General News
STAKEHOLDERS at a workshop on African Yam Bean (AYB) have advocated for the development of improved varieties through breeding programmes in relevant research institutes to speed up its adoption.
In a communique issued on Thursday, the stakeholders called for the development of non-climbing AYB varieties to overcome the challenge of its cultivation as an intercrop with yam.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop, attended by stakeholders from across agricultural and environmental sectors, was held physically and online at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, on Tuesday.
AYB is an underutilised legume indigenous to West and East Africa with nutritional content compared to other commonly consumed legumes.
The nutrient density of the crop makes it a viable food crop for ameliorating the challenges of malnutrition faced in many developing countries, via direct consumption or fortification and enrichment of less nutritious staples.
The stakeholders said low awareness and acceptability of AYB compared to other commercial legumes could be tackled by organizing sensitization and promotional programmes such as food shows/exhibitions for stakeholders in food industries.
This, they added, would prepare new
products and recipes from tubers and bean flour from AYB.
They also advocated that in addition to its cultivation as a food crop, AYB should be promoted as an industrial/commercial crop for use in the production of biopesticides, food additives (condiments), animal feeds, through the provision of modern processing facilities for the export market.
“Since AYB is a nodulating legume, it should be intercropped with other crops to help improve soil fertility, conserve soil moisture, and enhance crop yield.
“To eliminate the associated drudgery in processing and encourage AYB’s
adoption as food by the populace, funds and other resources for research on
AYB need to be generated.
“Increased government investment on AYB research and value chain development is therefore recommended.
“It is recognized that farmers are disadvantaged by lack of improved varieties, the development of a formal seed system for AYB is therefore considered as a priority.
“Also, lack of protection of AYB against pests and diseases was identified as a potential threat to its production, the government should encourage and invest on promoting agronomists and plant health specialists to conduct more research on the crop,” they said.
According to the communique, available technical and indigenous knowledge about AYB is a strength that encourages its adoption as a food security crop.
The stakeholders urged the government to establish innovative and versatile extension platforms to promote linkage between research and users.
Having recognized the limitation of AYB cultivation to only rainfed farming as a
the threat, they advised the government to provide farmers with irrigation facilities to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on its productivity.
“To overcome the challenge of low awareness and utilization of AYB among the younger generation and the general populace, strong advocacy and
promotion programme, incorporating variety naming in specific localities and
communities should be hinged on the health and utilization perspectives.
“This is to avoid mix-ups with related crops,” the communique said.(NAN)
– May 20, 2021 @ 14:59 GMT
Tags: Stakeholders urge development of improved varieties of African Yam Bean — Communique
