WAVE-COTE D’IVOIRE IN ACTION: Awarness campain against root and tuber crops diseases in Côte D’Ivoire

On June 24, 2016 was held in Sassako-Benigni, a coastal village in Southern Côte d’Ivoire, the launching of an awareness campaign led by the WAVE program.

The campaign aims to familiarize farmers with the threats of viruses to their fields.

Indeed, the  surveys conducted by WAVE-CI on the territory show that over 50% of the country’s cassava fields are infected by cassava mosaic diseases.

Among the vectors that lead to this situation, human action is wel documented. The awareness campaign on viral diseases of cassava is therefore an opportunity for WAVE-CI to teach the good cultural practices that should support laboratory work to reduce viruses yield losses in cassava fields.

 Thus, during the launching ceremony that brought together administrative authorities of the region, chiefs of villages, associations of women producing cassava, cassava production cooperatives and seed growers and farmers of this area, the Executive Director of WAVE introduced the program and its actions plan to help cassava farmers to improve their production.

 Dr PITA taught the farmers, how to make the difference between a diseased plant and a healthy plant, why is it important to use quality material(clean seeds) for the new plantations. His message was followed by that of Mrs. N’DRI, DABOU zone head of the National Rural Development Agency of Cote d’Ivoire, which collaborating with WAVE program during the awareness campain.

 The actors of the cassava value chain who came to the awareness ceremony visited the stands where samples of healthy and diseased plants were exposed. About 300 famers and stakeholders were present.

During he speech, the Minister of Higher Education and scientific research, Pr. BAKAYOKO-LY Ramata welcomed the establishment of the WAVE program in Côte d’Ivoire. She also said that WAVE actions will help increasing cassava production that is declining in recent years. She therefore encouraged each other to work with WAVE for the development of the sector.

 Sassako Benigni, who hosted the campaign launch, is a village located in the department of Jacqueville in Dabou region, where attieke a cassava food, is the first subsistence food. In this region, many families depend on the income from cultivation of cassava production, which is a predominantly woman activity.