Improved Yam Tuber Post Harvest Management

Improved Yam Tuber Post Harvest Management Short-term Volunteer Assignment in Nigeria Requirement of the Program: Must be a U.S. citizen Start Date: July August 2010 (flexible) Length of Assignment: Two weeks Type of Assignment: Volunteer (donate time), all expenses such as airfare, lodging, meals, and an interpreter, are paid Assignment Summary: The main focus of the assignment is to introduce improved techniques of post harvest management of yam tubers with a focus on processing and preservation for Yam farmers in Kaduna state. This will help the local farmers in Kaduna process and preserve their yam to avoid post harvest loss. Nehemiah Foundation International has identified 7000 individual yam farmers in Kaduna state. NFI have not yet formed these 7000 yam farmers into formal cooperatives. NFI will select only 70 yam farmers to participate in this assignment. These 70 yam farmers will be representatives of the other yam farmers and these 70 yam farmers are supposes to step down the training to the others. Therefore the volunteer is expected to conduct a training of the trainers (TOT) on post harvest management for the 70 yam farmers. Issue: In Nigeria a large number of farmers are engaged in yam cultivation. Yam is one of Nigerian’s staple crops. Over the years Nehemiah Foundation International has been working with various farmer communities in the southern part of Kaduna to help them address issues in agriculture. In northern Nigeria such as Kaduna the dry weather is not very conducive for pro-longed yam post harvest preservation, as the dry weather usually dries of the yam and reduces the moisture content which shrinks the yam tubers. Therefore yam farmers in Kaduna have to sell their fresh yam tubers shortly after harvest which makes them vulnerable to the low farm gate prices during harvest time. This often puts these Kaduna yam farmers at a loss in comparison to their counterpart yam farmers in the middle belt and southern region of Nigeria. Volunteer Tasks: US Based Tasks - • Volunteer should collect information from the internet and libraries on yam production and post harvest management in Nigeria. • The volunteers search for a training manual, or a handbook on postharvest management of yam. • The volunteers should also develop a PowerPoint presentation to provide an illustration to the participants. • Volunteers should come along with literatures, photographs/video tape materials that will facilitate the training program. Nigeria Based Tasks - • Visit to local farms to understand the level of yam production, cultivation, processing and preservation techniques and post harvest management. • Assess the various yam production, processing and preservation techniques employed by various communities. • Develop or adapt an action plan or a mini handbook on appropriate post harvest and provide appropriate recommendation techniques/strategies for yam processing and preservation. Deliverable - • An end of assignment report • A handbook on post harvest guidelines or methods for yam farmers in Kaduna state. If you feel you are qualified for this opportunity, please apply directly online at . You will be contacted further if considered for this assignment or if additional information is needed. Thank you for your interest. For more information about Land O’Lakes International Development, please visit our website at .