Scientists Try To Break Nigeria's Cycle Of Replanting Bad Yams
The tubers are essential to the country's economy and culture, but their quality keeps declining. Now, researchers have found a way to mass produce good seed yams — and it could save the industry.
Ladi Adaikwu's top-shelf merchandise is hidden in a mud-brick shed in a warren of narrow alleyways in Angwan-Dodo, a farming village close to Nigeria's capital city Abuja. The steel door is secured with a heavy padlock, and when she opens it, a shaft of light cuts through the damp darkness to reveal what looks like a knee-high pile of narrow, dirt-encrusted footballs.
But don't be fooled by their humble appearance: These are high-quality yams, and around here they're as good as gold.
Adaikwu stoops to pick one up, and holds it under the light. "This one is just like a healthy child," she says. "If you
