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Root and tuber value chain project

The Department of Food Science and Technology is currently involved in the DANIDA sponsored Root and Tuber Value Chain project. As part of the department's role in the project is product development from the roots and tubers (cocoyam, cassava, sweetpotato and yam).

The project is a 36 months-long research project currently running at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension under the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST-Ghana). It spans from April 2013-March 2016.

It is generally aimed at building research capacity through a comprehensive analysis of the entire root and tuber value chain by employing integrated value chain methodologies. In other words the project will contribute to national research capacity by providing scientific knowledge, solid baseline data, and methodologies to monitor performance of root and tuber value chains in Ghana.

Scientific knowledge generated from this project will help promote the growth and performance of the Ghanaian root and tuber sector to engender employment generation, improve incomes and household food security in the medium to long-term.

The project is being carried out in three regions in Ghana, namely: Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo and Northern Regions. These regions are noted for root and tuber production, processing and marketing. The four main root and tuber crops in Ghana (Cassava, Yam, Cocoyam and Sweet potato) is the focus of this project in the respective regions where they are mainly produced. The project adopts both laboratory and socio-economic analysis/business modelling to examine the entire root and tuber value chain.