STAPLE CROPS
Priority staple crops covers cereals, root and tubers and crops such as bananas and plantain. Although there are potentially a large number of crops, it is unlikely that key, prioritised sub-regional issues would need to be addressed in all of them at any one time.
This Programme aims to achieve, for West and Central Africa, sustainable improvements in the broad-based productivity, competitiveness and markets for staple crops through:
- Developing appropriate technologies and innovations for staple crops
- Identifying and supporting the development of strategic decision-making options for policy, institutions and markets developed relating to staple crops
- Strengthening and co-ordinating sub-regional agricultural research system relevant to staple crops
- Facilitating and meeting the demand for agricultural knowledge relating to staple crops from targeted clients
Technical issues for this Programme identified as High Priority during the IFPRI study [ibid] and in consultation with stakeholders are summarised in Table 5. Research under this Programme will be predominantly competitively funded through networking between NARS members, with commissioned research being an option involving any specialized national, base centres (such as CERAAS and CARBAP), sub-regional and international centres.
Generic activities are indicated in the draft logframe (see volume II of Operational Plan).
Current initiatives under this programme – The following projects are being implemented:
- Sustainable and Ecologically Intensification of Yam Production with Acceptable Quality for Processing Consumption in Benin, Togo and Burkina Faso [Intensification écologiquement durable de la production d’igname de qualité acceptable pour la transformation et la consommation au Bénin, Togo et Burkina Faso]
- Potential use of botanical extracts on Vegetables as alternative to chemical in peri-urban zones of Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Tog
Programme Manager: Dr. Ernest ASIEDU