Women learn various uses of sweet potatoes

Mr Lambert Dadeebo, the Zonal Coordinator of the Roots and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTIMP), has said women’s involvement in the production, marketing and processing along the value chain was key in enhancing their socio-economic development.

Mr Dandeebo, who coordinates the Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions of RTIMP, said his outfit was leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that women and farmers’ capacity was improved to reduce hunger and promote food security.

The Coordinator said this when he addressed women undergoing training on sweet Potato utilization in Bongo, Upper East Region.

The programme, according to the coordinator was a government initiative, started seven years ago to promote root and tuber crops in the country. It is aimed at addressing food security and reducing hunger through the promotion of high yielding root and tuber crops, he said.

He said approaches adopted included creating linkages within the value chain and providing relevant support to equip farmers and women in the processing chain and the adoption of sweet potato varieties that gave high yielding results.

As part of the programme, he said farmers over the years were supported with sweet potato vines that they successfully multiplied and urged women to take up the cropping of sweet potatoes.

Similar training, with more than 20 women at each session were also conducted in Zebilla, Paga and Navrongo.

The participants were taken through preparation of sweet potato dishes, pastries and drinks.

Madam Doris Nabaare of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), who conducted the training, said acceptance of the initiative was good and women already in businesses such as kenkey preparation and pastries were integrating sweet potatoes.