Report of ANGELA AFORSAH

I am a second – year doctoral student in Horticulture with a focus on vegetables at Shandong Agricultural University. Currently, I am concentrating on the research of onions, ginger, and garlic. My thesis topic is centered on exploring the response mechanisms of ginger under salinity – alkalinity stress to reveal its stress – resistance principles. The research group I am in has provided significant support for my research.

I have chosen to support entrepreneur Angela Aforsah for the following two main reasons: on the one hand, the qualities of “being passionate, resilient, and diligent” that she has shown highly match my pursuit of gender equality, and her enterprising spirit commands my great admiration. On the other hand, her company mainly deals in organic frozen African yam fries. Although African yam and Chinese ginger belong to different genera, they are both crops with underground rhizome enlargement. And raw material selection is of vital importance to the food – processing industry. Therefore, I plan to use the literature research method and combine it with my professional knowledge to provide support and optimization suggestions for her green business model.

In terms of planting, based on literature research, I put forward the following suggestions: first, the loss of yam after harvest is mainly affected by the variety, and field management is secondary. Among them, the Nwaopoko and Danacha varieties have shown the best storage quality regardless of fertilization, and it is recommended that Angela give priority to choosing these two varieties as processing raw materials. Second, research shows that the yield of yam in Ghana is limited by the lack of soil nutrients and drought (especially in the northern region). The output can be increased by adding pigeonpea and fertilizer, and after 10 years of tuber planting, adding pigeonpea residues can effectively slow down the decline of soil organic carbon (SOC). Third, yam production faces nematode problems. A survey of 150 farmers in seven regions of Ghana from 2019 to 2022 showed that Tylenchus species (35.5%) in the soil and Scutellonema species (92.8%) in the tuber skin were the most common nematodes, and targeted prevention and control could significantly increase the yield. Fourth, for Angela’s organic frozen yam fries business plan, attention needs to be paid to the definition of “organic” standards. Although research has shown that the glyphosate residue in yam is extremely low and may not pose a health threat, the scope needs to be determined after verifying with the relevant departments whether the raw material selection meets the local organic standards.

In the aspect of processing technology, research shows that the post – harvest loss rate of yam is about 30%. Processing it into convenient food can effectively extend the shelf life, which highly matches Angela’s business plan. The literature indicates that citric acid treatment can significantly reduce the POD enzyme activity of yam and does not affect the consumer acceptance, so it is suggested that Angela optimize and adopt this process. At the same time, attention needs to be paid to the fact that high carbohydrates in the processing are easy to cause non – enzymatic browning and produce the potential carcinogen acrylamide during frying and baking. Experiments have proved that pre – soaking treatment can effectively reduce the non – enzymatic browning of yam fried and baked products, which provides an important reference for Angela’s business. In addition, it has been found that okra pectin treatment can significantly affect the quality of fried yam and consumer acceptability. In Ghana, due to its viscous nature, the diversity of okra utilization is small. If its characteristics are used to combine it with yam processing, it is expected to create a new food market. The research on glycemic index found that the diet of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) has a lower glycemic index than that of yellow yam (Dioscorea cayenensis) and water yam (Dioscorea alata), which has important guiding significance for developing the cooking market for low – glycemic – index diets for diabetic patients.

Yam, as a staple food and economic crop in Ghana, is a vital product for both production and foreign exchange in the country. Its processed products hold promising prospects for development. Given the deep – rooted cultural background of yam in Ghana, where the Yam Festival symbolizes prosperity and a new beginning, Angela’s entrepreneurial idea can not only boost the development of the local agricultural economy but also provide more sources of income for farmers. However, it should be noted that the entire production process from planting to processing into finished products should adopt environmentally – friendly and green methods to ensure the sustainable development of the industry and the further expansion of the market.

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References

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Enoch T. Quayson, George S. Ayernor, Paa-Nii T. Johnson, & Fidelis C.K. Ocloo. (2021). Effects of Two Pre-treatments, Blanching and Soaking, as Processing Modulation on Non-enzymatic Browning Developments in Three Yam Cultivars From Ghana. Heliyon, 7, e07224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07224. 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07224.

Vincent Abe-Inge, Jacob K. Agbenorhevi, Grace D. Katamani, Samuella B. Ntim-Addae, & Fidelis M. Kpodo. (2020). Effect of Okra Pectin on the Quality and Consumer Acceptability of Tigernut Milk and Fried Yam. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 6, 1781992. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2020.1781992. 10.1080/23311932.2020.1781992.

Deborah Ampofo, Jacob K. Agbenorhevi, Caleb K. Firempong, & Evelyn Adu‐Kwarteng. (2021). Glycemic Index of Different Varieties of Yam as Influenced By Boiling, Frying and Roasting. Food Science & Nutrition, 9, 1106-1111. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.2087. 10.1002/fsn3.2087.