NEW JUABEN NORTH MUNICIPAL ASSEMBLY
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
REPORT ON WIAD ACTIVITY – 2022
PROGRAMME: INTRODUCTION OF IMPROVED VARIETIES OF CASSAVA FOR 10 WOMEN FARMERS IN CASSAVA PROCESSING
Introduction
New Juaben North is a multi-farming area which includes cassava Producers and its Processors. The main variety of cassava planting material in the municipality is the Ankrah variety. Though Ankrah cassava is a-high yielding variety, it has a higher moisture content than most of the other higher-yielding varieties, therefore processing Ankrah cassava into dry mash for commodities which are mostly processed in the Municipality, such as Gari, Agblima, Kokonte, High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) are not profitable. Ankrah cassava is mostly good for processing into fufu and Ampesi.
Per the above-mentioned problem with processing of Ankrah cassava, which was the felt-need of Cassava Processors in the Municipality, Management found it best to include the purchase of a improved, high-yielding and less low-moisture content variety of cassava planting materials in the 2022 “Annual Work Plan Based Budget”.
Purpose
The main purpose for the project is to introduce improved cassava variety with high-yielding, and high dry mash content into New Juaben North Municipality to Farmers and Processors for multiplication of planting materials
Target Group
The project targeted 10 Women Farmers across the Municipality who planted for the multiplication-
Main Activity
On the 15th of October, 2022, the Municipal WIAD Officer , and the Municipal Driver went to Akorabo, a cassava-farming village off the Suhum road, in the Suhum Municipality to purchase an improved cassava planting material called Abasafitaa with the Municipal official vehicle. The initial plan was to purchase 2 varieties of cassava thus Abasafitaa and Afisiafe. After carefully analysis, management chose Abasafitaa over Afisiafe due its slight advantages which was lacking in Afisiafe.
Abasafitaa cassava has it’s characteristics as follows;
- It is improved
- Matures within 12 months
- Estimated yields of 26-31tonnes/ha
- Has high dry matter content
- Can be used for fufu, gari, agblima, konkonte, ampesi, etc.
This was the variety of cassava (Abasafitaa) purchased from selected farmers fields. After the cassava had been purchased and brought to the field, 10 women farmers were randomly selected from the Operational Areas in the Municipality and together they planted the cuttings. The project is to multiply the cuttings on one piece of land, and spread them later to the women farmers.
Conclusion
Improved cassava cuttings was introduced to farmers and processors in New Juaben North Municipality. The purpose is to increase the content of cassava mash for processing to create profit for the farmers and processors. The cassava cuttings would be multiplied and distributed to mostly women farmers to expand their cassava cultivation with improved variety, which can increase processing mash, and yield more income to their family lives.
The cassava plantation at Kofikrom, and their various stages of growth, with some WIAD Participants involved in the cultural practices on the field.