Post by Trade Coach on Jun 17, 2018 11:34:15 GMT 1
AFRICA'S POSITION AS THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF CASSAVA UNDER THREAT
Benin Republic is the destination of choice for the ongoing West Africa Virus Epidemiology Program (WAVE), where a number of experts in the agricultural sector have gathered, one mission that must come to mind must be brainstorming on possible strategies to adopt in combating the widespread of Cassava Mosaic Disease and the Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CSBD) in West and Central Africa.
A number of issues that should found themselves at the apogee of the discourse, in which the principal subject is the need to intimate African governments and traditional rulers on the urgency of setting up a regional plan to respond to the threat posed by cassava viral diseases on food security in Africa.
The meeting is also to present the state of viral diseases of cassava to African leaders and traditional rulers whilst sensitizing cassava stakeholders, institutional managers and traditional rulers on the socio-economic issues raised by cassava viral disease.
The WAVE program which was founded in 2015 and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Kingdom’s Department for international Development is committed to improving the productivity of root and tuber crops in West and Central Africa.
It does this through the development of effective methods for the control of viral diseases.
According to reports, Africa’s position as the largest cassava producer is under threat following the growing rate of Cassava Mosaic Disease and now the recent emergence of Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) in Central Africa.
An impressive number of dignitaries were spotted at the meeting to weigh in on possible solutions to effect in addressing the disturbing issue. Some of the bigwigs at the event includes, Minister of Education, Scientific Research and Training, Benin, Mrs Marie-Odile Attanasso; Minister of Agriculture, Benin, Mr Gaston Doussouttour; Minister of Education, Scientific Research and Training, Burkina Faso, Mr Alkassoum Maiga; Minister of Agriculture, Gabon Mr Biendi Maganga Moussavou; Adjoint Director, BMGF, Mr Robert Horsch; VC Covenant University represented by the DVC, Prof Shalom Chinedu; VC Kebbi State University, Prof Bashir Ladan Aliero; Traditional Chiefs among others prominent personalities.
Other stakeholders in attendance are technical expert from each WAVE implementing countries, representative of WAVE partner institutions, representatives of international and regional organizations (IDB, ADB, ECOWAS, UEMCA) as well as, national and international media.
The phase one of the WAVE program which ends in 2018 has had significant success in several areas including, the training of qualified staff, harmonized diagnostic tools and protocols for effective regional surveillance of cassava viral diseases, the capacity building of cassava stakeholders in terms of disease management has been strengthened in all member countries, amongst other notable achievements.
Benin Republic is the destination of choice for the ongoing West Africa Virus Epidemiology Program (WAVE), where a number of experts in the agricultural sector have gathered, one mission that must come to mind must be brainstorming on possible strategies to adopt in combating the widespread of Cassava Mosaic Disease and the Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CSBD) in West and Central Africa.
A number of issues that should found themselves at the apogee of the discourse, in which the principal subject is the need to intimate African governments and traditional rulers on the urgency of setting up a regional plan to respond to the threat posed by cassava viral diseases on food security in Africa.
The meeting is also to present the state of viral diseases of cassava to African leaders and traditional rulers whilst sensitizing cassava stakeholders, institutional managers and traditional rulers on the socio-economic issues raised by cassava viral disease.
The WAVE program which was founded in 2015 and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the United Kingdom’s Department for international Development is committed to improving the productivity of root and tuber crops in West and Central Africa.
It does this through the development of effective methods for the control of viral diseases.
According to reports, Africa’s position as the largest cassava producer is under threat following the growing rate of Cassava Mosaic Disease and now the recent emergence of Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) in Central Africa.
An impressive number of dignitaries were spotted at the meeting to weigh in on possible solutions to effect in addressing the disturbing issue. Some of the bigwigs at the event includes, Minister of Education, Scientific Research and Training, Benin, Mrs Marie-Odile Attanasso; Minister of Agriculture, Benin, Mr Gaston Doussouttour; Minister of Education, Scientific Research and Training, Burkina Faso, Mr Alkassoum Maiga; Minister of Agriculture, Gabon Mr Biendi Maganga Moussavou; Adjoint Director, BMGF, Mr Robert Horsch; VC Covenant University represented by the DVC, Prof Shalom Chinedu; VC Kebbi State University, Prof Bashir Ladan Aliero; Traditional Chiefs among others prominent personalities.
Other stakeholders in attendance are technical expert from each WAVE implementing countries, representative of WAVE partner institutions, representatives of international and regional organizations (IDB, ADB, ECOWAS, UEMCA) as well as, national and international media.
The phase one of the WAVE program which ends in 2018 has had significant success in several areas including, the training of qualified staff, harmonized diagnostic tools and protocols for effective regional surveillance of cassava viral diseases, the capacity building of cassava stakeholders in terms of disease management has been strengthened in all member countries, amongst other notable achievements.