Project goal

The main aim of this project is to develop innovative tools for reviving taro production in Western Africa by improving disease detection, monitoring, resistance breeding, and disease control strategies.

Expected results

1. Advanced scientific knowledge of taro diseases, particularly in Benin and Nigeria.
2. Catalogue of the host range (including alternative hosts) of P. colocasiae in Western Africa, with implications for other taro-growing regions globally.
3. Revival of taro production in Benin and Nigeria, addressing the impacts of taro blight.
4. Training of a PhD student in Benin, responsible for transferring research findings to local taro improvement programs.
5. Training of 20-30 local farmers through the Farmer Field Schools (FFS).
6. Identification of pathogenicity determinants in Taro-pathogen interactions.
7. Implementation of state-of-the-art disease monitoring methods for taro.
8. Publication of at least 4 high-impact, peer-reviewed scientific papers.
9. Publication of locally relevant disease reports.
10. Improved early disease detection and mitigation practices among trained farmers through mobile phone phenotyping and FFS.