Researchers working under the Cassava Compact of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) have trained a total of 350 cassava farmers and Spray Service Providers on good agricultural practices (GAP) including appropriate use of herbicides for controlling weeds in cassava in Abia, Benue, Ebonyi, Ogun, Oyo, and Osun states.

Part of the training was on how to use the IITA Herbicide Calculator, a mobile app developed by the IITA Cassava Weed Management Project (CWMP) for calibration.

The trainings which were conducted in the various States between March and April 2019 were aimed at building the capacity and knowledge of cassava farmers, and spray service providers.

Specifically, the training of spray service providers was to ensure that herbicides are managed only by those who had undergone training. Furthermore, it was designed to ensure that applicators use correct dosage of herbicides for effective weed control to increase yield and to safeguard human health and the environment.

Mr Toye Ayankanmi, IITA Research Associate, said farmers who benefited from the training would be able to share the knowledge they had gained from the training to other farmers in their communities. TAAT is an African Development Bank-funded project that is being led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria.