CGIAR restates pledge to support Sierra Leone to develop agriculture

Sierra Leone has received a high-level commitment from CGIAR that the global network of international agricultural research will support the country’s agricultural reform program.
The pledge to support Sierra Leone came after a 3-day consultative dialog that sought to set the vision for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation in promoting agriculture, fisheries, and industrial development.

Dr Marco Wopereis of AfricaRice Center, who represented Dr Frank Rijsberman, the Chief Executive Officer of the Consortium, said, “CGIAR is also ready to assist Sierra Leonean research institutes in developing 10-year research strategies and 5-year rolling implementation plans to ensure highly relevant research, while building a strong science capacity in Sierra Leone and mobilizing global knowledge in these areas.”

 CGIAR centers present at the dialog which ended in the capital Freetown on 13 November included the World Agroforestry Center, IITA, AfricaRice, and CIAT. Others to be brought on board are ILRI and WorldFish.

The plan is to assist Sierra Leone in putting into practice the development strategies for key commodities, in particular rice, cassava, forestry products, livestock, and aquaculture.

Over 200 participants, including cabinet ministers, heads of MDAs, development partners, members of parliament, private sector players, farmers’ organizations, and civil society activists, participated in the dialog.

Dr Kenton Dashiell, IITA Deputy Director General (Partnerships and Capacity Development) and Braima James, IITA Country Coordinator for Sierra Leone, represented IITA at the consultative dialog.

The mandate of the dialog, according to President Koroma in his closing address, was to set out a 5-year integrated and comprehensive program and action plan for promoting agriculture, fisheries, and industry in Sierra Leone.

He told the participants, “I am reliably informed that all participants have demonstrated great commitment to achieving this objective, and we now have a rough draft of what needs to be done. I applaud all of you for your worthy contributions.” The President paid glowing tribute to the cooperation of development partners who participated in the dialog, including World Bank, CGIAR, FARA, and CORAF. “We also applaud the contributions of our compatriots, the special advisers, my Ministers, and the staff of the MDAs. You have all done a great job,” he said.

President Koroma reiterated his Government’s commitment to meeting the objectives of the 3-day landmark conference with regard to all challenges that the workshop was trying to address, adding, “It is only in an ideal world of unlimited resources and capacities that we can do all that needs to be done.”

Professor Monty Jones, Coordinator of the conference, said the consultative dialog discussed various issues to come up with the actions and activities needed to develop the comprehensive and inclusive  5-year program. This will be implemented through collaboration among various arms of Government and Ministries: Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Fisheries and Marine Resources, Trade and Industry, Education, Science and Technology, Health and Sanitation and Youth Affairs.

FARA wants more attention on yam research

Participants at the global yam conference in Accra.

The Executive Director, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Dr Yemi Akinbamijo has said that in spite of the contribution to food security and incomes, African crops such as yam have not commanded the attention they deserved, and have as a result remained underutilized.
   “Yams are unexploited in several aspects: actual yields are lower than potential, utilization is low for instance in animal feeds, and potential for diversification of yam products among others is unexploited,” he said.
   Commending IITA for its contribution to yam research and development, Dr Akinbamijo said that the key to unlocking the potential of yam lies in science and technology and empowerment of the producers, marketers, and consumers to take advantage of what research offers.
   According to him, “the challenge is to mobilize the investment required to conduct research and develop the yam value chain into a profitable enterprise for small and large-scale operators alike.”
   The Global Conference on Yams held in Accra, 3-6 October, provides a forum for stakeholders to explore recent innovations in yam improvement, share lessons learned, identify research and development needs, and develop global alliances.
   Dr Robert Asiedu, IITA Director for Western Africa, and the Convener of the Conference said that the event provided a platform for consultation and development of a global strategy for improving the yam sector based on genetic enhancement; crop protection and mitigation of risks due to pests, diseases and climate change; conservation of genetic resources; prevention of postharvest losses; improved seed systems; crop diversification; and enhancing industrial potential of yam and improved market access.
   The ultimate goals of the event are to establish: (i) a global alliance for yam improvement; (ii) gain more investments to advance and expand yam R4D agenda globally, and (iii) contribute to the strengthening of R&D capacity and human resource development for sustainable yam improvement.

“Put on your thinking caps”

IITA youths addressing FARA officials

The new Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research for Africa (FARA), Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, has urged members of the IITA Youth project to harness the diversity of skills inherent among them for agricultural development.

He gave this counsel in Ibadan during his first official visit to IITA on 2 August 2013. Accompanied by other FARA executives: Dr Aggrey Agumya, Technical Adviser; Dr Ramadjita Tabo, Deputy Executive Director; and Prof. Adewale Adekunle, Director of partnerships, the new FARA boss could not hide his excitement over the youth project.

He also urged the youth to always “put on their thinking caps” and judiciously utilize the services ICT renders. Prof.  Adekunle in his remarks enjoined the Agripreneurs to channel much of their effort towards adding value to crops cultivated, thus diversifying their consumption forms. “It would be great to find the foods we enjoyed in the villages, repackaged and available in stores and supermarkets,” he said.

The Youth made a presentation on: “Income Generation and Youth Employment,” and gave an overview of the objectives and current operations of the project.

In his closing remarks, the Executive Director congratulated the team for a great job, and reiterated the desire of FARA to work with them.

Top international scientists recommend increase in public funding for cassava sector

Researchers at the IITA side event in Accra

International top-level scientists from the cassava world have urged African governments to increase public funding for the cassava sector. In the long-expected event “Productivity, Processes and People: Adding Value to Cassava” organized by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on 16 July 2013 at the 6th African Agricultural Science Week in Accra, disease control, technology development in cassava processing, and women’s participation in cassava research were identified as priorities for boosting the sector’s impact on food security in Africa.
“Increasing funding for cassava research and processing across the value chain by including women in decision making roles is necessary for the future of the continent. It contributes to the creation of jobs for the youth, better livelihoods for smallholder farmers, reduction in hunger and poverty, and food security for all ”, says Dr Elizabeth Parkes from IITA.
Cassava in Africa is threatened by two devastating diseases, Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) and Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD), leading to potential losses in food security and livelihoods of 135 million people in East Africa alone, and the 300 million cassava consumers in Africa as a whole.
Both diseases are caused by viruses and transmitted by small insects called whiteflies. New, super-abundant whiteflies have emerged in Uganda, spreading south and west, and are now present as far south as Zambia and as far west as Cameroon. The diseases are also spread by stem cuttings taken from infected plants. The international movement of these cuttings is increasing rapidly—within and beyond Africa—the diseases could spread to the rest of Africa and, possibly, the rest of the cassava-producing world. If CBSD reaches Nigeria—the world’s biggest producer and consumer of cassava—it could cause a human catastrophe of unforeseen magnitude.
Proper management of the crisis would allow cassava to develop its full potential for improving food security in Africa, not only as a subsistence crop, but also for generating income. “If Africa takes advantage of cassava and supports favorable policy frameworks and tax policies for the processing and marketing cassava and other crops, then we will more effectively tackle many problems in food security for the continent ,” Dr Parkes explained...Read more on www.iita.org

Farmers in twenty African countries get new window of opportunity to significantly increase yield

Participant at the SARD SC Side Event in Accra

Efforts to transform agriculture in Africa have received a boost as researchers met under the Support for Agricultural Research and Development of Strategic Crops (SARD-SC)’s event, “Partners, Possibilities and Prospects,” on 15 July 2013 at the 6th African Agricultural Science Week in Accra to draw more support from partners into project.
The SARD-SC project will raise the productivity of maize, cassava, wheat, and rice by 20% in twenty selected countries in Africa.
The plan is to reduce food importation from other continents and offer farmers better access to markets, improve livelihoods, and tackle poverty through enhanced capacities of beneficiaries to sustainable development in the region.
About a million farmers will directly benefit from the project through its innovations basket, while another million and half will be reached by project spin off effects. “Narrowing the yield gap is key for African farmers, and it will help them to compete globally and to feed themselves,” says Project Coordinator of SARD-SC, Dr Chrysantus Akem, from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).  
Funded by the African Development Bank with US$ 63.24 million, SARD-SC also aims to create knowledge on the tested innovations with farmers in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Drs Thomas Dubois, SARD SC Rice Commodity Specialist; and Solomon Assefa, SARD SC Wheat Commodity Specialist made presentations on rice and wheat strategies of the project.
The 5-year, multi-CGIAR center initiative will run until 2016, and will be co-implemented by three Africa-based CGIAR centers: IITA, Africa Rice Center, and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas. IITA is also the Executing Agency of the project. Another CGIAR center – the International Food Policy Research Institute – a specialized technical agency, will support the other three centers. ###
For more information, please contact: Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org; Chrysantus Akem, c.akem@iita.org  or Andrea Gros, a.gros@cgiar.org

Farmers get provitamin A cassava planting materials for 2013 planting season



Farmers collecting vitamin A cassava varieties for 2013 planting season

Researchers have begun the dissemination of pro-vitamin A cassava varieties to rural households as part of efforts to tackle vitamin A deficiency in Nigeria. Popularly known as yellow cassava, these new improved varieties hold part of the solution to Vitamin A deficiency in Africa. It is no longer news that vitamin A deficiency is widespread in Nigeria, afflicting about 20% of pregnant women and 30% of children below the age of 5. A deficiency in vitamin A leads to poor health, blindness, stunting, and even death.

Through decades of conventional breeding efforts, researchers at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in partnership with the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, with funds from HarvestPlus, have been able to develop provitamin A cassava varieties to tackle this malnutrition menace.

The plan is to ensure that over two million farmers have access to vitamin A cassava stems for planting across the major cassava producing states in Nigeria with initial emphasis on Akwa Ibom, Benue, Imo and Oyo States as regional hubs.  HarvestPlus and partners plan to distribute 300,000 bundles of stems to 100,000 households in Nigeria in 2013 alone. Currently, more than 40,000 traceable farmers in Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Benue, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti and River states received stems in June and July, while more states will receive stems before the end of August. This is possible because over 500 hectares of the vitamin A varieties were proactively multiplied in 2012. Stakeholders believe that rural households deserve better nutrition and the consumption of more nutritious crops is a good opportunity to reduce malnutrition globally.
Two Champions in Anambra State, His Royal Highness Igwe Obi Odimegwu, the Igwe Akwu-udughudu of Ubahuekwem Autonomous Community and His Royal Highness Igwe Gabriel Umeh, the Ezeudemba of Akwaezikenyi Kingdom, both in Ihiala LGA, were united in their efforts to introduce vitamin A cassava to their people to contribute to food and health security. In a very colorful ceremony held at Ihudim primary school Ihiala where over 500 farmers received planting materials of the new varieties, the two Kings praised the Federal government, IITA, NRCRI and HarvestPlus for making vitamin A cassava available to farmers in their communities. They pledged to partner with HarvestPlus in ensuring that all farmers in the local government produce, consume, and market vitamin A cassava products.
Paul Ilona, Country Manager for HarvestPlus advised farmers to cultivate the varieties and consume them sufficiently especially for the under 5 children and pregnant women for better health and nutrition. He also encouraged farmers to give stems to their neighbors at the time of harvest to ensure rapid dissemination of planting materials.
Besides improving the health and nutrition of the people, the cultivation of the varieties can provide jobs, improve incomes and lift poor households out of poverty.
Consumers love the varieties because of their nutritional qualities and they can be processed into several dishes.
 During the dissemination exercises across the states in Nigeria, the Nutrition Unit of HarvestPlus displayed a variety of novel products that mothers could produce using the provitamin A cassava to enrich their family nutrition. Products displayed included cassava moi-moi, chin- chin, gari,and fufu. The success being recorded in the dissemination of these new varieties will be presented at the Africa Agriculture Science Week in Accra Ghana. The Science Week is organized by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa.

 

Yam strategy for Nigeria underway

Researchers and partners met at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan last week to draw a strategy for yam for Nigeria. The strategy aims to put yam on the national agenda as the oil-rich nation embarks on efforts to transform its agricultural sector.
IITA convened the meeting and participants were drawn from other national research institutes such as the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Lagos; the agricultural development programs (ADPs), the private sector and other key stakeholders/actors in the yam value chain.
Addressing participants at the workshop, Dr Robert Asiedu, IITA Director for West Africa reechoed the importance of yam not only in Nigeria, but also globally.
He said the need to draw a strategy for yam is driven by the desire to harness the exceptional qualities of the crop which are yet to be fully exploited for economic growth and food security.
"The strategy will guide us in ensuring synergies and focus on real priorities as we work with partners to unlock the potential of yams" he said.
With about 68 percent of global output coming from Nigeria, yam plays a key role in the country and the West Africa region as a whole, contributing to protein and dietary calorie intake. The crop is also used for cultural events including marriages and annual festivals.
However, yam production is declining in some traditional producing areas due to declining soil fertility, increasing pest pressures and the high cost of labor, Dr Asiedu said, a reason why a roadmap for the crop is imperative.
So far, Ghana has developed its strategy, paving the way for increased export and other industrial uses for the crop.
Dr Antonio Lopez, IITA Yam Breeder, said having a strategy for yam that would dovetail into the national agricultural policy of the government would bring several benefits to the country, including increase in economic development.
Participants commended IITA for convening the participatory meeting and bringing yam to the front burner. According to them, the strategy would enhance more coordinated efforts towards addressing the constraints to increased yam production in the country, and would give farmers the opportunity to improve their incomes and better their livelihoods.
The participatory meeting in Ibadan was co-facilitated by Ms Sylvia Oyinlola, IITA Regional Administrator for West Africa.
The yam strategy meeting in IITA Ibadan is coming ahead of the 6^th Africa Agriculture Science Week, which begins on 15 July 2013 and is being organized by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), in Ghana.

 

For more information, please contact: Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org