Yam export committee develops four-year action plan, targets $10b annually

Prof. Simon Irtwange, the National Coordinator, Technical Committee on Nigerian Yam Export Programme, said the committee has developed a four-year action plan targeting $10 billion earnings from yam export.
Irtwange made the disclosure in Lagos on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.
According to him, the 2017 – 2020 plan will bring improvement and development in all aspects of yam value chain.
He said: “Indeed, the government policy on yam export has come to stay; the only action now is how to improve on the process.
“The committee has developed Action/Work Plan (2017 – 2020) going forward.
“The plan objective is to create an estimated one million jobs and earnings of at least 10 billion dollars annually in the next four years.
“The total cost required to operate the plan is N3.13 billion.”
The coordinator said the committee had also developed a blueprint for the development of Yam Value Chain Production, Processing, Marketing and Exportation.
He said the committee had also selected some white yam varieties for export promotion.
Irtwange said among the white yams selected were Ogoja, Hembamkwase, Awula, Pepe, Faketsa, Puna and Water Yam (Cush-Cush) out of the more than 60 varieties.
He said the committee is reviewing the NIS 657:2009 Standard for fresh yam tubers and NIS 000:2007 MT Specifications for yam pounding machine.
He added that the committee is also working to overcome the challenges encountered with the first shipment in June 2017.