1. SEED YAM PRODUCTION AT BUNSO IN THE EASTERN REGION OF GHANA

2. Samuel Kwasi Owusu Lawrence Aboagye

3. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION Introduction Justification Objective Materials/Methods Results/Discussion Recommendation & Conclusion

4. INTRODUCTION The term seed yam refers to the planting material derived from the tuber. It could be a small, whole tuber with weight ranging from 15 to 95 grams(mini tuber) (Orkwor G.C.et al,1998) A tuber of 150 to 250g (normal seed yam) or a tuber of 500 to 1000g (large seed yam) for the production of ceremonial large tubers(5 to 100kg and above) or even cut setts of whole of tubers.

5. INTRODUCTION The major constraint of yam production has been the requirement of large quantities of planting materials on a per hectare basis (Orkwor G.C.et al,1998). Traditionally, the farmer put aside as much as 30% of the harvest usually small sized tubers (200g-1000g) as seed yam for next cropping season(Nweke et al, 2011)

6. INTRODUCTION It has been estimated that, planting materials constitutes over 33% of the cost out-lay in yam production( Orkwor G.C et al, 1998). Domestically, it is not only a main source of income, but it is staple crop vital to food security. Internationally, customers desire the sweeter taste of the well known “Ghana yam”(assets.mmc.gov/investmentopps/bom- ghana-eng-yams pdf).

7. INTRODUCTION Ghana is leading yam exporter after Nigeria and Cote D’ivoire having exported 20,841 metric tons of yams in 2008 (assets.mmc.gov/investmentopps/bom-ghana- eng-yams pdf). Inadequate access and high cost of seed yam has prevented producers from expanding the area under yam cultivation, despite the availability of fertile land and demand for yam production abroad.

8. INTRODUCTION Seed yams are needed to create a more efficient and affordable growing process that can yield better quality yams.

9. OBJECTIVES To make seed yam readily available to farmers To know the sprouting and the establishment rate of different yam spices.

10. MATERIALS AND METHODS MaterialsPurpose Healthy yam Cut into 40g pieces Fungicide/insecticide/nema ticide- A mixture to treat the yam WaterDissolve the mixture Polythene sheets For overnight drying of yam pieces Plastic bowlContained the mixtures KnivesFor cutting the yams

11. SETTS PREPARATION 1. Whole yams; 2. Cut minisetts; 3. Setts treatment; 4. Curing of setts ; 5. Nursing pre-sprouting setts; 6. Nursing setts on beds; 7. Picking of setts from beds and 8. Field transplanting 1 2 34 5 6 7 8

12. MATERIALS AND METHODS An area measuring 0.5 of an acre was cultivated on the fields of CSIR-PGRRI. The land was ploughed and harrowed and ridges and furrows were made. The yams were cut into 30g pieces and treated in a mixture of fungicide/insecticide/nematicide for 3-5 minutes and were spread on polythene sheets overnight. The pre-sprouting was done on raised beds of 30cm above ground level in the fields nurseries. Fresh moist sawdust was spread on the beds to make a base of the beds 4cm deep. Cut, treated setts were spread on top of the sawdust in two layers and then covered with another layer of sawdust. The beds were put under shade. Watering was done in each other day.

13. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sprouted pieces were transplanted at six weeks into already prepared ridges of spacing of 50cm intra-row spacing and one meter inter-ridge spacing. The vines were trained to climb the string.

14. RESULTS Percentage of nursed yams over sprouted NOCROPNUMBER NURSEDNUMBERSPROUTE D PERCENTAGE 1D. Alata2000198099 2D.Esculenta2000174087 3D. Rotundata3000246082 4D. Cavenensis Total 1000 8000 470 6180 47

15. Table 2. percentage of transplanted over harvested NOCROPNUMBER TRANSPLANTEDNUMBER HARVESTED PERCENTAGE 1D. allata1980178290 2D. esculenta174099785 3D. Rotundata2460210283 4D. cavenensis47026356 Total61805144

16. Results Cost of seed yam at Ejura YEARCOMMODITYQUANTITYUNIT PRICE(GH¢ TOTAL COST(GH¢ EJURA 2012D. Rotundata12220 BADWEASE 2012D. rotundata122.525

17. ASSUMPTIONS Lets us assumed that an HND graduate in Agriculture was employed for a period of 10months for one hectare seed yam production at GH¢500.00 per month. He was assisted by two casual laborers for the same time and they were paid GH¢300.00 each and cost of inputs(insecticide/fungicide/nematicide) and mother yams costed Gh¢18,500.00 Let us further assumed that, 80% of the total seed yam in a hectare was normal seed yam and that seed yam was sold at Gh¢2.00

18. Analysis of cost of production Labour cost per month (Gh₵) Cost of land(Gh₵) Plough.harrowi ng Cost of inputsTotal cost HND 2labs 500. 300each500.00 18,500.0030500.00

19. Returns on investment commodityTotal number of harvested(80%) Unit price(Gh¢)Total price(GH¢) Net returns(Gh¢) D.rotundata32000264000.0033,500.00

20. Recommendations/Conclusion It is recommended that, D. alata has the highest sprouting efficiency and establishment rate while D.cayenensis had the lowest In spite of this, the producer has to conduct market survey to know which type of yam should be produced in any area..Seed yam production is a economically viable. It is also recommended that, the unemployed youth be encouraged to be trained in seed yam production

21. THANK YOU