TheCable

The African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) has announced that it will carry out 563 trials across Nigeria and Tanzania to help unlock the agronomy of cassava.

The trials, which will be led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), aims to increase cassava yield and improve the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers.

Researchers are hoping that the trials will resolve the puzzle around fertilizer recommendation, best planting practices, intercropping, and scheduled planting of cassava to ensure all year cultivation and harvesting of the root crop.

“Over the years, research on Cassava agronomy in Africa has been site specific and in what may be described as pilots. The ACAI project aims to take agronomy to scale by researching and making recommendations that could be widely adopted on large scale,” a statement released by the organisation said.

“Researchers who are heading the four components of the ACAI project otherwise known as use cases—fertilizer recommendation and blending, best planting practices, intercropping, and scheduled planting—say they are working towards developing decision support tools for site-specific scenarios covering nutrient management best planting practices, intercropping, and scheduled planting.

“Cassava yield per hectare has remained low in Africa compared to Asia; despite wide cultivation in Africa. This yield disparity puts African cassava farmers at a disadvantage as they can’t compete globally especially in terms of exports.”

Bernard Vanlauwe, principal investigator of the ACAI Project and director of IITA Central Africa Hub, said the importance of cassava was not in doubt.

“It is one of the most consumed staples in Africa and a source of income. The question is how can we reduce the yield gap… this is where the science of ACAI comes in,” he said at the 2016 annual work review and planning in Ibadan, Oyo state.

Abdulai Jalloh, project leader of ACAI, believes that the project is a game changer for cassava in Africa.

“Our farmers are yet to realise the potential of genetic improvement because of poor agronomy,” he said.

“No matter how good the seeds are, except you back it up with agronomy, you may not be able to harness the potential of the root crop.”