Yearly Archives - 2021

AKILIMO GOES TO THE PRISON

On the 2nd of September, 2021, African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) organized sensitization training in a correctional facility in Akorede, Ibadan. The invitation to come was granted by the prison Agricultural Service Officer who had experience as an extension agent and has previously worked with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Mr. Alonge Ibikunle of the Department of Correctional Service (DCS) to train and sensitize farmers.

Lead farmers over-joy the functionality of VIAMO services in acquiring AKILIMO recommendations

Lead farmers have overjoyed the functionality of the VIAMO service in accessing various AKILIMO recommendations noting that it is good and easy to use and they pledged to train their fellow farmers to increase efficiency in cassava production.
This came after training on good agronomical practices organized by the African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) in villages of Chitekete, Lengo, and Makukwe in Mtwara in November 2021, where five groups of more than 80 farmers attended the session.

INTEGRATION OF AKILIMO KICKS OFF IN GHANA

The African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) visited Ghana in order to embark on the integration of AKILIMO in the country. Ghana Cassava Centre of Excellence (GCCE) was the point of contact through which ACAI linked up with existing private, non-profit, and government institutions as well as international NGOs that can integrate AKILIMO into their operations in Ghana. Discussions have been ongoing since 2020 via virtual meetings; physical meetings could not take place because of the COVID 19 pandemic.

The best approaches for more women participation and adoption of AKILIMO tools

To ensure more women participate fully in AKILIMO dissemination events, The ACAI team called on women from regions of Mtwara, Tanga, Mara, and Mwanza at their locations to discuss together the challenges they face that seemed like the main reason for their low participation. ACAI organized these meetings in May 2021, to assess why women’s participation is so low compared to men to improve gender integration on use, uptake, and sustainability of AKILIMO.

Stakeholders urge cassava farmers to embrace the use of AKILIMO

The stakeholders 2-days workshop organized by African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) held in Lagos came to an end on Thursday, July 2021 with several stakeholders in attendance such as the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), Sasakawa African Association (SG2000), Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Notore Chemical Industries, Centre for Inclusive Agriculture & Gender Development (CIA-GED), Cedro Royal Limited, National Agriculture and Extension Liaison Services (NAERLS), and other key stakeholders in the agriculture sector have called for the adoption of ‘AKILIMO’, smart agriculture, to boost cassava production in Nigeria.