Indigenous cocoyams in Burundi have the potential to increase food and nutrition security and contribute to improved livelihoods, but farmers’ capacity to meet the growing demand for them has been constrained by a lack of good quality seed and technical knowhow. The Good Seed Initiative targeted both seed and cocoyam growers, linking them to markets through an innovation platform approach. Production and use of quality indigenous cocoyam seeds has increased, and cultivation of both seed and cocoyams has increased farmers’ incomes and improved food and nutrition security for their communities. Project approaches such as farmer-to-farmer training, innovation platforms and entrepreneurship have helped achieve sustainable linkages and improved livelihoods.
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