Weeding accounts for most of cassava farming cost, researchers say…as young farmers call for help

“Our experience is that even before you complete the first course of weeding, you see another set of grasses coming behind,” Akinyele Bankole, a youth agripreneur with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, said during a meeting with members of the Cassava Weed Management team at IITA, Ibadan, recently.“We have weeded about five times but […]

“Our experience is that even before you complete the first course of weeding, you see another set of grasses coming behind,” Akinyele Bankole, a youth agripreneur with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, said during a meeting with members of the Cassava Weed Management team at IITA, Ibadan, recently.
“We have weeded about five times but it appears we are not doing anything when you see the weeds in the fields. This is the most difficult challenge we are facing,” he added.
Evelyn Ohanwunsi, a youth agripreneur, added that it was discouraging seeing weeds competing with cassava in the field.
Researchers estimate that weeding takes 50 to 80% of the total labour budget, and up to 200-500 hours of labour of mostly women and children are required to prevent economic cassava root losses in Nigeria.
Dr Alfred Dixon, Project Leader for the project Sustainable Weed Management Technologies for Cassava Systems in Nigeria, said solutions on weed control in cassava farms were underway following efforts between IITA and partners to combat weeds in cassava.
Under the cassava weed management project, Dr Dixon and his team members are conducting research to develop new innovative weed management practices, combining improved varieties, proper planting dates, plant populations, and plant nutrition across  agro-ecologies where cassava dominates in Nigeria.
Dixon said results from the 5-year cassava weed research would be shared with the IITA young agripreneurs and other farmers.
“I am sure with the cassava weed project, we will be able to tackle the menace of weeds… so be rest assured… we will support you,” he said.
The Youth Agripreneur programme, established by Dr Nteranya Sanginga, Director General of IITA, is an Africa-wide initiative that attracts youths back to agriculture by exposing them to the numerous opportunities existing in the sector.