LAGOS (AFP) – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gave a $12-million (nine-million-euro) grant Monday to a project aimed at boosting yam production and doubling the income of west African farmers of the crop.

It is the foundation’s largest grant for yam production anywhere in the world, said a spokesman of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Nigeria’s southwest city of Ibadan.

The project’s initial focus is on 200,000 smallholder farm families in Ghana and Nigeria, 90 percent of whom cultivate less than two acres, the institute said in a statement.

Yam, a tuber plant, is a staple food in many tropical countries and provides the most important source of dietary calories in Nigeria and Ghana.

But a variety of pests and diseases have dramatically reduced harvests.

“Most farmers cultivate yams mainly for household consumption, but if we can increase yields, while also improving marketing conditions, then many of these farmers should be able to earn a steady income from growing yams,” institute director general Nteranya Sanginga said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/04/gates-gives-12m-grant-to-boost-yam-production/

Good work Bill and Melinda. It greatest way to live is to put a smile on a face. You have done it.

We can all learn from this. We are not here to live for ourselves but to live for the betterment of others. After death, you are going to be judged based on how best you carried out this task. Read this http://heavenandhellstories..com

I hope the grant gets to the real farmers!

^^^^ Thts the question

Osama10: I hope the grant gets to the real farmers!

Just my thought but its a pity because many farmers will never have access to the grant.

This is how a man that started from the scratch and finally made it in life shld behave

Let the looting and diversion of funds begin!

He must be in love with yams.

I don't know about ghana but its sure naija farmers wouldn't benefits from this because of the corrupt system.

An athiest gives $12 million U.S. dollars to Nigerian and Ghanaian farmers.

This is really a great deal but i hope Nigeria's corrupt system will let the small scale farmers benefit from it.

Useless money,devilish money,satanic money.freemason money..

Dangote and especially Adenuga should take a leaf from Bill's book. Nice one

I know very well that the yam farmer in Nigeria will not get anything from this benefit. The money will be share among those wearing suits and babariga at the various office. Full stop.

osram: Useless money,devilish money,satanic money.freemason money..

If he no give una go complain, he gives, u say na devilish money. Na jesuslish money u dey spend?

first time help

what's the catch?

Osama10: I hope the grant gets to the real farmers!

Abi!!

good move

Useless money,devilish money,satanic money.freemason money..

you are nuffin but a sick and ungrateful bastard...your people wey make clean money, how many of dem fit help, no be private jets and airline business dem use dem money do....bloody goat.

Oyinbo man knows that a hungry man is an angry man. No nation in the world is developed without solving it's food problem .Nigeria still in the shackles of corruption is doomed forever. Going by the way many think in this room, you will know that there is hunger in the land.
The Bill gates grant will never get to the farmers,meant for. This is Nigeria the land of corruption

joelala:

you are nuffin but a sick and ungrateful bastard...your people wey make clean money, how many of dem fit help, no be private jets and airline business dem use dem money do....bloody goat.

oloshi,what of oil money=blood money.
Going by the way people like this think, there is big hunger in the land.

u say devilish money. u guys need to wake up. yahoo boys scam people and come on facebook to say " na God". bill gates gives money to help lives and u are talking shit. you guys are far from reality

I know very well that the yam farmer in Nigeria will not get anything from this benefit.[img]http://www.demama.info/hjk[/img]

Modded

Another money for the senators

That was a very good one. How i wish the Nigerian Govt and the rich guys emulate such, instead of becoming rats.
There was a time Nassarawa State Govt practised the exportations of yam tubers,could'nt continue.
Such will encourage the people concern, if only.......

osram: Useless money,devilish money,satanic money.freemason money..

Kindly ask your pastor to donate church money for this cause...let him suspend buying his 4th or 5th SUV.

I dont know what is wrong with you young ones. Please stop saying the money will not get to the farmers. It is really not needed here. The money donated was not meant to be distributed to the farmers, but to help research into better disease resistant yam species to help the small scale farmers get better yields. The institute that got the money is not a Nigerian institute. It is an international institute that for decades has been at the forefront of developing agriculture in the African tropics. If you have not been to the IITA in Ibadan, please go and visit them and get a glimpse of what they do. It is really idiotic and ignorantic to claim the money wont get to the farmers. The money will be used for the purpose intended and that's RESEARCH into developing a better yielding and disease resistant yam species.

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i am also a yam farmer.... How do i get my share of the cash?