tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76666975078546150332024-03-18T02:48:23.669-07:00IITA News and UpdatesNews and what's going on at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture.International Institute of Tropical Agriculturehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12949569968353400927noreply@blogger.comBlogger188125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-31575707626890603982014-10-01T03:37:00.001-07:002014-10-01T03:37:37.855-07:00IITA and Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology cement their partnership on agriculture research <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUz01MAlV6bC5Yqcm_W_iA-P9-Wi3dVTAhtChl3eGFLo7EXYCrLm05K-7cLWjlbPm0P9v89aQ5Cu69sgShI60N7sxtxAyihN2UA8jobJSJl3lRB_DEgwVnDrL2i6nDj3iw2pvCEhuz28/s1600/Dr+Ylva+Hilbur,+and+Prof+Burton+Mwamila,+signign+the+agreement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivUz01MAlV6bC5Yqcm_W_iA-P9-Wi3dVTAhtChl3eGFLo7EXYCrLm05K-7cLWjlbPm0P9v89aQ5Cu69sgShI60N7sxtxAyihN2UA8jobJSJl3lRB_DEgwVnDrL2i6nDj3iw2pvCEhuz28/s1600/Dr+Ylva+Hilbur,+and+Prof+Burton+Mwamila,+signign+the+agreement.jpg" height="427" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">From left: </span></i><i><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">Prof Burton Mwamila and </span></i>Dr Ylva Hilbur, signing an agreement on banana research at the university campus in
Arusha, Tanzania. </span></i></span></td></tr>
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<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the pan-African <a href="http://www.nm-aist.ac.tz/"><span class="tab">NelsonMandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST)</span></a> have further strengthened their collaboration
on agriculture research and capacity building in Tanzania by signing an agreement
on banana research. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">This agreement, which spells out how the two institutions
will work together to tackle the challenges facing banana production in the
country, was recently signed by the IITA
Deputy Director General for Research, Dr Ylva Hilbur, and the NM-AIST Vice
Chancellor, Prof Burton Mwamila, at a ceremony at the university campus in
Arusha, Tanzania. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj08y5YqUSy8Ml__j1C7YJMJR7Ur2IZme5dTYHYN53Y2V_3JEqZVE1LuFtQrlMKKIseN0lrLj88CqdpEbPXvdvdippAAnBRRuSU3CswpHo5ahVnhKITogp2lLxf2eAy_Hmq6lrT8xOP9M/s1600/Dr+Ylva+Hilbur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj08y5YqUSy8Ml__j1C7YJMJR7Ur2IZme5dTYHYN53Y2V_3JEqZVE1LuFtQrlMKKIseN0lrLj88CqdpEbPXvdvdippAAnBRRuSU3CswpHo5ahVnhKITogp2lLxf2eAy_Hmq6lrT8xOP9M/s1600/Dr+Ylva+Hilbur.jpg" height="234" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dr Ylva Hilbur, signing the research agreemen</i>t </span> </span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">According to
the agreement, NM-AIST will avail land to IITA land to conduct banana breeding to
develop improved varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases and
especially Panama disease (Fusarium) which is devastating banana in the region,
and office space for use by the institute’s staff. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It will also give the institute access to its laboratories
and screen houses to conduct banana research. </span><br /><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">IITA on its
part will provide funds to remodel and refurbish the molecular and tissue
culture laboratories including purchasing additional equipment. The institute
will also construct a seed extractor and a banana ripening chamber at the
university. All these facilities will be open to both the staff and students of
the university. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsod8S5BPR2U7bt6Cy433PNtHyIUSZuJtX8Yp8yAjW0eJnHAEoGh-I72wXiKkUOO8S0YszWHTjSx-7lQpeTJ2gzKkL8sIhynJ6TZNhbBOAB_y3xc1-eeEdj9lXjAyK2r5N66qTsMrle0I/s1600/NM-AIST+Vice+Chancellor,+Prof+Burton+Mwamila.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsod8S5BPR2U7bt6Cy433PNtHyIUSZuJtX8Yp8yAjW0eJnHAEoGh-I72wXiKkUOO8S0YszWHTjSx-7lQpeTJ2gzKkL8sIhynJ6TZNhbBOAB_y3xc1-eeEdj9lXjAyK2r5N66qTsMrle0I/s1600/NM-AIST+Vice+Chancellor,+Prof+Burton+Mwamila.jpg" height="248" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><i>Prof Mwamila perusing agreement before signing it.</i></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The
institute further pledged to conduct training for the staff and students at the
university in areas of banana breeding, tissue culture, pest and diseases, and molecular
biology among others. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Speaking at
the agreement signing event, Prof Mwamila said that the university aspired to
become a world-class institution dedicated to the pursuit and promotion of
excellence in Science Engineering and Technology (SET) and their applications
for economic growth and sustainable development in the region by training and
developing world class African scientists and engineers.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">He therefore
noted that the collaboration with an international agriculture research center such
as IITA would be very beneficial towards this end. He further said IITA would
support the institute to translate research results into tangible products and
policy briefs to enable wealth creation and sustainable development. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">On her part,
Dr Hilbur who is based at the institute’s headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria, noted that there were numerous opportunities for IITA to collaborate with
NM-AIST in research and in training agriculture researchers. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCi5vvk53VO6-tfeYEXe-tIZ43Qw1bf4dDwLGTRt19znsmsSNqjYfZWNHvC6UFC4zMopN9jItShtkJhfYevrNG0fK2KvL9K4UZKyTVURitHQ0a6Z3HidRjueLuoqmizQGOG4_E-dyFniI/s1600/Dr+Ylva+Hilbur,+and+Prof+Burton+Mwamila,+in+a+group+photo+with+representatives+from+both+institutions+present+at+the+ceremony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCi5vvk53VO6-tfeYEXe-tIZ43Qw1bf4dDwLGTRt19znsmsSNqjYfZWNHvC6UFC4zMopN9jItShtkJhfYevrNG0fK2KvL9K4UZKyTVURitHQ0a6Z3HidRjueLuoqmizQGOG4_E-dyFniI/s1600/Dr+Ylva+Hilbur,+and+Prof+Burton+Mwamila,+in+a+group+photo+with+representatives+from+both+institutions+present+at+the+ceremony.jpg" height="176" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Group photo: IITA and NM-AIST teams at the event</i></span> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">‘Building capacity
of researchers in Africa is a very important component of our work at IITA. This agreement strengthens our already
good collaboration with the university and we are looking forward </span> to even more collaboration in the future to
support the development of the agriculture sector in the country and the
region,’ she said. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxGzLFP1VOrjeBV4g4BziPDGtpMeTWq0Zig6OA_PvCbo9mk0KJwzSHN99_5YilefBDeLSmZGWmn2mbLUl86gV2AChneG3mu8MbcJS8AhI3LUyiop_9_GA4kYrAUUxoT0dFyWMzpWMeQ8/s1600/Ylva+and+an+IITA+soil+scientist+Dr+Fredrick++Baijukya,+touring+the+tissue+culture+laboratory+at+NM_AIST.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTxGzLFP1VOrjeBV4g4BziPDGtpMeTWq0Zig6OA_PvCbo9mk0KJwzSHN99_5YilefBDeLSmZGWmn2mbLUl86gV2AChneG3mu8MbcJS8AhI3LUyiop_9_GA4kYrAUUxoT0dFyWMzpWMeQ8/s1600/Ylva+and+an+IITA+soil+scientist+Dr+Fredrick++Baijukya,+touring+the+tissue+culture+laboratory+at+NM_AIST.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>IITA's Drs Ylva and Baijukya touring the TC lab </i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Currently
the two institutes are collaborating on research on banana through a project
funded by the Flemish Interuniversity Council, on nitrogen fixation in beans, and
on controlling aflatoxin, a deadly chemical produced by fungi found in crops
such as maize and groundnut. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The new agreement
supplements a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two institutions
last year in which they agreed to conduct joint research projects, share
scientific information and materials including genetic material for breeding, organize
exchange programs, and jointly supervise postgraduate students. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWD-6pm24kYsbAp9tRHjWkMOVzoTVBL-rzWEGjqBGCms8wWhsuBZ7RReFEOscURBLgpFgp1IEkCuabU0xpOh-DXRTOXlK6xspH9izCozhLckDPlobfyDZeaO6Db4ShOZaULCp3YFPM6lg/s1600/Prof+Rony+Swennen+showing+the+team+led+by+Drs+Hilbur+and+Manyong+ongoing+banana+research+work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWD-6pm24kYsbAp9tRHjWkMOVzoTVBL-rzWEGjqBGCms8wWhsuBZ7RReFEOscURBLgpFgp1IEkCuabU0xpOh-DXRTOXlK6xspH9izCozhLckDPlobfyDZeaO6Db4ShOZaULCp3YFPM6lg/s1600/Prof+Rony+Swennen+showing+the+team+led+by+Drs+Hilbur+and+Manyong+ongoing+banana+research+work.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Prof Swennen showing the banana field trials.</i></span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Hilbur
was accompanied by amog others IITA Director for Eastern Africa Dr Victor Manyong based at
its Eastern Africa office in Dar es Salaam, Head of IITA Arusha Office, Prof Bekunda Mateete and Prof Rony Swennen who heads IITA’s
banana breeding program based at Arusha. The signing was also witnessed
by key staff of the university. </span></span></div>
</div>
Cath Njugunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495338510108380786noreply@blogger.com188tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-70078639820735309372014-09-30T06:22:00.000-07:002014-09-30T06:25:58.063-07:00IITA-led Policy Action on Climate Change project launched in Tanzania <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RC7wHVDT1Kf58WKqH8HMB9cLeOT-T6FqtHUKloOY8oG-rLEupY24fu6zCcac8pqhyphenhyphen5qhOd0oLQ4zD2Kzti-coroOvRnruAukejQmWZMzRT-VrFQxtzTRSFGRLk8olY7F9z8dnSVR5cs/s1600/Ms+Angelina+E.A.+Madete.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RC7wHVDT1Kf58WKqH8HMB9cLeOT-T6FqtHUKloOY8oG-rLEupY24fu6zCcac8pqhyphenhyphen5qhOd0oLQ4zD2Kzti-coroOvRnruAukejQmWZMzRT-VrFQxtzTRSFGRLk8olY7F9z8dnSVR5cs/s1600/Ms+Angelina+E.A.+Madete.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ms Madete, Deputy PS, Vice-President's Office at the launch </td></tr>
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The four-year project, Policy Action for Climate Change
Adaptation (PACCA), led by the International Institute of Tropical
Agriculture (IITA) and funded by the <a href="http://ccafs.cgiar.org/">CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change,Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS)</a> was recently launched in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRT7H1yt0Ebesad1Vn5_rG9dTZ7Ou2t56bjkF34ofkApIHQjlCfjJAGfxh8CyIKGUSrasfrXfhkdUyrhQNPV1lYECLE5jr-L0fB4h09r7qh-6m_svH-4Pembarfrad3a0ZIGn-2bPzTvI/s1600/Dr+Yamungu+Kayandabila.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRT7H1yt0Ebesad1Vn5_rG9dTZ7Ou2t56bjkF34ofkApIHQjlCfjJAGfxh8CyIKGUSrasfrXfhkdUyrhQNPV1lYECLE5jr-L0fB4h09r7qh-6m_svH-4Pembarfrad3a0ZIGn-2bPzTvI/s1600/Dr+Yamungu+Kayandabila.jpg" height="278" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr Yamungu, Agric ministry deputy PS welcomed the initiative </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The project which seeks to enhance the capacity of the Tanzania
Government to develop and implement policies on climate change adaptation in
relation to food security is being implemented in both Kenya
and Tanzania. In Tanzania the lead partner is the Environmental Management Unit
(EMU) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The project was officially launched by the Deputy Permanent
Secretary in the Vice President’s Office <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms Angelina E.A. Madete at a stakeholders’
meeting that brought together different actors working in the area of climate
change adaptation from the government, NGOs, and international and national
research institutes.</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYDxXNrSce0QCsIB7Dw7276odWOtIgG4meZWS4sP3fj-FhGHAvoeupv1oxrdZpA0sojbMcEGNz7J309ERVS_zK0VSSeQoK-GTSt_QnbQhV86iQS5dFoyBAiDI4d4pQWRG-YocC1MXqoQ/s1600/Edidah+Ampaire_+IITA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYDxXNrSce0QCsIB7Dw7276odWOtIgG4meZWS4sP3fj-FhGHAvoeupv1oxrdZpA0sojbMcEGNz7J309ERVS_zK0VSSeQoK-GTSt_QnbQhV86iQS5dFoyBAiDI4d4pQWRG-YocC1MXqoQ/s1600/Edidah+Ampaire_+IITA.jpg" height="250" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr Ampaire giving an overview of the PACCA project </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ms Madete noted that the impact and vulnerabilities of
climate change were undermining national and local strategies to achieve
sustainable development. She observed that the country was particularly
vulnerable to climate change due to its dependence on climate sensitive
economic sectors such as agriculture and commended the project for tackling
this global challenge that demands concrete mitigation and adaptation measures.
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We are all aware of the dangers climate change poses to our
country. We have all witnessed heavy rains and floods; prolonged and severe
droughts, and landslides. We need to develop and implement integrated
strategies expeditiously in the country,” she said. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
The project was also welcomed by the Deputy Permanent
Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dr Yamungu</span></i><span class="st"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>Kayandabila, </span>who officiated the closing ceremony of the
workshop. He assured all the project partners of the full support of his
ministry to tackle climate change and food security issues in the country. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The project coordinator, Dr Edida Ampaire from IITA Uganda, said
the project seeks to strengthen the cooperation between the scientific
community and policy actors in formulating policies on climate change. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAug7ws3mgZtQJFDkrOHfcAFQKNNR5skntXmmTUmjCtoK9EeIb1fhmIyzo53G9ZU2W6cp-4NiznKKckVGzgir3WQ0JfkjQurbZtExj18Ua9hyphenhyphen-YvhIfXYMxpRO6CH95-G9fb1XdiXMuV8/s1600/cross+section+of+participants2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAug7ws3mgZtQJFDkrOHfcAFQKNNR5skntXmmTUmjCtoK9EeIb1fhmIyzo53G9ZU2W6cp-4NiznKKckVGzgir3WQ0JfkjQurbZtExj18Ua9hyphenhyphen-YvhIfXYMxpRO6CH95-G9fb1XdiXMuV8/s1600/cross+section+of+participants2.jpg" height="197" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cross section of the participants at the event</td></tr>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
“The aim of the project is to understand the policy making
and implementation processes in the area of climate change and food security in
Tanzania and Uganda, identify any gaps, and suggest ways to overcome them. It
will also identify appropriate mechanisms to facilitate generation and sharing
of knowledge among the different actors working in the area of climate change
within and between the two countries,” she said. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During the workshop, the participants identified some of the
gaps and areas that the project should address to strengthen climate change
policies in Tanzania. Top of the list was the lack of a comprehensive policy on
climate change in the country. Currently, issues on climate change are handled
under the environmental policy of 2004 under the Vice President’s Office and in
the Environmental Management Unit (EMU of the Agriculture Ministry.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3p9gu96WTJGDP67O1v6CO7AQDC61mtZ9GkqgtthRitXY3qL9tWCXMLo21dAk96ZVOk0cY13jBrgyQqUlH2lg6Kqr-OF6gJp2YXauzxyL4SeMsycy-wWelETUrDG5m4nFwUFmxKDAOx2E/s1600/cross+section+of+participants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3p9gu96WTJGDP67O1v6CO7AQDC61mtZ9GkqgtthRitXY3qL9tWCXMLo21dAk96ZVOk0cY13jBrgyQqUlH2lg6Kqr-OF6gJp2YXauzxyL4SeMsycy-wWelETUrDG5m4nFwUFmxKDAOx2E/s1600/cross+section+of+participants.jpg" height="199" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Participants at the PACCA-Tanzania chapter launch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other challenges identified were a general lack of adequate
coordination of the different actors working on climate change and food
security issues, lack of sharing of knowledge and information, and a general
low level of awareness of the importance of climate change across various
sectors from the policy makers to the general public. Another gap was linked to
inadequate human and financial resources put aside for climate change. The
participants also identified the root causes of these problems and made
recommendations for further action. </div>
</div>
Cath Njugunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495338510108380786noreply@blogger.com69Africa-7.3624668655357377 39.0234375-37.393182865535742 -2.2851564999999994 22.668249134464265 80.3320315tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-40624365619716613022014-07-21T09:53:00.000-07:002014-07-21T09:53:23.740-07:00IITA Cassava Weed Management Project hands over assets to Nigerian varsities, NRCRI<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The IITA-managed project Sustainable Weed Management
Technologies for Cassava Systems in Nigeria on Tuesday 15 July 2014 handed over
equipment to the University of Agriculture Makurdi to help tackle the menace of
weeds in cassava farms.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Among the equipment that were handed over to the
university were a Toyota Hilux vehicle, office equipment, a motorcycle, and 20
sprayers among others.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBQ6iNv42an3bHi6V0LY6H9u_lcPSJfulmeTKwS3insizbRzMVjW-wIIVk4FppbcV_ueTqrkkRpKjx77dm12K-erbk9TH6a4TJ4QY4JGtm8aW03Owwcoqa1X2U-oFLCRndAZVTGa9tFKb/s1600/Handover+of+equipment+(Copy).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBQ6iNv42an3bHi6V0LY6H9u_lcPSJfulmeTKwS3insizbRzMVjW-wIIVk4FppbcV_ueTqrkkRpKjx77dm12K-erbk9TH6a4TJ4QY4JGtm8aW03Owwcoqa1X2U-oFLCRndAZVTGa9tFKb/s1600/Handover+of+equipment+(Copy).JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Dr Moses Egbe of the University of Agriculture Makurdi (right) receiving the car key and other equipment from Prof Friday Ekeleme, Principal Investigator, IITA Cassava Weed Management project on Tuesday… in IITA Ibadan</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Prof Friday Ekeleme, Principal Investigator to the IITA
Cassava Weed Management Project, described the equipment as necessary tools
that would facilitate the research on weeds in cassava and called on the
university to carefully use and maintain them.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">He said IITA was glad to have the University of
Agriculture Makurdi as a partner in the project, and urged the university to
redouble efforts towards ensuring that the problem of weeds in cassava is
solved.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Responding, Dr Moses Egbe of the University of Agriculture
Makurdi pledged the commitment of the university to ensuring judicious use of
the equipment with a view to achieving the project objectives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The University of Agriculture Makurdi is the third
beneficiary of assets transfer. The other collaborating institutions that
received similar sets of equipment are the National Root Crops Research
Institute (NRCRI), Umudike; and the Federal university of Agriculture Abeokuta
(FUNAAB).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Launched early this year, the project Sustainable Weed
Management Technologies for Cassava Systems in Nigeria aims to find solutions
to the labor-intensive weeding that is usually done by women and children in
cassava farms with the goal of increasing productivity for at least 125,000
Nigerian farm families. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The project which is headed by Dr Alfred Dixon has the
potential to serve as a template for livelihood transformation in
cassava-growing areas not just in Nigeria but across Africa. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The 5-year project involves three collaborating
institutions— the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike;
University of Agriculture Makurdi, and the Federal University of Agriculture
Abeokuta. Other partners include government representatives, Agricultural Development
Programs (ADPs) in the states, international cassava scientists, the donor
community, and the private sector.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span> </div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-45468454184894664272014-06-16T01:30:00.000-07:002014-06-16T01:30:08.911-07:00African organizations unite to address the threat of a dangerous form of Fusarium wilt of banana <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-JEFewGJpT2-5rxJo6cx_ev8OvSR2c6NOWtUFGwy_XMLfCh7sNXWRxRanVuDTKwHWWpXoHSMEKB42tee3U08WZc3ITmDI4A3TDnc5We-EmiwZhYJx3N-mr8NqxBfJmtYMzgLzYxZarmh/s1600/Dr+Fen+Beed+of+IITA+and+Dennis+Ochola+of+Bioversity+at+the+Foc+TR4+afflicted+farm+in+northern+Mozambique+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9-JEFewGJpT2-5rxJo6cx_ev8OvSR2c6NOWtUFGwy_XMLfCh7sNXWRxRanVuDTKwHWWpXoHSMEKB42tee3U08WZc3ITmDI4A3TDnc5We-EmiwZhYJx3N-mr8NqxBfJmtYMzgLzYxZarmh/s1600/Dr+Fen+Beed+of+IITA+and+Dennis+Ochola+of+Bioversity+at+the+Foc+TR4+afflicted+farm+in+northern+Mozambique+(2).jpg" height="360" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">An<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>African<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>consortium of international researchers and
growers, backed by policymakers in regional blocs of <span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;">eastern and southern Africa has declared</span> “war” against <i>Fusarium
oxysporum</i> f. sp.<i> cubense </i>tropical race 4 (Foc TR4), a highly
pathogenic form of the banana Fusarium wilt, previously confined to Asia, but
recently introduced to a farm in northern Mozambique.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">FoC
TR4 (also known as Panama disease) is caused by a fungal strain that can
survive for decades in the soil, and once introduced to a country has never
been previously eradicated. Production of Cavendish types of banana which
dominate export markets, and some other local forms of banana, has been
devastated across Asia, no thanks to Foc TR4. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Its
introduction to Africa, probably by infected planting material by people, has
already had a massive impact on the commercial plantation in Mozambique, and
efforts are in place to contain the disease on this farm, to avert further
spread and to prepare other African countries against similar incursions, says
Dr Fen Beed, Plant Pathologist with the International Institute of Tropical
Agriculture (IITA). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To
manage the disease outbreak and to prepare African countries reliant on banana
for food security and income generation, a stakeholder workshop of the African
Consortium for Foc TR4 (AC4TR4) was held in Stellenbosch, South Africa, 23-24
April 2014, on the theme: Development of a Strategy to address the threat of
Foc TR4 in Africa. Representatives from the following organization took part:
Southern African Development Community (SADC), The Common Market for Eastern
and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), Association for
Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA),
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), National Plant Protection
Organizations (NPPO), IITA, Bioversity International, Stellenbosch University,
national research organizations, and commercial growers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Recommendations from the workshop have now been harmonized.
A major output has been “The Stellenbosch Declaration on addressing the threat
of <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>cubense</i> tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) to
banana production in Africa,” convened by SADC and COMESA, signed by member
states and endorsing institutions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This
unique Declaration aims to combine forces to curtail the introduction and
spread of Foc TR4 in Africa and in particular to achieve the following:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. Fully develop and implement a continental strategy under
the direction of an African Foc TR4 task force to contain the incursion of Foc
TR4 in the Nampula<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>province of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mozambique and prevent similar incursions
elsewhere. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2.
Provide and enhance technical capacity on the continent, and to implement and
monitor phytosanitary systems, including wider use of International Standards
for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) and other matters concerning plant health to
address the threat of Foc TR4 in Africa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. Report and map electronically by <span style="letter-spacing: -0.35pt;">means of a web portal any new outbreaks</span> of Foc TR4 in African
member states and communicate information on new outbreaks, successful
containment, and prevention initiatives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">4.
Establish recognition that Foc TR4 is a continental issue that requires
coordination and collaboration between<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>NPPOs, RECs, ICPs, research institutions, universities, governments, and
other relevant stakeholders throughout Africa by means of regular meetings and
consultations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">5.
Develop and apply appropriate diagnostic services, provide training, raise
awareness, monitor disease spread, and screen banana germplasm for Foc TR4
resistance for deployment by vulnerable banana growers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>upon<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>African<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>international organizations to recognize and support the activities of
AC4TR4 by investing in research, awareness programs, human capacity, and
infrastructure development on the continent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">7.
Develop a regional Pest Risk Analysis document and a set of phytosanitary
measures to be enforced by member states to prevent the introduction and spread
of Foc TR4 and other quarantine pests of banana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">8.
Encourage governments in Africa to formulate the necessary legislation and to
implement the required activities to protect the crops of vulnerable farm
owners against destructive exotic pests.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="SubstoryHead" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-width: 99%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><strong><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></strong></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For more information,
please contact: Fen Beed, </span><a href="mailto:f.beed@cgiar.org"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">f.beed@cgiar.org</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">, or Godwin Atser, </span><a href="mailto:g.atser@cgiar.org"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: blue;">g.atser@cgiar.org</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-47558658595575497762014-06-09T03:52:00.001-07:002014-06-09T04:00:43.435-07:00Impact of IITA’s maize germplasm in Africa higher than imagined<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6M4naiSrdILNsizMRLoDnyCLadcHYP6n1OXCJoVaqxCiVvsW-jxANTXEEwDNFbEUXANAqXC-2OrM6dFnwvUADIckRMZ_IA7Mic-f-DHwM6MTQnTBt798Ija1IJ5GfIPN3ExXJNiH3s9L1/s1600/DSCN2553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6M4naiSrdILNsizMRLoDnyCLadcHYP6n1OXCJoVaqxCiVvsW-jxANTXEEwDNFbEUXANAqXC-2OrM6dFnwvUADIckRMZ_IA7Mic-f-DHwM6MTQnTBt798Ija1IJ5GfIPN3ExXJNiH3s9L1/s1600/DSCN2553.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr Kim giving a lecture in IITA Ibadan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Improved maize germplasm developed by the
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and disseminated across
Africa is improving livelihoods, and the impact on the continent is greater
than earlier imagined, according to the President of the International Corn
Foundation, Dr Soon Kwon Kim.<span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
a seminar organized by IITA West Africa Hub today entitled: “Promotion of IITA
maize streak resistant (SR) varieties and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Striga</i>
tolerant or resistant (STR) varieties to ten African countries with Korean
Government Support,” Dr Kim reviewed the contribution of maize streak resistant
varieties and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Striga</i> tolerant or
resistant varieties across the continent.<span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Probably the most devastating disease that attacks maize in Africa,
maize streak virus (MSV), leads to stunting, and farmers may lose 100 percent
of the crop. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Striga</i> (a parasitic
weed), on the other hand, attacks cereals and legumes and losses are in the
neighborhood of US$8bn, endangering the livelihoods of millions of farmers in
sub-Saharan Africa. <span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr
Kim who is currently also Chair-Professor, Handong Global University, Pohang,
South Korea had worked at IITA at a time when MSV ravaged maize farms in sub
Saharan Africa (SSA), and he was part of the team that developed the maize
streak resistant varieties. The work earned IITA the first King Baudouin award.
The team also made remarkable breakthroughs in developing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Striga</i> tolerant / resistant maize varieties. <span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr
Kim noted that after the development of those varieties, IITA with funds from
the Korea International Cooperation Agency , and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of South Korea, promoted them in Bénin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte
d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo with the joint efforts of
FAO-PASCON (Pan African <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Striga</i>
Control Network) and the Semi-Arid Food Grain Research and Development
(SAFGRAD) project. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
But beyond these countries, several other
African countries have benefited from this work.<span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
For example, Dr Kim recalled that Kenya’s
maize that was ravaged by streak virus two / three years ago, recovered after
germplasm from IITA resistant to the disease was introduced. <span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
He called on IITA to do a more in-depth
study that would put into perspective the contribution of IITA improved maize
varieties across the continent.<span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr
Kim also shared some thoughts on the way forward for Africa’s agriculture,
stressing the need for sustainable intensification that would not abuse the
natural resource endowment of the continent.<span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
lauded IITA’s research approach that integrates more than one trait in the breeding
objective and also called on African governments to invest in IITA.<span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“If
we adopt and use IITA’s approach to breeding, we will solve Africa’s problems…
My suggestion has always been that IITA should be given the first consideration
when it comes to funding in Africa,” he said.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilarPFplVALXPSG3u6ccCjNjLzumZCcIexQ8y2CpSpystX8JMlSDCWa5zPdSz3HTr1XpUS6YAc66x8GL43Y6xjj_gTc_eyS4y7Vk5J0CZnl52WVtNoyofEg1wf2E6dJcb6hK_2Blk8UKYp/s1600/DSCN2561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilarPFplVALXPSG3u6ccCjNjLzumZCcIexQ8y2CpSpystX8JMlSDCWa5zPdSz3HTr1XpUS6YAc66x8GL43Y6xjj_gTc_eyS4y7Vk5J0CZnl52WVtNoyofEg1wf2E6dJcb6hK_2Blk8UKYp/s1600/DSCN2561.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr Kim (middle) with IITA scientists and members of the Maize Association of Nigeria</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr
Sam Ajala commended Dr Kim for his work in helping the maize program in Africa
in particular and global maize research in general, stressing that most of the
high yielding maize varieties grown in the continent were built on past
efforts/foundation laid by Dr Kim.<span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Though he left IITA 17 years ago, Dr Kim has
kept touch with IITA and the Nigeria’s Maize Association.<span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
President of the Maize Association of Nigeria, Pastor O.A. Adenola, praised Dr
Kim’s efforts and passion for improved livelihoods of farmers. He said the
support to research given to maize by the government was partly because of Dr
Kim’s advocacy for more attention to maize especially in Nigeria.<span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwC60tV2tFfmLbW1Nvx1Y83XIm4v67YmoCYVIGiSgzuDgQH4bHOxqGZTjvJy1wI482CznBMCABdYyAXexF8Ui_lK4wcanuyBbY7OXq4L2HYbvOEvoVcRWE0VOIWYcT_9kMWA1zQQI7-pcO/s1600/IITA+improved+maize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwC60tV2tFfmLbW1Nvx1Y83XIm4v67YmoCYVIGiSgzuDgQH4bHOxqGZTjvJy1wI482CznBMCABdYyAXexF8Ui_lK4wcanuyBbY7OXq4L2HYbvOEvoVcRWE0VOIWYcT_9kMWA1zQQI7-pcO/s1600/IITA+improved+maize.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Improved maize at IITA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-54267007533057296722014-06-05T11:05:00.000-07:002014-06-05T11:05:08.381-07:00Central Africa gets a new research facility to deal with emerging challenges in the agricultural sector<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7qryzRkNC-RJj-I32-sHI9A6MhZqykK3rM0170ffRgtUahXtIxY_4wumPysHj018R84Wwml29Dlf5AT-tI1queoKhzqWy9_NUXOIWjI4Ou9Kv49KZ1s3nSIkoAwsa2ItUlSr2jJu8sLU/s1600/bulletin+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh7qryzRkNC-RJj-I32-sHI9A6MhZqykK3rM0170ffRgtUahXtIxY_4wumPysHj018R84Wwml29Dlf5AT-tI1queoKhzqWy9_NUXOIWjI4Ou9Kv49KZ1s3nSIkoAwsa2ItUlSr2jJu8sLU/s1600/bulletin+photo.jpg" height="436" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IITA Science Building in Kalambo inaugurated today 5 June 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">...Climate change,
increasing population, and declining soil fertility are the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>key challenges in the region.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA),
an international agriculture research center, has created a research center in
Kalambo, south Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to support
agricultural development in the Central African region. IITA has been working
in DRC for the last 40 years.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The center will be launched today, 5 June<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2014, in an event that has attracted key
policymakers, representatives of the donor community, development
practitioners, researchers, and farmers from DRC and neighboring countries. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The center includes laboratories with state-of-the art<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>equipment to conduct research and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>facilities for<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>training on the processing of the region’s
staple crops, such as cassava and soybean..</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">While speaking at a press briefing yesterday evening, South
Kivu Governor Marcellin Cishambo<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>noted
that although the Central African region, including the DRC with its good
climate and abundant natural resources, had high agricultural potential, the
sector was still riddled with many challenges.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">"Agriculture is the most important sector in DRC. It
provides 42% of our GDP and employs over half of our people. However, out of
our 80 million hectares of potential agricultural land, only approximately 10%
is being used. The Government is therefore very keen to develop this sector to
diversify and catalyze the economic development of the country,” he said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Director General of IITA, Dr Nteranya Sanginga, noted
that the Central African region will become an important bread basket for the
continent<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as the population of Africa
continues to increase and land becomes scarce.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“With this new
center, together with our partners in the region, we are now better equipped to
handle the existing and the newly emerging challenges and opportunities in
agriculture through research,” Dr Sanginga said. “Research alongside education
is one of the most important investments in any country seeking socioeconomic
transformation.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He said that one of the areas where the institute was very
keen on working was that of youth unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa by
attracting them to agriculture. The institute had initiated the Youth
Agripreneurs (agricultural entrepreneurs) program in Nigeria, DRC, and
Tanzania. It<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>had over 120 young members
who had received training and were carrying out or initiating<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>various agribusiness enterprises to earn a
living.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Also speaking at the event, Dr Bernard Vanlauwe,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IITA’s Director for Central Africa, said the
region was home to one of the few remaining natural forests in Africa, the
Congo forest. However, it is rapidly shrinking as the local communities fell
the trees to expand their agricultural land to grow food and cash crops and to
provide construction material.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“We are working with farmers to increase their agriculture
production on land of the same size to reduce the destruction of forests. This
is through introducing smart farming practices— the use of high-yielding
improved varieties and better farming practices including soil fertility
management. For many years our farmers have cropped the same fields, extracting
nutrients from the soil without replenishing them because of the low use of
organic and inorganic fertilizers.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“In Eastern DRC, farmers using these smart farming practices
in the cassava-legume systems have increased cassava yields by between 30 and
160%. In Western DRC, cassava yields doubled from 12 to 25 t/ha with moderate
rates of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) fertilizer, and reached over 40
t/ha with higher rates of fertilizer application,” he said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last year, IITA launched a similar facility in Dar es
Salaam, Tanzania, for its Eastern Africa Hub and laid the foundation stone in
Lusaka, Zambia, for its facility in Southern Africa..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The construction of science and training centers in the Hubs
is in line with the institute’s new refreshed strategy and its vision of
becoming a leading research partner, facilitating solutions to the problems of
hunger and poverty in Africa.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvOtD-seYTbcF0j-MO3U42n0lDZ9XsWiTFYX7EA4dsYcr-9EIhFIuKl7iAREA0wREWDoaFKC8saaOqqZUZ0ScMS-fwadIA-p08LlVKjJEAhdvTqJRnnzsW9GnPwD_rC4RlZJeGBMIxayg/s1600/Sud+Kivu+governor+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvOtD-seYTbcF0j-MO3U42n0lDZ9XsWiTFYX7EA4dsYcr-9EIhFIuKl7iAREA0wREWDoaFKC8saaOqqZUZ0ScMS-fwadIA-p08LlVKjJEAhdvTqJRnnzsW9GnPwD_rC4RlZJeGBMIxayg/s1600/Sud+Kivu+governor+(2).jpg" height="318" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">South Kivu Governor Marcellin Cishambo speaking at the inauguration of the facility</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">For more information,
please contact: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">IITA: Andrea Gros, </span><a href="mailto:a.gros@cgiar.org"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: blue;">a.gros@cgiar.org</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;">For photos and updates on
the event: </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/IITA-Kalambo/1425577057709214?fref=ts"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: blue;">https://www.facebook.com/pages/IITA-Kalambo/1425577057709214?fref=ts</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-24696092617985488632014-06-05T03:52:00.002-07:002014-06-05T03:52:19.599-07:00Nigeria joins forces with IITA to fight youth unemployment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7W_EGfNYJxTF9yO6eOpeDqHhfJGrn6eOPaFcZ5ah0ZqDS37cySZzQhHUNkWWy72dR8J4V2tDs9mJLu4hDSavTeCC85VQi3ozpeSuW2ch200MNTGmQ4NF3jNKUtENh5qwPD524PWwAfcJ5/s1600/DSC_3571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7W_EGfNYJxTF9yO6eOpeDqHhfJGrn6eOPaFcZ5ah0ZqDS37cySZzQhHUNkWWy72dR8J4V2tDs9mJLu4hDSavTeCC85VQi3ozpeSuW2ch200MNTGmQ4NF3jNKUtENh5qwPD524PWwAfcJ5/s1600/DSC_3571.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina (in bow tie) with IITA Youth Agripreneurs in IITA Ibadan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Nigeria is supporting the
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Youth Agripreneur
program with a commitment of US$500,000 as part of efforts to tackle
unemployment through the engagement of youth in agriculture.<br />
The funds will go into training and capacity building of youth and will create
the next generation of young farmers in the country.<br />
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi
Adesina, declared Nigeria’s commitment at the just concluded workshop on <em>Engagement
of Youth Entrepreneurship for Agricultural Transformation in Africa</em> held recently
at IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria.<br />
Initiated two years ago, the IITA Youth Agripreneur program builds
the capacity of youth and exposes them to the numerous untapped opportunities
in agriculture and, more importantly, changes the negative perception that
young men and women hold when it comes to agriculture. The program has
currently engaged 31 Nigerian youths from different backgrounds with the
possibility of expanding in the years ahead.<br />
Dr Adesina gave kudos to IITA for developing the program, and the
milestones recorded by the youth so far in cultivation and dissemination of
improved planting materials. He noted that the program was in line with the
Nigerian Government’s transformation agenda which is also creating job
opportunities for youths.<br />
IITA Director General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga commended Nigeria for
supporting the initiative and described youth unemployment in Africa as “a time
bomb” if authorities failed to act quickly to harness their potential.<br />
Like many other countries, Nigeria is facing serious unemployment
challenges as a result of the increase in population; and the growing number of
students/ candidates into tertiary institutions over the years that results in
more graduates than available jobs further complicates the situation. The state
of affairs is a serious challenge for every successive government that has
ruled the nation since 1990 with unemployment rising to 24 percent in 2011.<br />
Nigeria’s government alone cannot provide the needed jobs.
However, agriculture is seen as a key sector that could help absorb the
increasing number of youths in the labor market.<br />
Researchers say to get the youths involved in agriculture, agriculture itself
must be attractive.<br />
Dr Bashir Jama, Director of Soil Health Program with the Alliance
for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) said to make agriculture attractive
would involve narrowing yield gaps and adoption of improved technologies to
increase agricultural productivity.<br />
“Equally important is the need to diversify production systems
that minimize risks and generate attractive incomes, enhancement and
integration of livestock and nutrients recycling, and reduction of postharvest
losses,” he explained.<br />
The <em>Engagement of Youth Entrepreneurship for Agricultural
Transformation in Africa</em> workshop which was organized by IITA was
supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Support for
Agricultural Research and Development of Strategic Crops (SARD-SC) project, the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and AGRA.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXG758VcHFGyZo1t9FmkekbVeaKAWLXwbuaj-yYdmH9FhkDenHRq9MBKFoGsCyKE4jCnEAaIG-yVlkQHnY48dNKITLCgQ-A5VCulY8Tz6x5UBwl1w8uq_Prk22-lOwGUW1vTH18SgUPIVp/s1600/DSC_0516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXG758VcHFGyZo1t9FmkekbVeaKAWLXwbuaj-yYdmH9FhkDenHRq9MBKFoGsCyKE4jCnEAaIG-yVlkQHnY48dNKITLCgQ-A5VCulY8Tz6x5UBwl1w8uq_Prk22-lOwGUW1vTH18SgUPIVp/s1600/DSC_0516.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R: Dr Adesina and IITA Director General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga in IITA Ibadan during the youth workshop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-48675127385233373262014-06-05T01:48:00.005-07:002014-06-05T01:48:51.671-07:00African countries back IITA Youth Agripreneur initiative to end unemployment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5x3jOs90Nu8drNBZCPOsDSDmYQcrFMY-e-YtM82jNa4xGKLOA7EYU6LAnZ-t0OlOgn_QBxJrPKEIrybGpcS_IgWY8zmk2FEp14Vy794ykxb1tdOOikyE51vpW-soimK5gjhMyoRfC_Qhn/s1600/group2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5x3jOs90Nu8drNBZCPOsDSDmYQcrFMY-e-YtM82jNa4xGKLOA7EYU6LAnZ-t0OlOgn_QBxJrPKEIrybGpcS_IgWY8zmk2FEp14Vy794ykxb1tdOOikyE51vpW-soimK5gjhMyoRfC_Qhn/s1600/group2.jpg" height="178" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Policymakers, donors and youths at the Youth Workshop in IITA Ibadan </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3" class="MsoNormalTable" style="background: white; mso-cellspacing: 2.2pt; mso-padding-alt: 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 80%px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 3.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">About 20
African countries have thrown their weight behind the IITA Youth Agripreneur
(IYA) initiative—a pilot scheme that is engaging youths in agriculture with
clear signals of ending youth unemployment in the continent. The initiative
has also been endorsed by the IITA Board of Trustees, according to Dr Namanga
Ngongi, IITA Board member.<br />
IYA changes the mindset of young people towards agriculture and
equips them with various opportunities in the production and marketing of
agricultural products, cutting across value chains such as cassava,
banana/plantain, soybean, maize, vegetables, livestock, and fish production.<br />
The countries supported the IYA initiative in a communiqué at
the end of a conceptualization workshop on Engagement of Youth
Entrepreneurship for Agricultural Transformation in Africa that was held at
IITA in Ibadan, Nigeria, from 28 to 30 May 2014.<br />
About 200 participants reviewed the current unemployment
situation in the continent, and noted that youth unemployment and
underemployment are high, with over 70% of the population between 15 and 24
years in many countries under-/unemployed, if not outright unemployed. <br />
The countries noted that the present situation threatens not
only food security but also the national security of all African countries,
and may compromise the attainment of the targets set under the Comprehensive Africa
Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) and the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs).<o:p></o:p></span>
</span><ul type="disc"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recognizing
that agriculture can drive development and has the potential to create
millions of decent jobs for Africa’s male and female youth in the
provision of products and services such as seed and input supply, crop
aggregation and marketing, postharvest handling, processing and storage,
and other value-addition activities. <o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recognizing
that the youth population in Africa could play a pivotal role in the
dissemination of improved technologies and innovations to farmers which
have the capacity of closing yield gaps and enhancing productivity in
the continent. <o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recognizing
that the youth can advance agribusiness development in Africa with
adequate support services, the countries with development partners
proposed a multinational youth-in-agriculture/agribusiness program
drawing on the IITA Youth Agripreneur model and other proven models that
would focus on youth empowerment in agribusinesses and related
enterprises across Africa. <o:p></o:p></span></span></li>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
proposal has, in principle, been endorsed by donors, led by the African
Development Bank. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
countries commended the African Development Bank, the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and
the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa for supporting agricultural
development initiatives in Africa, and IITA for hosting the conception
workshop.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-32429668375828916962014-06-05T01:39:00.002-07:002014-06-05T01:39:40.206-07:00Involving youths in agriculture offers sure path to sustainable development <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a keynote address, Dr Namanga Ngongi, IITA Board member
said tapping into the entrepreneurial spirit of Africa’s young men and women
was a sure way to move the development agenda of Africa forward in a
sustainable manner.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAGAy2jsiAc2L_PEG_Gvxc4AZwoTugvt4ksPY0aDWmfdJSiwatUVpBE4z4FvzmEgVrWTTX6ubvkpD0im0gYKr-yGnyiAYpm2TlSXdYXe3DwI4IPIOgwAHtokH6-VJxGa0iB8enQYxBJMm/s1600/iita+engagement+e,+left+iita+board,.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUAGAy2jsiAc2L_PEG_Gvxc4AZwoTugvt4ksPY0aDWmfdJSiwatUVpBE4z4FvzmEgVrWTTX6ubvkpD0im0gYKr-yGnyiAYpm2TlSXdYXe3DwI4IPIOgwAHtokH6-VJxGa0iB8enQYxBJMm/s1600/iita+engagement+e,+left+iita+board,.jpg" height="190" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R: Drs Ngongi, Ojukwu, Akinwumi Adesina(Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture), and Dr Nteranya Sanginga at the Youth Workshop in IITA Ibadan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dr Ngongi spoke at
the just concluded workshop on Engagement of Youth Entrepreneurship for
Agricultural Transformation in Africa held from 28 to30 May at IITA, Ibadan,
Nigeria.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Painting a picture
of the current situation in Africa, Dr Ngongi noted that in spite of the
natural resources that favor agricultural production, the continent’s 25
percent population still goes to bed hungry and that malnutrition was still
widespread despite continental efforts to change Africa’s agricultural
narrative.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He proposed the
adoption of a transformative agenda, one that would convert African agriculture
into a vibrant and economically viable and sustainable business sector that is
attractive to the youth. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For this to happen,
Dr Ngongi said appropriate tools and machines that would ease the tedium of
agricultural work and make the sector attractive to youths and less exacting on
women were desperately needed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">According to him, it is not enough to make pious
declarations that accord priority to agriculture. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">“The declarations should be backed by concrete policies and
programs that will lead to transformation of the sector at scale,” he said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The IITA BoT member said African agriculture needed a new
group of actors, persons who see opportunities and take action including risks,
to turn opportunities into profitable ventures. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“These are the
entrepreneurs and in the agriculture sector, agro-entrepreneurs. This group of
actors, young for the most part, will be needed to provide services to the
agriculture sector throughout the value chain, from the provision of improved
seeds and other planting materials to land preparation; from planting to
harvesting; from storage to processing and transformation of raw agricultural
commodities to finished food and industrial products,” he explained.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He noted that though the agro-entrepreneurs do have the
interest and the will to take risks, most often they lack the business skills
to manage an enterprise profitably. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“They do not
normally have the opportunity to test a business idea before taking it to the market
place as few countries have any functioning start-up or risk sharing programs.
Young people in particular are disadvantaged as they do not have access to even
a minimum of capital,” he stressed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr Chiji Ojukwu,
Director, Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department, African Development Bank
reechoed that exploiting opportunities to enlist and hold the interest of the
African youth and women in agriculture was crucial if African countries were to
meet the growth and poverty reduction targets under the Comprehensive Africa
Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) and the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said the Bank
was pleased with the successful multiplication and dissemination of improved
crop varieties by the IITA Agripreneurs under the SARD-SC project.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dr Ojukwu shared
the Bank’s experience which showed that youths were willing to go for modern
agriculture and agribusiness that are supported with the necessary services
including science and technology, finance, and real time market information
among others.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Finally, he reiterated the Bank’s commitment to supporting
agriculture with the view to achieving inclusive growth in the continent.</span><br />
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-71476637835882435922014-05-20T15:05:00.000-07:002014-05-20T15:05:29.999-07:00Experts meet in Abuja to tackle Striga<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R-nkuuCbPRADxeJWtoAvzLXO8rmTyl3MCZ65zJG0qYtM3PekRQ2RKpVI5iG-zY68daGUuZBgnOMBLy3-DMUFbJL5bEhCQtA7cJRPJ4sPyIbjWUjgkpEepf5Cxu8dYTl6Uw4ox747SpEL/s1600/striga222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5R-nkuuCbPRADxeJWtoAvzLXO8rmTyl3MCZ65zJG0qYtM3PekRQ2RKpVI5iG-zY68daGUuZBgnOMBLy3-DMUFbJL5bEhCQtA7cJRPJ4sPyIbjWUjgkpEepf5Cxu8dYTl6Uw4ox747SpEL/s1600/striga222.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maize farm devastated by <em>Striga</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Researchers
and partners working under the <i>Integrated </i>Striga<i> Management in Africa</i>
(ISMA) project will converge on Hotel De Bently, Abuja, 21-23 May 2014 to
review milestones reached and discuss strategies for moving forward in the
battle against parasitic<span style="color: black;"> weed</span> <i>Striga</i>.
This weed attacks cereals and legumes and losses are in the neighborhood of
$8bn, endangering the livelihoods of millions of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.
<br />
The <span style="color: black;">work planning </span>meeting will evaluate the <span style="color: black;">successes, challenges and opportunities</span> of the ISMA
project, identify gaps and plan how to <span style="color: black;">implement the
decisions so as to successfully scale out the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Striga </i>management technologies to rural farmers in the next coming
year. </span>Over <span style="color: black;">7</span>0 participants are
expected at this gathering and will include scientists from the International
Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), CIMMYT, <i>icipe,</i> and other
research institutes, project leaders from across Africa<span style="color: black;">
and beyond</span>, partners in the public and private sectors, as well as
farmers of cereal and legume crops. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">ISMA
Project Manager, Dr Mel Oluoch said the meeting would promote stronger linkages
between project partners.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">For
media enquiries, contact: Ada Umeokoro, </span><a href="mailto:a.umeokor@cgiar.org"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue;">a.umeokor@cgiar.org</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">; Kathy Lopez, </span><a href="mailto:k.lopez@cgiar.org"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue;">k.lopez@cgiar.org</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">; or Godwin
Atser, </span><a href="mailto:g.atser@cgiar.org"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue;">g.atser@cgiar.org</span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-28099385486503304732014-04-19T05:01:00.000-07:002014-04-22T06:23:39.281-07:00Africa RISING establishes a partnership platform for adoption of innovations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxRRczk_VM0_7XqMaNALjEvG7KhYZsSlU3YDWsfhI7Kt8OnwVL41QLkiqvlUWLZyb6rP_F17o4ACULonERlAQiGdVbDGgZX9w7UJ1IqK1mcoBQMy7ShuGeUdKadkSZU99PbIueSB8qxI5/s1600/Africa-RISING-beneficiariy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkxRRczk_VM0_7XqMaNALjEvG7KhYZsSlU3YDWsfhI7Kt8OnwVL41QLkiqvlUWLZyb6rP_F17o4ACULonERlAQiGdVbDGgZX9w7UJ1IqK1mcoBQMy7ShuGeUdKadkSZU99PbIueSB8qxI5/s1600/Africa-RISING-beneficiariy1.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Africa RISING works with farmers in testing technology packages on sustainable intensification.</td></tr>
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<i>Project partners and the Babati District Council have launched the Babati District research-for-development (R4D) platform in Tanzania to support the uptake of the project’s innovations, help research priority setting, and ensure the sustainability of the project. </i><br />
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About 60 farmers, local and regional government officials, national and international research institutions, extension workers, nongovernmental organizations, private sector representatives, and policymakers met for two days last week to launch an R4D platform in Babati, Tanzania. Each group selected two members to represent them on the R4D Platform Management Committee. The Babati District in North Eastern Tanzania is one of the intervention areas of the IITA-led Africa RISING project.<br />
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The Manyara Regional Commissioner, Hon. Erastus Mbwilo, officially opened the launch event, assuring the project of his support as its aim of improving the livelihoods of small-holder farmers in the region was well in line with the government’s development goals. <br />
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He was particularly happy to note that the Africa RISING project was working to improve the productivity of both crops and livestock through modern farming methods.<br />
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“Livestock is very important for our farmers in Babati. There are over 1.4 million heads of cattle in the district without counting the goats, the donkeys, and the chickens. Unfortunately, many development partners often neglect livestock and focus on crops only. Therefore, the livestock sector faces many challenges including pests and diseases, poor breeds, lack of feed and overstocking, and the farmers are not able to maximize on their livestock to increase their income,” he said. “If these challenges are tackled through these research efforts, then, the project will surely make a difference in improving the livelihoods of the farmers in Babati.”<br />
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He further lauded the Africa RISING approach of conducting research together with the farmers through demonstration plots which he said will ensure that the new technologies developed get to the farmers. He urged for the research findings to be scaled up and out beyond Babati District to include the whole of Manyara Region. <br />
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Also speaking during the official opening of the workshop, Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon, Africa RISING Program Coordinator, said the R4D platform was very important in ensuring the sustainability of the project’s impacts. She noted that the platform will help solve some of the constraints that limit the uptake and adoption of new technologies by farmers and which are beyond the project scope.<br />
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“Africa RISING alone is not able to tackle all the challenges faced by farmers in their livestock and crop production, hence, the need for an R4D platform. Furthermore, significant change in farm productivity will not happen through a few individual farmers who will adopt the technologies developed. Rather, it will depend on the simultaneous changes in all interdependent stakeholders including farmers, extension agents, research institutions, policymakers, finance institutions, market agents, and representative of different local and regional authorities among others,” she said.</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-42667761034129711292014-04-17T04:45:00.000-07:002014-04-22T06:24:04.220-07:00Of “super” farmers and integrated farming systems<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki2jeRMvziXu8bUAQzgJ1AXQuK0MYJ3VJmbCUXIosIrEWhN9OYj1hUWn2kHxraAC2f0oktKI6GiCM64bwApZKCKtuzWyRZpwvHqfvN-1IixLMXNORarzKHM_9IeevRHMfq3Ug8HyNTwbh/s1600/Africa-RISING-beneficiari2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki2jeRMvziXu8bUAQzgJ1AXQuK0MYJ3VJmbCUXIosIrEWhN9OYj1hUWn2kHxraAC2f0oktKI6GiCM64bwApZKCKtuzWyRZpwvHqfvN-1IixLMXNORarzKHM_9IeevRHMfq3Ug8HyNTwbh/s1600/Africa-RISING-beneficiari2.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption">“Super” farmer Andrea Mayi shows visitors his farm where he had applied some of the technologies from Africa RISING.</td></tr>
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<i>In far-flung Seloto Village, Babati district, Manyara Region, Northern Tanzania, a trail-blazing farmer participating in the Africa RISING project shows researchers how farming system integration works.</i></div>
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Farmer Andrea Mayi, 58, is successfully integrating crop, livestock, and tree farming in his 4.2-hectare farm consisting of 1.2 hectare each of crops and livestock farming systems, and a tree farm.<br />
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Andrea, who is also a village leader, is one of the early farmer-adopters of innovations introduced through the Africa RISING project. In a visit by the USAID and Africa RISING teams to research project sites in Babati and Kongwa districts, Tanzania, last March, Africa RISING researchers showcased ongoing research in the different work packages with selected farmers in several project intervention villages.<br />
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Farmer Andrea practices a mixed intensive farming system that shows how to optimally merge crop growing and livestock production with tree farming. Every inch of his farm is used to the optimum, with an area planted to crops that include maize and legumes, and trees; a space for raising pigs, goats, cattle, and chicken; and a tree farm that grows fuel and fodder wood species. From the animal manure he makes biogas that supplies energy for home cooking. Crop residues are fed to the livestock or composted to be added to the soil. Andrea’s farm is one of 12 farmer trial sites in the two regions in Tanzania visited by the team.<br />
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The USAID team included Jerry Glover, Senior Sustainable Agricultural Systems Advisor, Office of Agriculture, Research & Policy, Bureau for Food Security; Laura Schreeg, Science and Technology Policy Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/USAID; and Elizabeth Maeda, Research and Production Advisor at USAID, Tanzania. <br />
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The Africa RISING team was led by Irmgard Hoeschle-Zeledon, Coordinator of the West Africa and East and Southern Africa (ESA) components of the project, and Mateete Bekunda, Chief Scientist of ESA. IITA DDG for Research, Ylva Hillbur, also joined the visit to the Babati and Kongwa project sites. <br />
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Farmers with scientists and researchers from IITA, other CGIAR centers, and partner organizations leading and working on the various work packages were on hand to talk about their experiences and trial results.<br />
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The visit provided the team an opportunity to interact with other farmers’ groups in the project sites in Seloto and Long Villages in Babati, and Chitego, Kibaigwa, and Laikala in Kongwa, and to see what was happening in farmer-installed and managed trials, and how the project is impacting farmers in the project sites. <br />
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In one village visited, the women welcomed the team with a song in the local language praising the project and describing the benefits of participating in project activities. Farms visited showcased work being undertaken on Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease, postharvest handling and mycotoxin management, crop management efficiency, traditional postharvest storage system, climbing beans, fodders and feeds, maize-legume intercropping, vegetable and maize, pigeon pea, and livestock and water management.<br />
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The Africa RISING project in Tanzania builds upon results of implementing the 2012-13 research plan. Africa RISING promotes an integrated approach that is based on technological innovations addressing context-specific improvements. The earlier work packages conducted discipline-specific baseline studies to understand major constraints to improved livelihoods and identify opportunities for targeting research options. <br />
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Several innovations of inputs at the level of crops, livestock, and farm technologies were tested or initiated, mainly as potential components of integration during subsequent studies. According to Mateete Bekunda, lessons from these earlier studies showed the need to integrate tested innovations and led to the redesigning of work packages. <br />
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The new work packages now address crop management efficiency, livestock and watershed/landscape management, prevention of mycotoxin contamination along food and feed value chains for maize, improved postharvest handling, and human dietary diversification through integration of vegetables into cereal-based systems. New work packages are being included to address the maize lethal necrosis disease outbreak, integrated management of the most common livestock (poultry) in the farming systems, connecting farmers to external markets, and introducing innovations related to institutional arrangements (R4D platforms).<br />
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After the visit, Jerry Glover said: “I am very happy to be involved in Africa RISING as the voice of USAID, and excited about the multidisciplinary systems approach of doing research evolving from this project—we need a new model for agricultural science and development, and Africa RISING can be that model.”<br />
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However, he also said that if the project wants to come up with a coherent program, “we need to address the issue of data management; we cannot leave the individual scientists to curate, aggregate, and manage their own data. We will develop a way to curate data so the information is accessible, managed, stored, and archived for future use.”</div>
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Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-71829355216390962952014-02-21T04:42:00.000-08:002014-02-21T04:44:34.070-08:00Project boosting legume production to improve soil fertility, N2Africa, launched in Tanzania<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><a href="http://www.n2africa.org/">N2Africa</a> is seeking to increase the production of legumes such as cowpea, common beans, groundnuts and soybean, among small-holder farmers, due to their ability to enrich soils with Nitrogen and for their nutritive and commercial value. </i></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmR56wNDslOm3JVHFSbASHhZGjihbh3tAIr9-egIH40ytBWcexvLcxSmqzwQ5nJ0_FkqPYtv5zJvLJ-7-UtcQ1O42lDwAZrFEPq4f9LhJs3-eK99531C3D5nAGIMwbPP2fKFnMjpJ_KY4/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmR56wNDslOm3JVHFSbASHhZGjihbh3tAIr9-egIH40ytBWcexvLcxSmqzwQ5nJ0_FkqPYtv5zJvLJ-7-UtcQ1O42lDwAZrFEPq4f9LhJs3-eK99531C3D5nAGIMwbPP2fKFnMjpJ_KY4/s1600/Picture1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="direction: ltr; language: en-US; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; mso-line-break-override: none; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-align: left; unicode-bidi: embed; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">Trials
on the use </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">of
fertilizer </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">to
boost </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">yield of climbing </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">beans in </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">Butere</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">, Western </span><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">Kenya
as part of </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; language: en-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-color-index: 1; mso-fareast-font-family: +mn-ea; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-font-kerning: 12.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: black; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-style-textfill-type: solid;">N2Africa Phase one activities.</span></div>
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The Putting Nitrogen Fixation to Work in Africa (N2Africa) project
which aims at encouraging smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa to grow
legumes due to their ability to fix nitrogen from the air into the soils thus
improving soil fertility, and for their nutrition and commercial value, has launched
its activities in Tanzania. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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N2Africa was officially launched by the Director for
Research and Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Fildelis Myaka on
behalf of the Permanent Secretary Ms Sophia Kaduna at the start of a two-day project
planning workshop, from 19 – 20 February in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. </div>
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It was hosted by the International Institute
of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) ―one of the project’s implementing partners. </div>
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Speaking at the event, Dr Myaka lauded the project for singling
out legumes. He said despite their obvious benefit to the country’s food
security, employment, and even contribution to GDP, their productivity was low
and yields were far below their potential. </div>
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<b>Expanding area under legume production and increasing yield</b></div>
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Dr Fidelis Myaka, Director for Research and Development </div>
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He attributed the low yield to inadequate application of
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factors. He was therefore pleased to note that N2Africa was working to expand
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“The application of scientific knowledge, especially by
smallholder farmers, has always been constrained by poor targeting of the
technologies to the diversity of farmers and farming conditions, poor packaging
of technologies, and issues relating to input supply and output market. I am
aware that N2Africa’s approach puts into consideration all these factors through
farming systems analysis to target technologies to the farming conditions of
smallholder farmers and through a value chain approach,” he added. </div>
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<![endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Development for Research
model</b>
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Other speakers at the forum included the Director of the
Project, <a href="http://www.n2africa.org/list_user_profile/Ken%20Giller">Prof. Dr Ken Giller</a> from Wagenigen University who gave an overview of the
project. Dr Giller said the aim of the project entitled ”Putting Nitrogen
Fixation to Work in Africa” aims at increasing the land area cropped with
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhViGoU2wH0GoV22n-_rpCNXUz6A8sGY3_pAisBk3TObZ2M23x1V5CwZCgiDBkRAY4cXwMwPHegP2VJtRjIU0i2pjMcbR4VsoytgY8JDD5CPNVn960Rga2KDEhYkbBWd5d1o5i7RAiubAc/s1600/Giller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhViGoU2wH0GoV22n-_rpCNXUz6A8sGY3_pAisBk3TObZ2M23x1V5CwZCgiDBkRAY4cXwMwPHegP2VJtRjIU0i2pjMcbR4VsoytgY8JDD5CPNVn960Rga2KDEhYkbBWd5d1o5i7RAiubAc/s1600/Giller.jpg" height="189" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prof Ken Giller gives an over view of the project.</td></tr>
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He said the project was following a Development-for-Research
model and was disseminating the already available technologies for legume
production such as improved varieties, and use of innoculants. The research would
now focus on the challenges farmers were facing in adopting and adapting these
technologies in their farming systems. </div>
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Dr Bernard Vanlauwe, IITA’s Director for Central Africa,
also at the event, conveyed greetings from IITA’s Director General, Dr Nteranya
Sanginga. Dr Vanlauwe noted the initiative was important to IITA as part of its
Natural Resource Management activities.</div>
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<br /></div>
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According to Dr Fredrick Baijukya, N2Africa team leader
in Tanzania, said the project will be implemented in the Southern, Eastern and
Northern parts of the country in Iringa, Ruvuma, Njombe, Lindi, Mtwara, Arusha, Kilimanjaro,
Shinyanga and Dodoma regions. It will focus on cowpea, common bean, groundnuts and soybean which are amongst the most important legumes in the country.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The project launch brought together a wide diversity of
stakeholders from those in legume <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">production, input development, and supplies
including seeds and fertilizers, processing, marketing, and regulatory bodies
to policy makers.</span></div>
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The project which is now in its second phase is funded by the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and led by Wagenigen University. Phase one of
the project initiated in 2009 was implemented in DR Congo, Ghana, Kenya,
Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe. The second phase
started in January 2014 and will focus on five core countries: Ethiopia, Ghana,
Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda but will maintain activities in the other
countries under Phase 1. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabI0KbN6cKaOQ8wNUnqTFfpvMMpWNtudy-5JmGsE0b8f7H1YPCI7cTUTh4aXFogOKdMIgi64vDFGxBzcjW_akLaSAwyx966lhiif-FQ8yfv5JPj6HK1t9e5yu5qgn3qmZAnVp6FbaVJ4/s1600/N2Africa+sites+in+Tanzania.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjabI0KbN6cKaOQ8wNUnqTFfpvMMpWNtudy-5JmGsE0b8f7H1YPCI7cTUTh4aXFogOKdMIgi64vDFGxBzcjW_akLaSAwyx966lhiif-FQ8yfv5JPj6HK1t9e5yu5qgn3qmZAnVp6FbaVJ4/s1600/N2Africa+sites+in+Tanzania.png" height="320" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">N2 Africa target areas for Tanzania</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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Implementing partners are IITA, the International Livestock
Research Institute (ILRI), and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
(AGRA). They will collaborate with the National Agriculture Research Systems
and local and international NGOs. </div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<br />
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Cath Njugunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15495338510108380786noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-67749963577350340982014-02-03T07:12:00.000-08:002014-02-03T07:12:06.667-08:00COMPRO-II project team meets to plot for year 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2CujusyLHpJexcqGLxpleM0ftTRokGq_tX2nkSh4e9Nu5l0JjUsBndW7cAnWf_Etqt7rgwO_We1QAI-iK-I2xHKhVGMwBhjIvN20UdeaKt9jptxvncRWexVzGBxmaVemNyPh_5xLdT0T/s1600/Researcher-in-cowpea-field-IMGP1383_opt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2CujusyLHpJexcqGLxpleM0ftTRokGq_tX2nkSh4e9Nu5l0JjUsBndW7cAnWf_Etqt7rgwO_We1QAI-iK-I2xHKhVGMwBhjIvN20UdeaKt9jptxvncRWexVzGBxmaVemNyPh_5xLdT0T/s1600/Researcher-in-cowpea-field-IMGP1383_opt.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT;">Farmer
in a cowpea field</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)
of COMPRO-II, an IITA-led project that assesses the quality and effectiveness
of commercial products in the marketplace that claim to increase crop yields,
held its<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Planning Meeting on 21–23
January at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Kumasi, Ghana. It was hosted by one of the
project partners, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)</span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
<o:p><br />
</o:p></span><div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The purpose of the meeting was to discuss
progress made so far and the challenges faced and come up with strategies to
address these in the third year of implementation. The meeting brought together
35 participants from the project team and key partners from the six
participating countries including objective leaders, country representatives,
and representatives from regulatory agencies. Also at the meeting, was Dr Vasey
Mwaja, the new Program Officer in charge of the project from the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr Mwaja expressed his appreciation for the
commitment shown by the project team. He further urged the team to ensure that
by the end of the meeting they would have developed a clear action plan which
would steer the project over the next 3 years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">During the meeting, PhD students supported by the project
presented their proposals for feedback from the SAC members The SAC members
also committed to be actively involved in supervising the PhD students as well
as providing scientific advice and support to the team. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On the last day of the meeting, the participants visited
KNUST facilities after which they were graciously hosted to a dinner by the
Vice Chancellor of KNUST, Professor William Otoo Ellis. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">During the meeting the team shares the lessons learned and
came up with clear strategies to steer the project forward including the
necessary adjustment to selected milestones. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In his concluding remarks, Dr Mwaja noted that progress
made by the project was evident and the key to this was the active involvement
of partners from regulatory agencies. “Always ask yourselves how you will have
contributed to the success of this initiative which is making a difference in
the lives of the smallholder farmers”, he concluded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%;">COMPRO-II, funded by the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation, is being implemented in six countries: Ethiopia,
Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-84068815408195668812014-02-03T07:04:00.003-08:002014-02-03T07:04:58.537-08:00Agricultural transformation in Africa now in sight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBsIaYsycOgEbRcyzRLE5N3lNZezlfwiSDhZ6jwDEeoQx0twYMVTmRi0T5dMBuXY5HTbEgpq4PGLCWMY7Vi-B25XwOktxsYYdMeAfZ-QLEerIAbH41_6XjCARVredAprVp1KJTVOjp1Ll/s1600/DSC_2160-Ghaniain-Consul-General-with-IITA_opt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTBsIaYsycOgEbRcyzRLE5N3lNZezlfwiSDhZ6jwDEeoQx0twYMVTmRi0T5dMBuXY5HTbEgpq4PGLCWMY7Vi-B25XwOktxsYYdMeAfZ-QLEerIAbH41_6XjCARVredAprVp1KJTVOjp1Ll/s1600/DSC_2160-Ghaniain-Consul-General-with-IITA_opt.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT;">Ghanaian
Consul General with IITA officials</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ghanaian Consul-General Alhaji Abdulai
Abukari, who paid a courtesy visit to IITA, says research outputs and
innovations at the Institute are signs that agricultural transformation in
Africa is no longer a distant reality.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Since 1967, IITA has been working with national and
international partners to develop agricultural innovations including
high-yielding crop varieties that are addressing the issue of yield gaps on the
continent and putting money into farmers’ pockets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“I am impressed and Africa is lucky to have an institution
like IITA. I also see that your research is relevant and is addressing the
challenges facing farmers. I see Africa feeding itself in the near future,” Mr
Abukari said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Ghanaian envoy who was received by IITA
Management—Acting Director General Kenton Dashiell; Deputy Director General
(Corporate Services) Kwame Akuffo-Akoto; Humidtropics Director Kwesi Atta-Krah;
and Director for Western Africa, Robert Asiedu—visited the Genetic Resources
Center, Crop Utilization Unit, Postharvest Unit, Business Incubation Platform,
yam aeroponics facility, the IITA Youth Agripreneurs office, and also made a
tour of the 1,000-hectare campus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Easy-to-make machines that reduce drudgery in cassava
processing by women and children, food-safety strategies to tackle aflatoxins,
conservation of Africa’s key staples, and the aggressive focus on capacity
development and youth were areas that struck a chord with Mr Abukari. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While thanking IITA staff for their dedication to their
work, Mr Abukari urged IITA to partner more with his government and pay closer
attention to the issues around policies, markets, and institutions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He commended IITA for its focus on smallholder farmers,
stressing that more than 70 percent of those involved in agriculture in Africa
operate on a small scale and that interventions targeting them would have
positive benefits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dr Robert Asiedu gave an overview of IITA activities in
West Africa, highlighting that the Institute has had good relationships with
partners and institutions in Ghana.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; letter-spacing: 0.05pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mr Abukari also had discussions with
DDG Akuffo-Akoto on areas that would facilitate an increased presence of IITA
in Ghana.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-32563055108290602392014-02-03T07:01:00.000-08:002014-02-03T07:01:41.478-08:00N2Africa Phase II in Uganda launched<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8uolErUfwIynkXX46_wwcSyS4icyzZC9UW_qDsIk0lkowC5qp3-VwgdcxfOWNricEgwfrF0KLXS1WtfqiKMEJU9DbCpyY4M6KRCTgzeQh-C1iEcQqh3D5dcp9EMHY8RuEkvbb3IoRwg_/s1600/IMG_3969-2-Stephen-Byantwale,-an-assistant-commissioner-at-the-Uganda's-Ministry-of-Agriculture-giving-the-opening_opt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU8uolErUfwIynkXX46_wwcSyS4icyzZC9UW_qDsIk0lkowC5qp3-VwgdcxfOWNricEgwfrF0KLXS1WtfqiKMEJU9DbCpyY4M6KRCTgzeQh-C1iEcQqh3D5dcp9EMHY8RuEkvbb3IoRwg_/s1600/IMG_3969-2-Stephen-Byantwale,-an-assistant-commissioner-at-the-Uganda's-Ministry-of-Agriculture-giving-the-opening_opt.jpg" height="257" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Stephen Byantwale, an assistant commissioner at the
Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-size: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">giving the opening remarks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The second phase of the N2Africa project in Uganda was
launched at a two-day workshop held in Kamapal 16-17 January. The project
partners came together to develop an action plan for the first year. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The main aim of the project, funded by
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is to increase biological nitrogen
fixation and productivity of grain legumes among African smallholder farmers,
contributing to enhanced soil fertility, improved household nutrition, and
increased cash income. In addition to Uganda, phase 2 of the project is also
being implemented in Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Tanzania.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">N2Africa focuses on cowpea, groundnut, and soybean in Ghana
and Nigeria, on common bean, cowpea, groundnut, and soybean in Tanzania and
Uganda, and on common bean, soybean, chickpea, and faba bean in Ethiopia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Speaking at the event, Bernard Vanlauwe, IITA Director for
Central Africa and who is also leading the project from IITA’s side, said
N2Africa stresses the importance of soil science in agriculture: “This project
is the biggest in the IITA soil department, and we need to deliver as the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation has given us their trust.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 92%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The project is led by a consortium of
institutions: Wageningen University (WUR), the International Livestock Research
Institute (ILRI), the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), and
IITA, which will oversee project implementation and ensure consistency in terms
of research and dissemination approaches, research-to-development learning
loops, and capacity building.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 96%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The project brings together diverse local partners and
stakeholders to ensure that the activities and outcomes of the project reach
the intended farmers. In Uganda, Makerere University, VECO East Africa, World
Vision-Uganda (WVU), and Africa 2000 Network (A2N) are facilitating activities
through the creation of platforms with many stakeholders from different sectors
to find synergies that will make the project successful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The workshop participants developed an activity plan for the
first year in selected sites in Uganda: Northern region, Lira; Eastern region,
Mt. Elgon and Tororo, and Southwestern region, Kisoro. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">N2Africa’s vision of success is to build sustainable,
long-term partnerships to enable African smallholder farmers to benefit from
use of mutually beneficial N2-fixation by grain legumes through effective
production technologies including inoculants and fertilizers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-24930013833381513032014-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:002014-02-03T06:00:09.738-08:00Africa’s biggest maker of ethanol from cassava cites IITA<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz33iyRi7D4l2o-EaLcX9wWy9YqqoFqmnpm312egYOxYsREXzF0M2vpqW7beY2htafEVVZZcGihty-hzL8Rw2owV1or_tepEguIw3l5G7UUAWPOnHpSll2Bpm0xm0K96HFVIAPOl1Kjdxn/s1600/DSC_0403-L-R-Godwin-Atser,-Kenton-Dashiell,-Rajasekar-Rajavelu,-Director-(Agro),-AADL-and-an-AADL-official-during-the_opt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz33iyRi7D4l2o-EaLcX9wWy9YqqoFqmnpm312egYOxYsREXzF0M2vpqW7beY2htafEVVZZcGihty-hzL8Rw2owV1or_tepEguIw3l5G7UUAWPOnHpSll2Bpm0xm0K96HFVIAPOl1Kjdxn/s1600/DSC_0403-L-R-Godwin-Atser,-Kenton-Dashiell,-Rajasekar-Rajavelu,-Director-(Agro),-AADL-and-an-AADL-official-during-the_opt.jpg" height="255" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">L-R: Godwin Atser,
Kenton Dashiell,<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rajasekar Rajavelu,
Director (Agro), </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">AADL and an AADL official during the commissioning. </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Allied Atlantic Distilleries Limited (AADL), Africa’s
biggest maker of ethanol from cassava, says improved varieties and best-bet
agronomic practices in the production of cassava, which it obtained from IITA
and passed on to farmers have doubled the yield of the root crop, making it
possible for farmers to supply more of this raw material to the industry than
earlier expected.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Commissioned on 30 January in Lasada, Igbese community in
Ogun State, the ethanol factory will produce 9 million liters per annum of
extra neutral alcohol, requiring approximately 250 tons of cassava per day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Already over 8,000 farmers located within 70-km radius of Igbesa
covering Ogun and Oyo states, southwest Nigeria, have been engaged and the
factory is providing more than 40,000 indirect jobs to people in the area, Mr
Ola Rosiji, Chairman of AADL said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“With the support of IITA, our farmers have doubled their
yields from an average 12 t/ha to 22 t/ha; our farmers now earn double what
they would have earned,” he added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Commending the board and management of the company, Dr
Kenton Dashiell, IITA Deputy Director General, Partnerships & Capacity
Development, representing Director General Nteranya Sanginga, said the
inauguration of the factory was indeed a good opportunity for Africa, and
especially cassava growers, who now have more markets for their produce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He said that the factory would create jobs, attract foreign investment,
and create wealth for the people, adding that IITA is willing to partner with
the private sector to lift 11 million people out of poverty and also reclaim
and put into sustainable use 7.5 million hectares of degraded land.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Collaboration between IITA and AADL, a subsidiary of the
Lexcel Group began in the early 2000s when the project was conceived and IITA
provided inputs to the feasibility study of the investment. Also under the
Cassava Transformation Agenda, which is being coordinated by Dr Richardson
Okechukwu, IITA is again linking farmers to the factory. In addition, the
Institute is also providing training and improved planting materials and
technical advisory support to the firm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">HarvestPlus Country Manager Paul Ilona said the factory
would change the outlook of cassava from the global perspective of “a poor
man’s crop” to an industrial crop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun
commended IITA for the good work it has been doing to improve the lives of
people in Africa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-87889934299012920922014-02-03T05:53:00.000-08:002014-02-03T07:15:30.314-08:00New project on Cassava Weeds Management launched this week<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6aosvRHLCXTAur3grn6jcYP0_e-egmIVyJTcjUN7enGg6BV66NoTTRDIHG9D7IYWaRAKkR1cKz5RGjWFRQ-sfvO9ypPUhr49Lef62ikOBe7Y71_2zOa_ouJgy30hN0O3hnz771qn1I8rS/s1600/L-R--Director-General,-IITA,-Dr-Sanginga_opt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6aosvRHLCXTAur3grn6jcYP0_e-egmIVyJTcjUN7enGg6BV66NoTTRDIHG9D7IYWaRAKkR1cKz5RGjWFRQ-sfvO9ypPUhr49Lef62ikOBe7Y71_2zOa_ouJgy30hN0O3hnz771qn1I8rS/s1600/L-R--Director-General,-IITA,-Dr-Sanginga_opt.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span></o:p></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">L-R:
IITA Director General Nteranya Sanginga; Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Senior Program Officers<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vasey
Mwaja and Lawrence Kent; and Project Leader, Sustainable Weed Management
Technologies for<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Cassava Systems in Nigeria, Alfred
Dixon, during the kick-off workshop in Ibadan 28-31 January.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</span><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">IITA and partners this week launched a new multi-year
project assessing sustainable weed management technologies for cassava-based
farming systems in Nigeria in Ibadan.<span style="mso-font-width: 98%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The project is seeking to find solutions to
the labor-intensive weeding usually performed by women and children and to
increase cassava productivity for 125,000 Nigerian farm families. The project
has the potential to serve as a livelihood transformation model for all
cassava-producing states in Nigeria.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cassava is generally grown by smallholder
farmers, who appreciate its tolerance of drought and poor soils. However, its
prospects in Nigeria—the world’s largest producer—is being threatened by
insufficiently developed weed management practices. Hand and hoe weeding are
the predominant weed control practices on smallholder cassava farms and takes
50-80 percent of the total labor budget of cassava growers with women
contributing more than 90 percent of the labor and 69 percent of farm children
between the ages of 5 and 14 forced to leave school to perform weeding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">“Weeding requires up to 500 hours of labor
per hectare to prevent economic losses in cassava roots in Nigeria,” says
Project Manager Dr Alfred Dixon. “This burden compromises the women’s
responsibilities and the children’s education, and Nigerian farmers will
continue to record low yields until weed control in cassava is improved. Farm
families cannot plant a larger area than they can weed,” he says. According to
him, “Addressing the complex issues of hunger and poverty is no easy task, and
so we see the value in engaging in new research and deploying our best
resources to ensure that smallholder farmers have access to the best
innovations to increase their agricultural productivity and improve the
nutrition of their families.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFL2QJrdesQT54i2itG1Xin9O9AcWAhNCCbiCC57c4YoSGQVlCgkl_qYN01cSMsmDVbMo0h042fdWtO95PD250ItC477zUWOjzfFAE3wRtFuOA0WLw8UDKB8hXWCyzy627oa6U1v8TSUDf/s1600/DSC_0149a_opt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFL2QJrdesQT54i2itG1Xin9O9AcWAhNCCbiCC57c4YoSGQVlCgkl_qYN01cSMsmDVbMo0h042fdWtO95PD250ItC477zUWOjzfFAE3wRtFuOA0WLw8UDKB8hXWCyzy627oa6U1v8TSUDf/s1600/DSC_0149a_opt.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT;">Workshop
participants during the kick-off program</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The ultimate aim of this research is to
develop state-of the art weed management practices, by combining improved
cassava varieties with proper planting dates, plant populations, and plant
nutrition options. These particular practices may include the use of
herbicides—all of which currently meet globally-accepted conventions and safety
thresholds appropriate for smallholder farmers—to make weed control in cassava
more efficient. Any herbicide activity will be part of a comprehensive strategy
of effective agronomic practices that are collectively striving to make weed
management more effective and sustainable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The IITA-managed project is supported by
a US$7.7million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and
involves the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike;
University of Agriculture, Makurdi; Federal University of Agriculture,
Abeokuta; government representatives, international cassava scientists, the
donor community, and the private sector. “The project will also offer
policymakers better information on modern, relevant, and appropriate weed
management technologies. This information could be used to expand the project
to 5 million farm families in Nigeria,” says Dr Friday Ekeleme, the project’s
Principal Investigator.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 95%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The sustainable cassava weed management
project aligns with Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda and will help
to meet the Government’s goals to increase domestic food production, reduce
dependence on food imports, and expand value addition to locally produced
agricultural products. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Bodytextwithindent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 8.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-width: 98%; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The project will be handed over to one of
the key national institutions in the development and extension of improved
cassava technologies, NRCRI, for scaling up the project’s outcomes on a
national level.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-60938055343880312702014-01-22T06:19:00.000-08:002014-01-22T06:19:07.059-08:00Real-Time PCR training<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhkSKy9_dor-CwFErDEmDtUlVpyTg1UglV8ab2giGJkbCXGlQJg8NGI8kwGj8fqvI8rdBBVoBES3xVgtTubUVSOMRVVVv6MtrLDx5NUPLYTbN1xuli4IW4Y8THibyRqu1ia_D37zfoJ1h/s1600/TZ-cpacity-building-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhkSKy9_dor-CwFErDEmDtUlVpyTg1UglV8ab2giGJkbCXGlQJg8NGI8kwGj8fqvI8rdBBVoBES3xVgtTubUVSOMRVVVv6MtrLDx5NUPLYTbN1xuli4IW4Y8THibyRqu1ia_D37zfoJ1h/s1600/TZ-cpacity-building-2.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shirima shows the trainees how to detect cassava brown streak viruses (CBSVs) using real time PCR</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The
second training was conducted for the staff of the Molecular Biology Laboratory
at the hub and was conducted by Rudolph Shirima, a research associate under the
Virology and Vector Ecology department of IITA Eastern Africa Hub.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The training was organized by IITA under the auspices of
the Cassava Varieties and Clean Seed to combat CBSD and CMD (5CP) project. Its
objective was to equip the trainees with the knowledge and skills to operate
and use real-time PCR to diagnose viruses in cassava. The training also covered
sample collection and management for diagnostics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-56672635541686504812014-01-22T06:14:00.001-08:002014-01-22T06:22:21.752-08:00IITA steps up capacity building efforts in Tanzania <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATxnFeuvoPr3ariWbCL5jLpTCQe-RlApTkOegXynjvekgB8a_65w9tiaqGC05MegSyN44I4NRCIC5f5qzyJCCbjofwl4k2JGCYo8-_XSw9IiD6F1T_j08X4Cs955v753awShELf0-MJPm/s1600/TA-Agriprenuers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATxnFeuvoPr3ariWbCL5jLpTCQe-RlApTkOegXynjvekgB8a_65w9tiaqGC05MegSyN44I4NRCIC5f5qzyJCCbjofwl4k2JGCYo8-_XSw9IiD6F1T_j08X4Cs955v753awShELf0-MJPm/s1600/TA-Agriprenuers.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A group photo of the participants of the SAS training </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">Two
one-week trainings took place at IITA-Tanzania as part of efforts to build the
capacity of its staff and those of partners to improve the quality of its
research for better impact. One of the trainings focused on use of Statistical
Analysis System (SAS) to manage and analyze different types of data including
experimental and socioeconomic data while the second was on Real-Time PCR.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The SAS training, conducted by Sam Ofodile and Yemi
Oluwasoga, from Ibadan Nigeria, brought together 32 participants. They were
drawn from both national and international IITA staff and from partner
institutions―the Sugarcane Research Institute (SRI) Kibaha as well as MSc and
PhD students from Sokoine University of Agriculture and Mandela University. Two
PhD students also came from Nairobi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The training covered the different analysis models for
different study designs. The SAS software was installed on each participant’s
laptop with a one-year license provided by the IITA Biometric Unit to enable
participants to access it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The training was officially opened by Edward Kanju on
behalf of the Director for the Eastern Africa Hub who welcomed all the
participants and noted that the training was long overdue. The training was
officially closed by Abass Adebayo, also on behalf of the Director for Eastern
Africa. He thanked the training facilitators for a job well done and urged
participants to use the gained skills to improve their data analysis and paper
publications. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-37030722171921154042014-01-22T06:09:00.001-08:002014-01-22T06:09:23.448-08:00IITA hosts party for staff and their families in Tanzania<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoy_vqcf8zzXslJPAI5Tv9mgwJzRRkuGMAgLBNnHnWSfxoMEvUcNJUOz3AMVSSYxank0qe_cPzuYoTfAQfOu2ENG5Dw6uZHNHLCAoc6gyUjNbvPwqZeAOXhG3RJaHDp2KTuiySx8yrOjRe/s1600/TZ-Christmas-party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoy_vqcf8zzXslJPAI5Tv9mgwJzRRkuGMAgLBNnHnWSfxoMEvUcNJUOz3AMVSSYxank0qe_cPzuYoTfAQfOu2ENG5Dw6uZHNHLCAoc6gyUjNbvPwqZeAOXhG3RJaHDp2KTuiySx8yrOjRe/s1600/TZ-Christmas-party.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manyong (second left) presents a gift to Sophia Swai (extreme right)<br />
in recognition of her 12 years of service to IITA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">IITA
ended its rather eventful year in Tanzania on a high note with an end-of-year
party for all its staff and their families in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The
annual event was held at the Kunduchi Beach Hotel and was packed with lots of
fun activities and games allowing the staff and family members to interact and
get to know each other better in an informal setting. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">While addressing the staff and their family members, Victor
Manyong, the Director for Eastern Africa thanked them for all their support and
hard work that saw a very successful year for the hub.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmor5NZZc0RVMGuU4mH1mXMbeoVWqQc7wlzAWvRlxRsOs3chLJ9HFcZaoELzRnt38BSyMtoGpPpJe3XIZBQjE6XRJW9zWQxp6idvZYELgAPcEa4mYBz_NbWxt6npbqDroHTzSA5JWPV_9H/s1600/TzChristmas-party-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmor5NZZc0RVMGuU4mH1mXMbeoVWqQc7wlzAWvRlxRsOs3chLJ9HFcZaoELzRnt38BSyMtoGpPpJe3XIZBQjE6XRJW9zWQxp6idvZYELgAPcEa4mYBz_NbWxt6npbqDroHTzSA5JWPV_9H/s1600/TzChristmas-party-2.jpg" height="287" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children of staff prepare to compete in a sack race</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">He highlighted one of the key events in the year as the
very successful launch of the Science Building in May that was attended by
high-level policy makers in the region including presidents and ministers,
donors, and the private sector. He said the success of the event had led to the
selection of IITA Tanzania as the venue for the CGIAR Board meeting in March
2014. He also noted the hub had increased in staff and in the number of new
projects. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">He called upon everyone to work together towards supporting
the Institute to achieve its goal of helping smallholder farmers in Africa. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">Manyong also presented a long-term service award to Sophia
Swai who had been with the Institute for 12 years. Presents were also given to
the winning teams in the different games and activities for the day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-40110755255374922682014-01-22T06:03:00.002-08:002014-01-22T06:03:57.529-08:00Giant strides in IITA plantain breeding for West Africa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ot1nZ2AfyumglcHRNM05VTOSoDfABcMoEEigAYe-ydgR1wsdNxd9PygBMNVM3KJLDJDNlU2Uw75eocQXXqtPqyfrGtztgW7xRDuwWxsIuUv7z1gbNFGL1iIdEuai3tGJ1dM2PhMh97oK/s1600/Ama-banana-breeding-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ot1nZ2AfyumglcHRNM05VTOSoDfABcMoEEigAYe-ydgR1wsdNxd9PygBMNVM3KJLDJDNlU2Uw75eocQXXqtPqyfrGtztgW7xRDuwWxsIuUv7z1gbNFGL1iIdEuai3tGJ1dM2PhMh97oK/s1600/Ama-banana-breeding-2.jpg" height="400" width="380" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amah during her contract review seminar</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">IITA has
made significant progress in its plantain research in West Africa with the
generation of seedlings from crosses with in vitro induced tetraploids from
diploids―a first for the Institute. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The IITA Regional Banana Breeding Manager, Delphine Amah,
who supervised execution of the crosses in IITA-Ibadan, said the crosses were
vital for plantain improvement in West Africa in the years ahead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">Delivering her contract review seminar titled: Support to
Banana and Plantain Breeding―Updates on West Africa, Amah said the Banana Unit
had recorded giant strides in the recent years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">For instance, as part of a revised pre-breeding strategy to
produce improved parents while shortening the breeding cycle for plantain, the
unit was now producing tetraploids which have four sets of chromosomes from
diploids (which have two) using optimized in vitro doubling techniques. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">In addition, tissue culture techniques have been employed
to generate seedlings from crosses through embryo culture and mass propagation
of plants for clonal evaluation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The unit is also promoting the use of macropropagation and
field propagation techniques for the production of clean planting material and
good agronomy practices. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">So far, Amah and her team have produced and distributed
thousands of <i>Agbagba</i> plantain plantlets to the IITA farm unit and Youth
Agripreneur project for propagation and distribution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">Furthermore, they have established pollination blocks with
female fertile plantain landraces and <i>Black Sigatoka </i>resistant
tetraploid plantain hybrids for accelerated breeding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The team has established recently imported <i>Musa
acuminata</i> ssp. <i>banksii</i> accessions for evaluation and use as parents
in crosses to breed for plantains with high provitamin A content.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">They have also established a propagation scheme for the
production of plantlets for pollination blocks and planned trials to enable
registration of new IITA hybrids.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">All these activities are aimed at rejuvenating plantain
breeding in IITA for efficient delivery of improved varieties to farmers, she
said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-90225497513050481842014-01-22T06:01:00.004-08:002014-01-22T06:01:35.536-08:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cDVm572sSwF3QpvjZE8jRE0L_kCvAL38DMYNDU20-0NFe7Y5QzdZQ5ng8K1Qsyp4UNidsHU_pQ_CFCo8wKATiA5Qx6GtMMnt1jW1Jn76mp7PT3ViH9C-Pvp1-H-5rAQN2-3JD8ggC0Mw/s1600/Kalambo-christmas-party2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cDVm572sSwF3QpvjZE8jRE0L_kCvAL38DMYNDU20-0NFe7Y5QzdZQ5ng8K1Qsyp4UNidsHU_pQ_CFCo8wKATiA5Qx6GtMMnt1jW1Jn76mp7PT3ViH9C-Pvp1-H-5rAQN2-3JD8ggC0Mw/s1600/Kalambo-christmas-party2.jpg" height="275" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okafor (in a hat) poses for a group photo with the winners of IITA <br />
Women Group scholarships for 2013 and their families</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">On 23
December 2013, IITA-Kalambo held a Christmas and year-end party to celebrate
Christmas and reflect on its achievements over the year. The event which was
held in collaboration with CIAT and Biodiversity International was attended by
staff and their families. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The event was geared towards improving relationships among
the staff for effective team work and collaboration and for their families to
get to know each other and exchange Christmas and new-year wishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4krtj9NsBHVtff744X0ZSq9f1HRMzC_FDIG-tbXUcxzlQBlUz8gLdTo-XwQvNXDQpxrwz4zwmkxft2N_zfWGk6TvMuTWOYEOw0N_oakLfRq4nY0CwqgiNdU1czuha9q12I-XIN1jiOez/s1600/Kalambo-Christmtas-party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4krtj9NsBHVtff744X0ZSq9f1HRMzC_FDIG-tbXUcxzlQBlUz8gLdTo-XwQvNXDQpxrwz4zwmkxft2N_zfWGk6TvMuTWOYEOw0N_oakLfRq4nY0CwqgiNdU1czuha9q12I-XIN1jiOez/s1600/Kalambo-Christmtas-party.jpg" height="336" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okafor (in a hat) poses for a photo with the winners of the Most Valuable Colleague (MVC) <br />
of the Year (to his immediate right) IITA's Ghislain Kakule and CIAT's Elise Mundwanga</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">The CIAT Coordinator and Country Manager of HarvestPlus,
Antoine Lubobo, gave the opening remarks and welcomed all the families to the
event while the Officer-in-Charge of IITA-Kalambo, Chris Okafor, made the
closing remarks. Okafor, accompanied by his wife, thanked all staff for their
diligence, dedication, </span><br /><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">
and contributions to the success of the Station. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">“This is the first time that CIAT, Bioversity, and IITA
staff are celebrating together. This goes to strengthen the fact that we are a
family and I am convinced that the next year will be more even more
successful,” Okafor noted. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">Also during the event, the Most Valuable Colleague (MVC) of
the Year among </span><br /><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">
the nationally recruited staff at IITA and CIAT, as voted by their colleagues,
were recognized and given appreciation plaques and gifts. The winners were
Ghislain Kakule, IITA Station Accountant, and Elise Mundwanga, CIAT Research
Assistant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoPlainText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 120%; mso-font-width: 95%;">Two children of staff members―Kaambira Hense and Mugaruka
Regie―who were successful in the IITA Women’s Group 2013 Scholarship scheme
also received their award certificates at the event.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-77248126063495825412014-01-22T05:55:00.001-08:002014-01-22T06:21:20.700-08:00DG meets staff of IITA Kalambo, Bukavu, DR Congo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4Vq1qi67_mUQKZRn_wZwh_HZR0bmGsSjKtnNum2VFU_5Zx-6QpD8ZWyaThBGZGrgEIjbJZc8acjapetbjU0VcnFBQvt9xqrg4TYbl8gNz8PbQNzGvbSGpCkyff-e1heYO13o3IUqxk7t/s1600/DGmeets-staff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4Vq1qi67_mUQKZRn_wZwh_HZR0bmGsSjKtnNum2VFU_5Zx-6QpD8ZWyaThBGZGrgEIjbJZc8acjapetbjU0VcnFBQvt9xqrg4TYbl8gNz8PbQNzGvbSGpCkyff-e1heYO13o3IUqxk7t/s1600/DGmeets-staff.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">IITA DG and the Director for Central Africa addressing the staff at IITA Kalambo station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">During his official tour in DR Congo, the IITA
Director General, Nteranya Sanginga, met with all the staff and students of the
Kalambo Station on 9 January 2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
was accompanied by Bernard Vanlauwe, the Director for the Central African Hub;
Jacqueline Musiimenta, the Finance Officer; and Linda Wangila, the Hub
Administration Assistant based in Nairobi, and Quadrer Waheed and Oyedeji
Musendeeq from Ibadan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">Giving a brief history of the station, the DG
said the idea for the station was conceived 10 years ago while he was a
Director at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). He was
happy and excited that the Station would be now officially commissioned under his
leadership in 2014. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">He said the event would attract Heads of State
in the region including the IITA Goodwill Ambassador for Africa, Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo, top government functionaries, and the donor community. He therefore
urged all staff to give their best and ensure the success of the event. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">He further encouraged both staff and students
to take advantage of opportunities available at the IITA Capacity Development
Unit to advance their professional careers and academic interests. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">Also addressing the staff and students,
Vanlauwe added that the event would be a golden opportunity to explain to the
host country, DR Congo and Africa in general on how IITA could contribute to
efforts towards reducing poverty and food and nutritional insecurity in the region.
He said during the event, both scientists and students would be given the
opportunity to present their work and future plans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666697507854615033.post-80788770997767266052014-01-22T05:52:00.001-08:002014-01-22T05:52:57.852-08:00Tanzania takes first steps towards initiating a Youth Agriprenuers program <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">IITA Tanzania will soon start own its youth
agribusiness program that aims at equipping young, unemployed men and women
with agriculture and business skills to encourage them to set up their own
agribusiness or increase their employment opportunities in agriculture and
research. This is part of the Institute’s effort to tackle the high
unemployment rate, one of the main development challenges in Africa, and a
general lack of interest in agriculture by young people. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">Currently, several students from the University
of Sokoine in Tanzania who finished their internship at the Institute but asked
to stay on as volunteers have expressed their interest in such a program. The
youth also met the IITA DG in December, while he was on an official visit in
the country, and he briefed them on the Agriprenuers program in Nigeria. He
also assured them that IITA was very keen on establishing such programs across
all its hubs in Africa to create employment opportunities for Africa’s youth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-l36ZO_ecrGqBhEbEPP_RklJ7eij_DGNe_sDzugKHMVW6YHybgCL9w0TT_wLa1MuUAz6pG0IYZmAsjdMTheTxmYSH_VkD0l6y9kyV4Zal25FpnJyo48lPm7WZHWJ8AflsM0GzLNq96dk/s1600/TZ-capacity-building-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-l36ZO_ecrGqBhEbEPP_RklJ7eij_DGNe_sDzugKHMVW6YHybgCL9w0TT_wLa1MuUAz6pG0IYZmAsjdMTheTxmYSH_VkD0l6y9kyV4Zal25FpnJyo48lPm7WZHWJ8AflsM0GzLNq96dk/s1600/TZ-capacity-building-1.jpg" height="342" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr Sanginga (centre) poses for a group photo with the staff and youth <br />
volunteers at IITA Tanzania in Dar es Salaam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">“It’s a good start. We are exploring how to
establish a youth agriprenuers program in Tanzania under the SARD-SC project
and around the cassava value chain modeled along the one in Ibadan,” said Abass
Adebayo, IITA value chain specialist under whom the students interned and are
now volunteering. They were involved in efforts to develop the cassava value
chain in the country. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">Adebayo said the Institute was also currently
working with a group of youth in Kigoma region, named Big Power Group, who have
30 ha of land and were engaged in growing and processing cassava. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">He also noted several leaders in the country
had requested for IITA’s support in engaging the youth in agriculture including
the Regional commissioners for Coast and Kigoma regions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">“We will work with these leaders in developing
programs to involve youth in agriculture where we will train and support them
to carry out modern agriculture”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">One of the volunteers is Gaspa Audifas, 25, who
graduated from the University of Sokoine in Food Science. He says he is very
interested in such a program following the briefing of IITA’s DG on the
progress made by the youth in Nigeria. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 120%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 5pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-font-width: 95%;">“There are many opportunities for the youth in
agriculture. We just sometimes lack the knowledge and even faith in ourselves.
Therefore such a program that will give us the skills to help us to put into
good use the knowledge<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we gained in
school, and not necessarily wait to be employed, will be very important for
Tanzania where unemployment is very high” he said. “There are very many
unemployed graduates roaming the streets. There is no difference between them
and those who are not educated!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
</div>
Godwin Atserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10662413575487707433noreply@blogger.com1