ADP Tackles Coco-Yam Disease In Enugu

The Programme Manager of Enugu State Agricultural Development Programme (ENADEP), Mr Onyema Nwodo  says the programme is tackling coco-yam disease in the state.

Nwodo disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in  Enugu on Tuesday.

Our correspondent reports that the disease withers cocoa-yam plants as if they had had been poured with acid, making the farmers to lose their crops.

Consequently, the ADP has, therefore, been engaged in collecting samples from the farms in the area and sending them to the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike in Abia, for research into the disease.

Nwodo said the cocoa-yam disease manifested two years ago and made the farmers in the area to lose a lot.

“An implication is that even with N3,000 you cannot buy enough cocoa-yam to make a pot of soup and you know cocoa-yam has also some good effect in terms of diabetic control.

“It is a very good food for the people; it is one of the best foods that people in Enugu State eat when there is no other food.

“And that is when you prepare it into “achicha” and all; you use it to put into the beans when other foods are not available.”

‘’The achicha” harvest starts from December. You cook it in January and February, dry it in the hot sun and package it waiting for June, July and August to eat it.

“And when there is no cocoa-yam, the seed cocoa-yam is not there, there is even none to be planted so we have to carry a report through what we call technology review meeting.’’

Nwodo explained that the ADP had to involve the NRCRI to look into the disease and when the report was released, it was made public.

He said the ADP also informed local government chairmen and the department of agriculture to take note and to ensure that the disease was controlled.