No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The supply of seed yams for intensive yam production is hindered by many constraints, including diseases and pest infestations as well as the unavailability of quality planting material. The combination of tissue culture and aeroponics system is perceived to be the way towards clean and adequate supply of seed yam for enhanced yam production. However, the system is considered as expensive for any individual to implement. In order to encourage private sector to participate in this venture, the economic analysis determining the feasibility and viability of using aeroponics in seed yam production was performed. Using data from established tissue culture and aeroponics system in Ghana, the fixed cost and variable cost parameters as well as production costs were obtained. Results revealed that total cost of building aeroponics structure amounted to GH₵ 94,178.00 (USD 17,938.70). Annual cost of aeroponics structure was GH₵ 9,417.82 (USD 1,793.87). Annual total cost of production totalled GH₵ 204,391.75 (USD 38,931.61). Annual net revenue was GH₵ 75,888.00 (USD 14,454.86). Payback period was 15 months and benefit cost ratio was 1.4. Aeroponics system for seed yam production is therefore profitable since short period would be needed to recoup investment. For food security and creation of workplaces, government could partner with the private sector in the establishment of aeroponics systems to increase yam production and export.

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate how awareness influences the adoption of positive selection (PS) technology among smallholder yam farmers in West Africa. PS has the potential of increasing yield and reducing disease incidence and severity in yam production.Design/methodology/approachThis paper applies the average treatment effect (ATE) methodology to estimate the rates of awareness and adoption of the PS technology and associated factors using data from 678 smallholder seed yam farmers in Ghana and Nigeria.FindingsThe results indicate that the actual adoption rates of PS technology are 58 and 55%, while the potential adoption rates are estimated at 89.5 and 79.3% for Ghana and Nigeria, respectively, if the PS technology was fully disseminated. This leads to adoption gaps of 31.7 and 24.8%, respectively, for Ghana and Nigeria stemming from incomplete awareness of the PS among the population of yam growing farmers. The PS adoption is high among the educated young farmers who are members of farmer based organizations and participate in demonstrations.Practical implicationsPromotional efforts for enhancing awareness and adoption of PS should target educated youth willing to participate in field demonstrations and should focus on scaling up of PS technology to ensure quality farmer saved seed yams and enhance yam productivity in West Africa.Originality/valueThe introduction of PS in seed yam production is quite recent also its introduction to seed yam farmers in West Africa. Subsequently, a better understanding of what the adoption status would be should everyone in the population of yam farmers are aware of PS is vital for policy, research and development.