the pr:cubartt) 01 lhl.': ~i In Afi1ca conlincnt. And for the 01' adtkYtng food aecunty. I lhbtk <"V~ country '11 African should be .bat I( answn'" th.t qlOUon and the ~IT ol AgrkuJIUf'\" In each country should .150 be ukuI to aJ'L'IWa" thl! qoesoon.. Rut _ b" Chan.. ~ are wortdng t.II'dctIIa Y to ~ UIe: pi. 81 k:uI to be fOCMI IlUfndcnl Within shol1. period r;(~. 'lUI t cb1'1 know thBI 01 Ntg<na.
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rl~htrul pine In the t"On1m1lty 0( MtkflS..Is It true lbIt Ghana
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although It 15 rQ grown by rwayorlC 1lJCrt 15 • yam rcsUvalIn Cit. . . ju&I like you hr;Ir y.m ksttvaJ 6n many JIIlIU or N~UIU5 f~ 11 a ktng 01 aD O"OJ»Out tilt: unfortWlair uw" .. that )'11111 has not bttIl .. tucky as C8!IIJiI\lI UIIII hu §lined 5pClrI8CJBhtp rrom many tntm\lllkWal donor 1IgmdCs. We haft: ~ Uun yam .. whk:h many A!11au1l "1JUd as an orphan crop, t"Oldd aduaHy IX' UM!d as a food acur'll,. crop tn Ghana bcanl8c: n:Mmdl h. . sI...m that tllen' are _ kJt ofpotcnUllltl. aport vatuc. ""'rka cw oomtrlCf'ClAl ,md bldustl1al opportunlues to the: edIble crop.. In Cact. w.: a".. IIOW ~ yam .. WI CfTIJJO'I""Cfll crnp in Chana... What .. the CK.'CII!ptabiJUv nth! Dr Imd qf yam ~ In 0Iuuw. ClAd what fa th. gouemmen1'. pniectlonfDr tIw crop? WeD .. lhr arc prqJaRd to do the job. and they an mtdy to acecp( Ult: CfU!Iadc cllnrge ecaIe: pmductlofl 01 yam ju5l Ukc CltMltYa Yam n:wtuuon tn Nr1I:an Is aa:qxabIt to lannmI In Ghana. Bul MJmt' M tilt probAems fM:blg yam ~ in Gh,ulII Is the dcdblC d k'TUUty.as wdJ as the lack or -.:cd yam ...iUdI .. 10 be ~ by Ux W~ Mr1at A(P:uIhu.... P'nJductMly I'rqpmrndWMPP). AnotllCf" probkm ronfronlbJg pm production til OhA'l8 Is Uk: ItCCCM 10 market Farmmt and prtwlc seelen ~ to «me tqtrlhcr to C'OIltJ1buk 10 agncuItunll de¥dopntmt and ttk~ I ha~ b.om tdIing my COUI1ro-pau III other Mr1can nal.lon5.lhrn' 18 the .teed fur IJ)"nCIlD' bctwtCll UK" RgJ"tnlIlurnJ MC10r and pMvalr acctor be· fen 8 mc:ruwlftW a.nd synal\c:ant P"9"CM and ~ CIOUId be achfia'Cd tn all)' Nrttan IllIlkn I ~ NW!I1a 10 work aJonl that lbW!' kIr tilt: country 10 take It.
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IJIlc I aald. tI our 6vmcnt can adopt u~ a1faIdy ~ lech.~ )'11m 1. . . ~tn'"rutun::InGhana But I want to _y thA I Ule nwnber one crop In Ghana .. eoco. and Ntgma .. m match rur U1110 coc:oa and y;tm producUon. But tn Ule IUUI 01 RI(Jb and Iubers, c:a5ll<lYa .. Iht' num bn" one: crop. ~ bf yam. But If_ aR abk to put an dJOru t~tlw!T and ~ all the: boCtknedta. yam Wf)U1d owrtakr: CMSRVD au-.J beml11t' number one root and lulxrcmp'" Ghara Honestly.,.m has a bngtucr (ullin: uwnothcr rooiII and IUbcn cropI to ChB.r~ and as at now.. GhanB Is UJC number one or bd1ng expor1n- 01' yam gIoboDy and lhc country' 15 wrll n:BpCt1cd tn Ux In Icmalb\l\l markd_ Ntgcf1a RI Rho R ~ aut In lhe' practkT 01' ~111.ft. but Ult: counlry lit nof makJng u.e of the CIJl'PfllUUly and It I&"fft)' unfOrturwk What a. the secret behlDd Gbana'. . u _ aad deTdopm_t aDd .bat map .. the COWIUJ' usm, to be the ~acllnC uporter 01 yam ~,., The KC:n't 1& U"'I Ghana hits. van
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ct)' d yam ~ Ul8t III ftI)' nutJ1U0u5 and good tMte whkh III aBo lUte: by INIJC:ri1 01' yam eaters In dIasporoJ. M "'ell 8§ dlaercnl custOfl'lO'!l In Uk: Itltana UonRI mnrkrt 1hcr'c III. VlU1dy 01 yam In Ghana allk!d Potma, II 15 Tn only 01 gor.xI laste. at Is Qo kMd by
many C'OUntl1r!!l d the warkI and w:ry whit'" In cokJur low waler quantJIy WIuIt are you. fot ladunrial acccptahUl" .ad ....,c 01 yam la deYdop yOW" Ioea1 marltct aad create Job opportunllCS for GbaaaJ.ard? We are ktt"plng focus on waller )'11m (or Industrtrtl usc.We arc WOfb1g acrtuusIy In pIlJ"tlYBhlp with pr1 1Ialc eect« to ldC' .... l~ yam to pnxIucr powcIcred yam or whal )'011 caUcd yam Oour to Nigma. We realisl:d UUll b 15 only the dlte that can alf«d u~ powdemI ram to make pounded ymn btalU!IC 01 Ms to8l. 11x h4~h cost or yam flou, .. as • n:aJ1t oIlhe producuon l"Mt and Ihe U8C o(whUe )"illn (or lIS proc:tuc. Uon. 80 whal "'C an; now doing In Ghana l'l to IntcsUfy. rek:llC'h work on wala' pun In nrrlcr to mIuce: cmt and Ulb '& ytdd1r~ a posItM result. We fll5I) t11SC:'OWnd lhat ptqlk don' haft umc to pouwt yam ~ Hkc II ~ to be In the ~ pML Many ~* atrord to spend hours In UW!' Jdldlen agatn probably bccaux 01 thctr ugtlt omctal .!Chcdu~ PuIpk' W1U1\ If! JC1 '-nc,prepan: UIdr dellous di5hes "itlun Iihortf"l.t poslbk: umc and grt t.':k 10 UK*" pla<'C ~WO'k and tlJal '" why Oft an: dotrllg nscan:h wort on uY1g WIIlt'I)'ilItllO pn:xtucr yam Dour Ihrough addr:d value approcadl 80 II).'" IX"II* can be abk: to aIIord Il It wID aI!o Cf'Cllle ~It opca-tunlty for )'OlIo. JU5C as tt ., hdplng III dcl.dopIng our aJUIltry'a ecnnomy .00 .." cullural M'CtOf
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