In order to secure food sufficiency in the next coming season due to the challenging period of coronavirus pandemic, researchers have advised yam seed producers and farmers to work in shifts to ensure continuity even during the pandemic.
According to IITA, Norbert Marcya, the Project leader of Yam Improvement for Incomes and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA), an initiative of IITA, said this in a short interview when asked about yam farming in Nigeria and Ghana where the project currently operates.
However, yams are primary agricultural commodities and a major staple food in Nigeria and West Africa as whole with Nigeria being ranked as the largest producer in the world; accounting about 60 per cent of the global production of the products according to Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Explaining further, Mr Maroya said 'staying at home' measures could be dangerous to world food security and nutrition if adopted by farmers.
"If a farmer had seed yam that could cover a hectare, but due to COVID-19 stay-at-home measures, it is unable to plant immediately and waits for two months, by the time they plant the same seed, it will cover only half to quarter a hectare," Mr Maroya said.
