The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in partnership with the Cross River State Government, has commenced a week-long Training of Trainers (ToT) aimed at strengthening yam seed systems, promoting value addition, and advancing agribusiness development across Cross River State.
The training brings together yam farmers, Local Government Directors of Agriculture, State Agriculture Officers, and Extension Agents in a strategic effort to scale best practices in seed technologies and agronomic management.
Designed as the first phase of a broader capacity development initiative, the programme equips participants with the technical knowledge and tools required to drive productivity and efficiency across the yam value chain. Following this phase, participants will implement a structured step-down training model, transferring knowledge and innovations to farmer groups and communities within their respective localities.
Highlighting the importance of capacity building for scaling impact, Field and Seed Systems Specialist under the IITA Yam Improvement Programme, Dr Olugboyega Pelemo, said: “Technologies like the minisett, vine cutting, SAH and mini tubers that we have developed at IITA will only become visible when it is scaled, and scaling can become impactful when the capacity of key actors are developed. At the end of the innovative technologies for seed yam production training, the beneficiaries will transfer the knowledge to the last mile users in their various communities across Cross River State.”
Yam remains a critical staple crop in Nigeria, contributing significantly to food security, rural livelihoods, and income generation. However, challenges related to seed quality, limited access to improved agronomic practices, and weak market linkages continue to constrain productivity.
Through this initiative, IITA and the Cross River State Government aim to address these gaps by strengthening local capacity, enhancing adoption of improved technologies, and fostering agribusiness opportunities for farmers and stakeholders across the state.
Speaking at the training venue, Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Cross River State, Johnson Andiambey Ebokpo, said: “As part of the agricultural agenda, the government is committed to providing the requisite capacity and resources to support the farmers of Cross River, and this training for yam farmers being facilitated by IITA is the first, as we will be replicating the same initiative across other crops like plantain.”
This collaborative effort underscores a shared commitment to transforming the yam sector through innovation, partnerships, and inclusive knowledge dissemination, ensuring that improved practices reach farmers at scale.
With the IITA Yam Breeding Programme under the leadership of Dr. Asrat Amele, and funded through the RTB Breeding initiatives, the key objective of the one-week training is to scale innovative technological packages otherwise tagged Good Agronomic Practices (GAP) for yam, extend IITA developed yam varieties and to generate Community-based Seed Producers in Cross River State.