Losses along food production chain require serious effort

Prof William Otoo Ellis, Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has urged Ghana to scale up efforts at bringing down the high-level of post-harvest losses of the root and tubers to reduce rural poverty.

The said recurring losses along the food production chain, he said, remained one of the biggest challenges to agricultural growth and a major disincentive to increased production.

The government, agricultural experts and corporate bodies therefore need to work together to develop improved storage systems and technology.

Prof Ellis, who was speaking at a multi-stakeholder workshop on yam storage systems and product development in Kumasi, said there should be massive investment in appropriate technology to tackle the problem and bring relief to farmers.

He said Ghana realized about $12 million from yam exports in 2012 but with the application of the right agricultural techniques, the amount earned could have been much higher.

“Improved yam storage for income and food security”, was the theme of the workshop, and gathered agricultural researchers and scientists, farmers, processors and traders, to discuss ways to boost the production of the tuber crop.

It was sponsored by the Australian government as part of a two-year project designed to promote effective storage systems.

The project is considering existing yam storage technologies, levels of post-harvest losses associated with the different storage technologies adopted by farmers – the costs and benefits.

It is additionally looking at the different ways yam could be processed for long-term storage.

Prof Ellis said the KNUST was determined to remain at the forefront of the drive towards ensuring national food security.

Dr Robert Aidoo, the Project Leader, said 36 improved yam storage structures in 18 selected communities are being built to assist address post-harvest losses.