In West Africa where the percentage of women in poverty is growing with the expanding population, new technologies and crop varieties developed by the region’s leading scientists and researchers bring with them new economic opportunities for women and youths in terms of food and livelihood security.

Using knowledge, new varieties, and training obtained from one of West Africa’s most successful agricultural interventions, fifty-nine year-old, Kouamé Akissi has not only closed the lagging income gap that now allows her to take full responsibility of her family, but also to produce more cassava on a hectare of land.

With the blessing of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP), her species have increased yields between 20 and 50 tons per hectare. Etranou members have also seen their revenues increase by 10 percent. Akissi is now regularly invited to join other women groups to share her knowledge and help improve cassava production.

However, in West Africa where the percentage of women in poverty is growing with the expanding population, these new technologies and crop varieties offered by the WAAPP bring with them new economic opportunities for women to experience significant changes in their livelihoods.

Read the full article about agricultural innovation by David Akana at Food Tank