About SSA
Overview
The year 2007 has been one of consolidation of new research programs and partnership activities in Southern Africa for the International Potato Center (CIP) and a time of transition and strengthening of our programs in Eastern and Central Africa. In addition to the main regional office in Nairobi, Kenya and the Uganda country liaison office in Kampala, in 2006 CIP opened a country liaison office in Maputo, Mozambique and based a CIP potato specialist at the Chitedze Research Station in Lilongwe, Malawi within the compound hosted by the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA). During 2007, ten international, one regional and six national research staff were based in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Our program focus during the period remained similar to previous years.
Our senior potato breeder for CIP is based in Nairobi and coordinates potato breeding work focused on testing late blight resistant clones from the B3 clones (with durable horizontal resistance with partner institutions in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique, and Angola. Potato seed and integrated crop management (ICM) related work from the Nairobi office concentrated on Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia and to a lesser extent in Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo.
The potato specialist in Malawi focused on Malawi, Mozambique, and Angola, three countries where demand for potato is growing at a fast rate. Our sweetpotato breeding team headquartered in Kampala concentrated their work in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda, Ghana, Madagascar and South Africa. The work of the team was strengthened by the presence of a CIP nutritionist appointed in October 2006.
The sweetpotato agronomy, commercialization and seed systems team again in Uganda concentrated their work in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Support visits from headquarters were made by the communications, integrated crop management (ICM), impact enhancement division leader and breeding specialists. The sweetpotato breeder and seed system specialist based in Maputo, Mozambique concentrated on Mozambique and continued to build on breeding activities initiated in Malawi and Angola in 2006.
Our agricultural economist based in Quelimane (Central Mozambique) led seed systems operations research for our major scaling-out study for orange-fleshed sweetpotato underway in both Mozambique and Uganda. Our natural resources management research was spearheaded in the region by our soil systems modeling specialist. The work in Kenya based in Nairobi was supported by visits from the NRM Division team leader. The urban agriculture team based in Nairobi worked in Kenya and Uganda.
CIP is organized into six divisions and six partnership programs. Our partnership programs are organizational entities with governance that extends beyond CIP. These include system-wide and eco-regional programs recognized by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CG) and our regional networks in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In SSA, Urban Harvest, PRAPACE (potato and sweetpotato network for the ASARECA region), and the Vitamin A for Africa initiative (VITAA) are all active. In October 2007, as part of the reorganization of ASARECA, the sub-Regional Research organization for Eastern and Central Africa, all specific crop networks and their coordinators were no longer financed under ASARECA. All work on potato and sweetpotato is now subsumed under the newly created Staple Food Crops Program. Due to its successful performance and the existence of on-going research contracts through PRAPACE, CIP-SSA decided to retain the PRAPACE network and its website and will seek funding to continue activities with its partners in the ASARECA region. Interest in orange-fleshed, pro-vitamin A rich sweetpotato continued to grow, with Malawi becoming the 11th member country of the VITAA initiative in October 2007.
The CIP divisions concerned with breeding, integrated crop management, agriculture and health, impact assessment, participatory market chain development and natural resources management were active in the region. The year 2007 was a watershed year for dissemination of research for development findings at major International Meetings. Scientists from CIP and their major collaborators attended the International Vitamin A meetings in Turkey, the Forum for African Nutritionists in Morocco, the regional meetings of the International Root and Tuber Crops Society (African Branch) in Maputo and the African Potato Association meetings in Egypt.
CIP Research in Sub-Saharan Africa
Regional research is focused in nine major program areas:
The introduction and development of improved late blight resistant potato varieties and their dissemination through decentralized, farmer based seed systems.
The breeding, introduction and selection of improved sweetpotato varieties for specific targeted uses, focusing on the improvement of dry matter content, drought and virus resistance of pro-vitamin A rich, orange-fleshed varieties through the Vitamin A for Africa (VITAA) initiative and HarvestPlus programs.
The development and dissemination of integrated management of potato late blight, bacterial wilt and viruses through participatory research and innovative extension programs.
Improving regional research methods and capacity effectiveness through piloting a researcher field schools focused on late-blight management in potato.
Understanding the process of scaling-out pilot initiatives to reach end users through operations research to understand the costs, constraints, and benefits to promoting pro-vitamin A-rich orange fleshed sweetpotatoes using an integrated approach.
Development of market linkages for fresh roots and of new products using sweetpotato including animal feed, to open up broader markets. In the case of orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes, emphasis is on testing nutrition-focused marketing campaigns.
Understanding agriculture-environment issues, particularly issues relevant to mountain areas, such as landslides due to degradation.
Policy analysis of production constraints to urban and peri-urban agriculture and the reduction of environmental contamination affecting urban agriculture products
Participatory research with urban farmers and multi-stakeholder teams with a view to improving the food security of HIV/AIDS affected households.
Major achievements and impact in the SSA region
I. Sweetpotato Program
A. Sweetpotato Breeding
2007 was the fourth year for CIP and its national partners to implement the sweetpotato bio-fortification program in sub-Saharan Africa with the focus on the development of adapted pro-vitamin A, orange fleshed sweetpotato varieties (OFSP). Ten countries including Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Ghana, Mozambique and Madagascar are the main target of the program. However, more countries are reached through linkages with VITAA partnership (Malawi) and Networks (Burundi, Angola). Emphasis in the breeding program is now on breeding in Africa for Africa. The program activity seeks to collaborate with the AGRA/PASS initiative to train additional sweetpotato breeders in the region. Degree training at MSc and PhD levels through co-supervision thesis research that is linked with sweetpotato breeding activities continued in different countries: 2 students (MSc and PhD) in Uganda; 1 student (PhD) in Kenya; 1 student (MSc) in Ethiopia; and 2 students (MSc and PhD) in Tanzania and 1 student (MSc) from Mozambique studying in South Africa.
Short training sessions on PLABSTAT statistical tool and drought screening were conducted with the partners. This is part of the initiative to harmonize experimentation and data collection procedures in the region.
Breeding can be broken down into 4 sub-categories:
1) Population development, that is creation of the parent materials through crossing to go into national breeding programs;
2) Adaptability and acceptability studies of (OFSP) varieties through farmer participatory research;
3) Diversity, heritability and molecular studies for Iron, Zinc and other nutrients.
4) Breeding for sweetpotato weevil resistance.
1) Population development achievements in 2007
Regional crossing blocks in Uganda, South Africa, Zambia, and Ghana continued in 2007. Over 90% of parents are OFSP varieties (local & exotic). Seeds from both specific and open crosses have been collected. In Uganda over 214,900 seeds have been collected since October 2006. Over 250,000 seeds were collected and shared within 8 countries in the region. In Ghana <50% success of the crosses has been attributed to high temperatures that characterized the flowering period. In Zambia, over 23,000 seeds were collected altogether. In South Africa over 12,000 seeds (specific crosses) were collected in 2 sites of the crossing blocks
Additional polycross nurseries were established in Kenya, Rwanda Tanzania and Mozambique to meet specific national priorities of breeding populations with specific trait targets. Isolated crossing blocks technique aimed to improve targeted clones with specific attributes was used. For example, Resisto and Ukerewe or Simama in Tanzania to improve the β-carotene levels while maintaining the good attributes of Simama and Ukerewe. Thus, over 95,000 seeds have been collected in Kenya (22,800 of which are specific crosses); 10,504 seeds were collected in Tanzania (3975 are specific crosses).
In Mozambique, 41,113 seeds from open pollinated crosses and 4,000 seeds from controlled crosses have been collected targeting drought resistance breeding. In addition, local germplasm was collected and evaluated for drought tolerance. In total, 79 accessions of sweetpotato have been characterized. A drought study trial with 58 clones under two water treatments found that it was possible to select for drought tolerance and identify parents for a breeding program.
Clonal evaluations were conducted in various countries: a) Uganda --10 OFSP promising clones have been selected from 43 families (2,899 genotypes) and planted in November 2007 at Namulonge, and will be replicated at 3 other sites.; b) Kenya -- over 2200 clones (from 72 CIP seed families targeting drought screening) have been selected for clonal evaluation in 3 locations during 2008; c) Ethiopia – 1232 clones (from over 10,000 seeds sourced from Uganda and South Africa) 8% of which are OFSP have been selected for performance yield trials (PYTs) during 2008; d) Zambia – 25 clones (9 OFSP) have been identified for further selection; e) South Africa ----59 OFSP clones (after several stages of seedling evaluation) were selected for PYT during 2008; f) CIP –Mozambique 29,466 seeds/genotypes (received from Umbeluzi, Nampula, Zambezia, and Uganda) germinated and now under multiplication in three sites.
Additional clones’ selection activities have been initiated at preliminary and intermediate stages of yield evaluation in several countries including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda and Ghana. In Mozambique, clonal evaluation activities concentrate fon selecting drought resistance materials. More breeding populations labeled ‘megaclones were introduced in the region by CIP headquarters. Initial trials were implemented in Kenya and Mozambique while in Uganda, the materials were multiplied and trials will start in 2008. In Kenya and Mozambque the materials are part of the germplasm under screening for drought tolerance. The program in Mozambique planted 5 seedling nurseries (25,000 seeds), 3 clonal evaluations (2,383 clones), 3 preliminary (384) and 3 advanced yield trials (29 clones) at four locations. In addition, a series of multilocational and on-farm sweetpotato variety trials (8 clones, 22 clones, 19 clones and 15 clones) were established at several locations in Mozambique with the aim of selecting the best adapted clones. Two clones from this selection process will be released in 2009.
2) Adaptability and acceptability studies of varieties through farmer participatory research
The regional GxE trial involving virus indexed OFSP land races was implemented for the first season in over 15 distinct sites in 10 SSA countries. The aim is to identify at least 3 varieties adapted and accepted regionally. Data was collected from 15 sites in Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Madagascar most countries. Data from other sites will be collected early 2008 and trial repeated.
Advanced and multi-location variety evaluation trials aimed at assessing the adaptability and acceptability of the promising varieties were conducted in several target countries and at least 4 promising OFSP clones have been identified for further on farm verification. The clones include selections from breeding populations generated within the region and/or clones introduced from CIP. In Uganda, 9 OFSP promising clones; In Zambia, 4 clones; In Ethiopia, 6 clones; In Madagascar, 4 clones; In South Africa 3 clones; In Mozambique, 11 clones; In Kenya, 3 clones.
Nine sweetpotato varieties have been released in 4 countries in 2007; 2 in Kenya, 4 in Uganda, 1 in Tanzania and 2 in Madagascar. More varieties are scheduled for release in Kenya and Tanzania in 2008. The official release of varieties in Ethiopia has been halted till the program ensures clean stocks of the varieties for multiplication & dissemination to farmers.
3) Diversity, heritibility and molecular studies for Iron, Zinc and other nutrients
Both the GxE and Bridging experiments for evaluation of β-carotene, Fe and Zn among local and improved OFSP clones were completed. Preliminary data analyses suggest significant GxE interaction effects for all the micronutrients. In both experiments, β-carotene contents were significantly high for the local accessions Carrot C, Carrot Dar, Ejumula, and Zambezi but lower than Resisto (check). These accessions also show averagely high roots yields (except Carrot Dar due to high susceptibility to SPVD and alternaria blight) and dry matter. The improved clones SPK004/6 and SPK004/6/6 showed moderate levels of β-carotene compared to the local accessions.
Ten parents have been planted in the new polycross nursery at Namulonge (Uganda) to generate progeny combinations from high and low micronutrient parents. The activity will be continued during 2008.
Over 70 sweetpotato land races (white, yellow, cream and orange) were prepared (tissue culture plantlets) for transfer to the global sweetpotato germplasm at CIP headquarters. The cultivars will be studied for genetic distinctiveness and expand representation of African materials in the CIP’s global sweetpotato germplasm bank.
4) Reducing sweetpotato losses due to weevils and viral diseases using biotechnology
Progress on the development of gene technologies to control virus and weevil is significant. The acquisition and testing of five Bt toxins against sweetpotato weevils have been completed in 2007 and the results are presently available for pursuing the next steps of the project. At least two of the five toxins will be targets for expression in sweetpotato because of their toxicity against both weevil species, gene constructs have already been prepared for these Bt proteins and transformation of African cultivars with two of these constructs has commenced. A CIP-sponsored Kenyan scientist will earn her doctorate working on these transformations. The genetic system for flower sterility is well on schedule: an important meiosis-related gene from sweetpotato has been isolated, and a gene construct for sterility based on this gene has already been used for the first plant transformation experiment. A genetic system to remove the antibiotic resistance gene from transgenic sweetpotato is currently under testing. These two genetic systems are specifically developed to address future concerns of consumers and regulatory authorities in Africa. The project program contemplates an assessment of the economic benefits of weevil and virus resistant varieties in target countries of Central Africa (Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo), testing Bt protein(s) activity against the African weevils, test existing virus RNA silencing genes, develop gene technology friendly to the consumer and environment, and build capacity in biotechnology and biosafety.
B. Multiplication and dissemination of basic seed of selected popular varieties in SSA
A 3.5 year long initiated to deploy improved sweetpotatoes in SSA ended in January 2007. Over 40 million vines have been distributed by primary partners in the four target countries (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia) during the period of the project, many used for further multiplication. Primary multiplication sites have been set-up and a variety of partners involved. Sites were well monitored and maintained in Kenya and Uganda, where they are maintained by commercial farmers trained to produce quality vines; but poor in Ethiopia and Tanzania, where they have been maintained by the national research institutes and there have been many staff changes
PRAPACE focused as well on the development of decentralized informal-farmer-based seed systems (DIFBSS) for potato as well as sweetpotato. During the past 5 years, PRAPACE funded initiatives which produced and disseminated over 200 million vines in D.R. Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda and Uganda.
PRAPACE also financed the development of a semi-automated hydroponics system for the intensive indoor cultivation of sweetpotato planting material using locally available materials. A prototype of the system referred to as Compact Multi-Entry Screening Troughs (COMEST) has the potential to preserve about 2,500 vines for over 90 days in an area of about 4M2. What this means in practice is that the vines can be kept intact for a period longer than what a normal dry season in the region lasts. All along through the dry season, plant metabolism is kept at low ebb by manipulating light intensity and using aqueous extracts from bulbils of “Aerial potato” Dioscorea bulbifera. Work in 2008 will adapt COMEST for both smallholder and industrial (commercial) production of sweetpotato planting material. If this works well, the environmental danger that ensues from encroaching wetlands for sweetpotato vine multiplication during the dry season will be avoided.
A major action research project began in 2006 in Central Mozambique and Uganda to study the process of scaling-out an OFSP-focused initiative which uses an integrated approach to OFSP production. Known as the Reaching End Users project, the approach includes a significant information and communication component to improve caregivers nutritional knowledge and create awareness of the nutritional benefits from consuming OFSP. In addition, there is a market development component that encourages commercialization of the roots and links traders to producers. In Uganda two local NGOs, VEDCO and FADEP, distributed vines of the new materials plus existing OFSP varieties Ejumula and Kakamega to 7000 households in 2007. In Mozambique, two International NGOs, World Vision and Helen Keller International oversaw the promotion of OFSP varieties in 10,000 households in 2007. CIP is responsible for seed systems research to overcome the bottleneck in adequate amounts of planting material being available at planting times; the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) heads the market research component, and IFPRI the demand creation and impact assessment research.
In Kenya, 11.4 hectares were under multiplication in 2007 in different sites consisting of all recommended/ released varieties. About 1.2 million cuttings were given out to farmers in 2007. Training of 18 sweet potato multipliers in commercial villages in Alupe and Kabondo on Rapid multiplication techniques under the Traditional Foods project
In other countries (Ghana, Madagascar, Tanzania, Zambia, and South Africa), multiplication fields have been established, and linkages are being made with NGOs and CBOs to establish secondary multiplication fields. In Madagascar, a total of 4.5 hectares of multiplication field were planted for both Riba and Mendrika for 2 seasons in 2007 producing about 6 tones of planting materials.
In Ethiopia, further multiplication has been halted by the research review council until virus-free materials become available. However efforts to evaluate the positive selection and virus indexing techniques to ensure quality planting materials have been initiated and Ethiopian technicians were trained in how to remove viruses at the Plant Quarantine Station in Muguga. High priority is being given to cleaning all major varieties in use in Ethiopia by the end of 2008.
In Mozambique, 18 varieties are maintained in vitro maintained as well as in screen houses and fields for the dissemination of healthy planting material. The project worked with the tissue culture laboratory staff at the national program to improve their skill on procurement and administrative management skills for running the tissue culture lab and utilization of the new spectrophotometer for total carotene determination in sweetpotato roots. About 22.4 hectares of improved materials were planted and vines distributed to 100,800 families in 2007.
C. Addressing the marketing constraints
In 2007, a new three year action research, CIP-led project partnering with Farm Concern International (FCI), an NGO specializing the market development, the World Vegetable Center (AVRDC), and Urban Harvest began. The “Traditional Foods Project” focuses on expanding the Commercial Village Approach used during pilot initiatives by FCI to reach a larger number of farm families while simultaneously understanding and documenting the process, costs, and benefits of achieving collective market access and changing beliefs and behaviors concerning the use of these nutrient-rich foods. The nutrient-rich foods being promoted Western Kenya and Kiambu in Kenya and Arusha in Tanzania include orange-fleshed sweetpotato and the traditional vegetables amaranth, black nightshade, cowpea leaves spider plant, and African eggplant. The dissemination of two new virus-resistant varieties just released in January 2007 will be the focus of the OFSP intervention in Kenya. Key markets for joint AIV/OFSP promotion campaigns are Nairobi and Kisumu in Kenya and Arusha in Tanzania.
A study examining the introduction of the Participatory Market Chain Approach (PMCA) in Uganda was completed in 2007. The PMCA was developed by the Papa Andina Regional Initiative of the International Potato Center (CIP) to improve the competitiveness of potato market chains and small potato producers in the Andean region of South America. Beginning in 2005, CIP and Papa Andina partnered with the Regional Potato and Sweetpotato Improvement Network in Eastern and Central Africa (PRAPACE) and several local research and development (R&D) organizations to introduce the approach into Uganda and apply it in the commodity chains for potatoes, sweetpotatoes, and vegetables. PMCA-Uganda brought together 110 market chain actors (MCA) and 34 professionals representing 16 R&D organizations all from within Uganda. Three of the tested innovations so far have been successful: 1) Improved packaging and labeling for a leading Ugandan potato crisp product has been developed, 2) A new sweetpotato variety has been successfully introduced into Uganda’s leading supermarket, and 3) A commercial tomato sauce product has been improved.
The overall assessment is that the PMCA has proven effective in Uganda for strengthening innovation capacity and for developing market chain innovations that benefit small farmers as well as other market chain actors. Valuable capacities for innovation have been developed, particularly in the realms of knowledge, attitudes, skills, and social capital. These new capacities are potentially valuable assets for stimulating future innovations in market chains in Uganda or in other countries of the region. The application and results of the PMCA to date have stimulated considerable interest in the approach in Ugandan R&D organizations, in policy circles, and among those market chain actors who have participated in or heard about the work. Yet, follow-up work is needed to ensure that prototype innovations are adequately refined and consolidated and to consolidate the multi-stakeholder platforms and social capital created. Based on the experiences assessed, it is concluded that the PMCA has potential value as a means to stimulate pro-poor innovation in Uganda and in other countries of the region.
D. Other research accomplishments in 2007 related to sweetpotato
In one district in Uganda (Soroti), HarvestPlus led a consumption study which aimed to validate the use of a modified, interactive 24hr recall approach for assessing actual Vitamin A intakes. The approach developed for use in low income populations aims to improve participant ability to recall all foods consumed, details about the foods, how they were prepared, and the amounts consumed. Results from the study fed into the design of the baseline consumption study for the REU project in Uganda. The CIP nutritionist led the successful implementation of the baseline survey, which included a socioeconomic component, dietary assessment, modules on frequency of consumption of certain foods, child feeding practices and morbidity, and the assessment of biochemical indicators.
The Reaching End Users continued to expand the number of bakeries producing “Golden Bread”. These buns in which 30% of wheat flour is replaced with boiled and mashed OFSP have enough beta-carotene content to be considered good sources of vitamin A. Seven additional bakers were trained on OFSP bread production in the Provinces of Tete, Manica, and Maputo.
The suitability for human consumption of sweetpotatoes grown in polluted areas was also studied in Uganda. Findings from 2007 indicate that sweetpotato grown on soils contaminated with the heavy metals cadmium and lead takes up the metals some which are accumulated in parts that are edible to humans. Partitioning of the heavy metals to fibrous roots, stems, leaves and storage roots was determined. Although the least amount is portioned into edible storage roots, the amounts of cadmium can still be dangerous for human health if grown on heavily polluted soils. Collaborative studies with researchers at the College of Forest Resources, University of Washington also indicate sweet potato is able to take up and degrade the organic pollutant Tri-Chloro Ethelene (TCE). The implications of all this to human health will be determined in future studies.
II. Potato Program
CIP’s Potato research and development activities in 2007 focused mainly on five key SSA countries namely Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi and Mozambique. In Angola, a potato sector study was completed and backstopping on potato seed production and varietal testing provided by the CIP scientist based in Malawi. Through the PRAPACE network, CIP’s activities were also extended to Burundi, DR Congo, Eritrea, Madagascar, Rwanda, Tanzania and Sudan.
A. Potato Breeding
The potato breeding strategy for SSA countries targets small holder producers widely spread throughout the region and focuses on two major biotic stresses as prioritized by them in previous country consultation and in addition to productivity, wide adaptation, quality for table and industry and market acceptability. Potato late blight and viruses are the major diseases in SSA and breeding at CIP headquarters has already developed advanced resistant breeding populations and selected clones in a variety of agro-ecological zones similar to those in SSA potato production areas and elsewhere.
These advanced clones extensively tested for resistance to late blight and viruses and productivity under a variety of agro ecologies are the sources of breeding materials distributed to SSA countries for testing and release of new varieties. Based on long previous experience, the majority of national programs in SSA region are not able to sponsor a full breeding program and several attempts were unsustainable. Most countries have indicated their preference to receive advanced clones in particular from CIP, because of their disease resistances, and are also more comfortable with their potential and overall performance. Although in the long term it would be desirable for national programs to establish their own breeding programs to be able to to cross breed, generate progenies and start selecting locally; this would need continuous public sector financial support which to date has not been forthcoming for national programs in SSA. Resistant breeding materials in the form of advanced clones are introduced in-vitro from CIP headquarters to the SSA regional office in Nairobi through the Plant Quarantine Station (PQS) of KEPHIS (Kenyan Plant Health Inspectorate Service) where disease-free minitubers are produced for distribution to target countries in the region. Recipient countries in addition to the minitubers are provided with a multi-stakeholder accelerated participatory variety selection scheme to release varieties in 4 to 5 years and have at least 30 tons of clean basic seed to initiate the diffusion process closely linked with their seed production schemes. Although, CIP has been supporting the establishment of laboratory and tissue culture facilities in each of the target countries in SSA to be able to receive in-vitro plants directly from headquarters, they still struggle to keep the facilities in good operation and produce the required minitubers. It appears that at this date and until they develop the required skills and ensure funding support, an external supply of minitubers is still most desirable for both receiving new breeding materials and as starting clean materials of their seed programs.
1) Regional Trial Results
Three potato clones from the B3 population with durable resistance to late blight performed outstandingly in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, paving way for country releases and regional use. This is the first time ever to release regional varieties. This shows a departure from concentrating only on national interest at the expense of regional interest. Regional releases save time, money, and enhance regional impact. The clones CIP-393371.58, 393385.39 and 393382.44 showed stronger horizontal resistance to LB, high productivity, broad adaptation and good quality for table and industry than those released before in the region. They are expected to reduce fungicide use in the region without increasing disease risk, and are expected to contribute to a more effective regional integrated disease management program for LB. Moreover, these selected clones/varieties, due to their broad level of adaptation and consumer acceptance, can be directly introduced in other SSA countries with good possibilities for adoption, saving additional resources and time.
2) Promotion of new advanced LB resistant clones for variety selection in SSA
During 2007 we made an extra effort to produce mini tubers at the Plant Quarantine Service in Kenya and distributed to Angola, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia (11 B3 clones with 100 minitubers/each ) and in-vitro clones from Lima to Uganda (14 B3C2 clones) and directly to Tigoni Station in Kenya (36 B3c1+ B3C2 clones).
3) Efforts to involve private enterprises on mass in-vitro and mini tuber production
In 2007, we looked into alternative strategies for pre-basic potato seed production that involve the private sector as a potential strategy to break the bottleneck in pre-basic seed availability. Two companies were engaged -- Oserian in Naivasha, which specializes in flowers, and GTIL in Nairobi, specialized on trees, fruit trees and herbs. After getting official authorization from KEPHIS (quarantine authorities in Kenya) headquarters for these two companies to receive in-vitro plantlets, propagate them and produce minitubers, under their supervision and disease control we introduced 4 in-vitro clones from Lima for Oserian and 3 from PQS fro GTIL. The two companies successfully produced 1,200 rooted plantlets from each clone, clean of diseases and are currently under minituber production at PQS because both companies do not have yet quarantine screen houses but they are interested in building modules for aeroponic production under PQS and CIP supervision. We are closely monitoring and advising their establishment as service providers for pre-basic clean seed stocks of local varieties to meet the demand of seed growers and associations. If successful, their services could also include minituber exports to other countries. They can also provide services to CIP for introducing new clones and distribute to other countries in larger amounts; like wise produce large amounts of minitubers from new and already released varieties to facilitate large-scale diffusion.
B. Potato Seed
Lack of sufficient quantity of quality seed in SSA has long been a bottleneck to improved potato productivity, improved varietal diffusion, and ability to control bacterial wilt through integrated management approaches. Because of the low multiplication rates, bulky, perishable product and rigorous quality control challenges, organized seed potato production is organizationally and financially difficult. These systems tend to remain fragile. Many organized systems created through special efforts by governments or external donors have collapsed due to financial, organizational or policy failures. Since the late 1990’s, members of the Eastern and Central African Potato and Sweetpotato Regional Network, PRAPACE, have tried to address the lack of public and private sector investment in formal seed systems through more direct interaction with farmer groups and individuals interested in learning how to produce quality seed. Several of these efforts have significantly increased the amount of quality seed available of new varieties. For more effective technology transfer to increase impact of the PRAPACE network’s research outputs in seed, linkages were fostered with thirty-six diverse additional partners (in addition to a couple of 100 in the previous years) in extension, development institutions as well as the private sector mainly in Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
In 2007 over 720,000 mini-tubers (Nuclear) were produced in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda and Uganda for further multiplication of pre-basic and basic seed with PRAPACE support. During the same time, about 1,700 tons clean potato seed of the region’s most important seven improved varieties were produced and availed to decentralized informal seed multipliers for further multiplication and dissemination.
Previous research efforts in Kenya, the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) established that cleaner seed can be produced in a small seed plot technique, which utilized small plots that are free from bacterial wilt to produce clean tubers. Potatoes are planted at high densities in small nursery beds to produce small sized seed potatoes free of bacterial wilt that will be used as seed in subsequent plantings. Scaling up of this technology was done in Kenya, Uganda and Burundi.
Seventy-nine percent of the targeted households in both Kenya and Uganda reported up to a double-fold improvement in productivity through use of the small-plot technique for improved seed production on-farm, and 45% reduction in post-harvest losses. The use of the small-plot technique will be scaled up and out in the region as a means of increasing the quantity of clean seed, improve potato productivity and food security, and increasing household income.
In Burundi, Madagascar and Tanzania, over three thousand farmers were trained in integrated approaches in managing seed-borne diseases. 40% of the trainees were women. The Positive Selection Technique that has proved to greatly improve potato seed quality in on-farm seed production was the focus of most of the training. The technique reduced bacterial wilt incidence by 85-90%; and significantly lowered infestations due to leaf roll virus.
Manuals for both trainers and farmers in English on how to conduct training of farmer’s groups on positive selection were completed by CIP scientists, published and distributed in 2007 in East Africa and Malawi. In 2008 French and Portuguese versions will be produced, published and distributed.
Moreover, a regional manual on principles and best practices for seed production was published and hundreds of copies distributed mainly to potential end-users in Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. At national level, thousands of copies of user-friendly seed-related information packages like manuals, calendars were like-wise distributed to end-users in English and local languages.
The program in Southern Africa (Malawi, Mozambique and Angola) continued to expand during its second year of existence. Under the “”Improving rural livelihoods in Southern Africa through Root and tuber crops” project, potato research activities were conducted in Southern Malawi, Mozambique and Angola. Activities focused on: On-farm seed potato improvement using negative and positive selection techniques, investigation of optimum fertilizer dose and planting spacing for potato production, evaluation of CIP-derived clones/varieties, promotion of diffuse light seed stores. In August, CIP launched a new public-private sector 4 year initiative in Malawi to revitalize the potato seed systems and link farmers to markets. A strong partnership has been created with one private sector partner (Universal Industries), a crisps manufacturer, Concern Universal, an NGO working with farmers in the potato growing areas, the Department of Agricultural Research Services, and the Agricultural Extension Services to revitalize potato seed production, select varieties needed by the industry, and engage farmers in contract farming to produce seed and ware potato for the processing industry.
In Mozambique, a feasibility study for seed potato production in Southern Mozambique was initiated in mid-2007. The purpose of the study is to see if disease-free seed can be produced and stored under the non-ideal conditions for potato seed production found in Southern Malawi. The demand for seed in Southern Mozambique is driven by the Government who wants to substitute its expensive seed imports from South Africa for ware potato production. The diffuse light seed storage method has been introduced into Namaasha, Lichinga, Angonia and Tsangano districts in Mozambique. Seed multiplication and storage trials in Southern Mozambique have been initiated.
A three-week study to analyze the status of the potato sub-sector in Angola was conducted by CIP inn collaboration with CLUSA, an NGO in Angola and national program scientists. This study documented the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the Angolan potato sub-sector.
Four out of five African students interested in potato seed successfully defended their theses in 2007. Mr. Paul Kim Kuria worked on investigating alternative low-cost medium for potato tissue culture. He used table sugar and cassava starch to substitute sucrose and agar, respectively, in culture medium. Mr. John Kamau Mwangi worked on Improving Seed Potato Quality and Production using Positive Selection and ELISA Techniques. These two were at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture, Science and Technology in Kenya. Mr. Chofong G. Nchongboh (University of Dschang, Cameroon) worked on determining of the efficiency of positive selection in production of disease free seed potato in Cameroon.
C. Integrated Crop Management and the Researcher Field School Concept
A new research approach that combines capacity building through mutual learning with achieving tangible regional research results has been tested by the potato late blight working group for Eastern and Central Africa and was baptized the Researcher Field School. During its three year lifespan ending in 2007, the Researcher Field School went through the full cycle of research from identification of research priorities to the communication of research results. It pooled together the human resources available within the East and Central African region---scientists from CIP, ISAR (Rwanda), ISABU (Burundi), INERA (Democratic Republic of Congo), NARO (Uganda), KARI (Kenya) and EIAR (Ethiopia) -- to tackle a precise and pressing problem, late blight. The school allowed researchers from the national programs to effectively play their important role as initiators and/or promoters of technological and methodological innovation of the smallholder agricultural system. The Researcher Field School is based on the principles of learning through experience and takes into consideration the continuous need for well-adapted training and capacity building to achieve meaningful regional research results and links regional research efforts to national and local innovation systems.
In additional to host resistance, integrated disease management options for Late Blight (LB) were developed and promoted by Research Field School participants. Two recommendations on fungicide spraying regimes were developed for the region’s current varieties. These two recommendations reduced the disease significantly and increase tuber yield also significantly, resulting in highest economic returns. Each country can use either or both of the recommendations.
During the year, 26 technical staff and regional scientists from Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda and Uganda, were trained on integrated disease management of potato LB, bacterial wilt and Viruses. Of the trained, nine were female. Moreover, manuals on LB were published in English, French and local languages in six countries and distributed to farmers for on-farm use. Manual production was spearheaded by CIP in collaboration with PRAPACE in a “Researcher Field School” approach.
As a fitting end to the Researcher Field School of Late Blight, nine NARS scientists participating in the School attended the African Potato Association Conference held in Alexandria Egypt in October 2007 and presented the findings from their three years of collaborative research. All scientists expressed a desire to see a continuation of the Researcher Field School if funding could be procured.
III. Urban Harvest Program
A. Improving Food Security in HIV/AIDS Communities
In a project the on “Combating HIV/AIDS in Urban communities through Food and Nutrition in Nakuru Town, Kenya”, a diagnostic study conducted on 154 HIV/Aids households with a child aged 2-5yrs showed that 33.1% of the children were stunted and 26.0% were underweight. In terms of food security assessment only 0.6% of the households were food secure, 1.9% were mildly food insecure, 24.0% were moderately food insecure and 73.4% were severely food insecure and majority of the households in lived below the US$40 per month. To address food and nutrition insecurity the project introduced two urban agriculture interventions which were productions of traditional African vegetables (TAVs) on a one acre of land located in different parts of the town. Forty Kenya-Toggenburg dairy goats were distributed to 40 HIV/Aids affected households for supply of six acres of sweet potato forage varieties and napier grass were established in separate plots distributed within the town. To date three kids have been born and 5 goats are being milked. During the same period two MSc degrees of students from University of Toronto and Egerton respectively, were completed as were six internships for young scientists from Canada and Kenya.
B. Urban Wastewater Research
Use of wastewater for urban horticulture in Nairobi, was found to be a major source of contamination of vegetables. For example, lead and cadmium levels were found to be 80 and 15 times higher that the EU standards, respectively. Interestingly, parasitic larvae and faecal coliforms on vegetable samples taken from informal markets in Nairobi were higher than those found in vegetables irrigated with wastewater although under both environments the contaminants levels were higher than allowed levels for human consumption. Urban Harvest and partners through the Traditional Foods project are investigating whether it would be economically feasible and culturally acceptable to switch vegetable growers into production of TAVs seeds for sale to rural vegetable growers through agro-input dealers. Two MSc students in water engineering have completed their data collection and will completing their theses in 2008.
C. Gender Mainstreaming
Draft guidelines on gender responsive research in CIP were produced in partnership with CIP, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Kenya Green Towns Partnership Association and University of Nairobi and presented to the CIP DG. Urban Harvest has applied some of this information in engendering training materials for capacity building of the farmers and extension staff in the traditional foods Traditional Foods project. CIP is collaborating with the Resource Centre for Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF) to produce a book on guidelines and tools for gender mainstreaming in urban agriculture whose publication (Havolka A., Wilbers J. and Njenga M. eds).
D. Briquettes for Energy in the Slums
In a study to see whether an income generating technology could be turned into viable enterprises for youth in the urban slums of Nairo bi, a participatory fuel briquette making youth centre was established at Kahawa Soweto Village which and informal settlement in partnership with TERRA NUOVA an Italian NGO, Kenya Green Towns Partnership Association and SOYIA youth group. Training courses on project management and governance, production and marketing including packaging and branding have been delivered to the youth. Three gender friendly briquette making machines and paper shredder have also been provided and during the month of February SOYIA have produced six hundred fuel briquettes and sold about 300 pieces in the neighbourhood (village and Kahawa shopping centre) at a cost of Ksh 5 each.
Urban Harvest, through its research on Strengthening Urban Agriculture in Kampala and Health Impacts of Urban Agriculture in Kampala, gave birth to a new partner organization, Kampala Urban Food Security, Agriculture and Livestock Coordinating Committee (KUFSALCC), which is now registered as an NGO in Uganda. The members include Kampala City Council (KCC), Urban Harvest, CIAT, NARO, several departments of Makerere University, and Environmental Alert (an NGO). The Health and UA project, which was begun in 2002, first created this committee, which has brought together a team of professionals from the Dept of Public Health Sciences and Centre for International Health at the University of Toronto. In Kampala the councilors from KCC and scientists from Makerere University are actively involved in research. This new institution has also attracted other funds and is now participating with the City Council in a project on developing housing and urban agriculture. In addition, a team of researchers was mobilized in November 2005 and has embarked on a four year research and development project dubbed Focus Cities Research project on strengthening Urban Agriculture in Kampala as a mediating activity toward urban poverty reduction and easing of environmental burdens among the urban poor communities. This project is led by Urban Harvest involving researchers from Kampala City Council, Civil Society Organizations, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries, Makerere University, KUFSALCC, CIAT and ILRI.
Pig-raising had been identified in earlier market studies as a potentially high-return agro-enterprise in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. However, like many urban and peri-urban livestock raising activities, feed is often a major constraint. A study conducted in 2007 sought to understand the potential of food and other organic wastes and by-products from commercial and domestic sources as a feed source for pigs, contributing to household livelihoods on the one hand, and helping to solve the urban solid waste management on the other. Household characteristics, marketing practices, feed management and feed demand in 144 pig-raising enterprises in six parishes along the peri-urban to inner urban transect were studied. To understand the supply of organic wastes and their current use for pig feed, a small sample of Kampala’s organic waste-generating enterprises were also analyzed in the same parishes and in the City Center. The study found that food preparation and food leftovers were the most commonly used feed in the pig-raising enterprises, though crop residues were also important, underlining both the interdependence of urban and peri-urban crop and livestock production, as well as an important rural-urban flow of by-products. Food preparation wastes and leftovers were obtained from several types of commercial outlets, but the pig-raiser’s own home was identified as most frequent source in 40% of cases. Commercial and home-prepared concentrates were used by only a small number of pig-raisers.
The most important part of feed preparation involves cooking, but this was done primarily to enhance palatability for the pigs rather than to reduce health risks. Just heating up the feed, or cooking for a short period seems to respond both to this perception as well as to limited access to fuel. Many different types of commercial waste producers were identified, with market and brewers’ waste apparently very underutilized by pig-raisers. Slaughter houses also offer considerable underexploited supply of high protein feed. Few pig-raisers perceived risks either to animals or humans from using organic wastes. About 45% of waste producers were critical of the waste collectors – mainly pig-raisers – but this was primarily because of problems in the mechanics of collection rather than in its use as feed. Forty percent of waste producers saw the use of waste for feed as a contribution to solving the city’s solid waste management problem. Understanding the current system of pig feeding in Kampala will form the foundation for designing more productive systems for this important urban livelihood activity.
IV. Natural Resources Management
Under this division, there were four major research project conducted in 2007 which are summarized below:
A. Digital Soil Mapping in Machakos (Kenya)
The Machakos district is located in Eastern Province and is famous for the ‘more people, less erosion’ story. Since colonial times, the area has been terraced to combat soil erosion and increase water availability for agricultural crops. With inherent low soil fertility, a lack of external inputs to the soil, an increasing population pressure and declining land availability, agricultural production has declined over the years and most of the area is now under subsistence agriculture. However, with the proximity to the Nairobi market, an intensification of agricultural production is happening in some places and can be expected to continue. With an integrated assessment model (‘Tradeoff Analysis’), combining bio-physical and economic data analysis, we looked at scenarios of agricultural intensification and the effects on nutrient depletion and farmers’ income. At the beginning of the study, the 13,500 km2 study area only had seven points with data on soils. We successfully applied a new technique called ‘digital soil mapping’, combined with a new soil survey of 95 samples to create a soil map covering the whole study area. Digital Soil Mapping makes use of known auxiliary variables (geology, topography, vegetation and climate) to extrapolate the soil information from the survey to a complete spatial coverage of the whole area. This soil map was used in the integrated assessment model and we were able to simulate different scenarios of agricultural intensification and map out the effects on soil fertility and farmers’ income.
B. Landslide Modeling in Mbale (Uganda)
With an ever increasing population pressure on the footslopes of Mount Elgon (Eastern Uganda), farmers are occupying more and more land on environmentally vulnerable terrain. By deforestation and inconsiderate slope disturbance, the problem of landslides (mass movement of soil triggered by intense rainfall) is becoming a serious issue with destruction of property and fatalities as a consequence. We applied a computer model that is able to predict landslide initiation sites and patterns of erosion and deposition of landslide material (LAPSUS-LS model) to a study area in Mbale district. The model was parameterized with data on soils, topography, land use and climate and different scenarios of agricultural intensification were simulated. The model was able to delineate the areas most prone to landsliding. Maps were created which can be used by policy makers, land use planners and farmers to avoid occupying the most vulnerable areas.
C. Using High-Resolution Satellite Images to Improve Statistics for Areas under Sweetpotato
Information on crop statistics is important for the implementation of research and development projects. We tested a technique called ‘remote sensing’ which makes use of satellite imagery for its ability to detect fields under sweet potato and discriminate them from other crops. We chose Kumi district (northeast Uganda) as a pilot site with a high presence of sweet potato cropping fields. Images from the SPOT satellite with resolutions of 10 and 5 meters were digitally processed and used to discriminate sweet potato fields from other crops. Our remote sensing data suggest that only 63% of the sweet potato cropping area is recorded in official statistics. Using the tested method substantially improves the estimation of cropping areas. We are also planning to test the method for potato in the near future.
D. Economic Feasibility of Adopting Dual-purpose Sweet potato in Vihiga District (western Kenya)
Mixed crop-livestock systems have a crucial role to play in meeting the agricultural production challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. Sweet potato is seen as a potential remedial crop for tropical smallholder farmers because of its high productivity and low input requirements, while its usefulness for both food and feed (‘dual-purpose’) make it attractive in areas where land availability is declining. We developed and applied a ‘minimum-data’ methodology to assess ex-ante the economic viability of adopting dual-purpose sweet potato in Vihiga district, western Kenya. The methodology uses and integrates available socio-economic and bio-physical data on farmers’ land use allocation, production and input and output use. The characteristics of the current system regarding resources and productivity are analyzed to assess the profitability of substituting dual-purpose sweet potato for other crops currently grown for food and feed. Results indicate that a substantial number of farmers in the study area could benefit economically from adopting dual-purpose sweet potato. Depending on assumptions made, adoption rates, expressed as the percentage of the total land area that is occupied by farms that grow dual-purpose sweet potato in their system, are between 55 and 80%. The analysis shows that the adoption rate is likely to vary positively with the average total yield of dual-purpose sweet potato, the harvest index (the ratio between tuber and fodder yields), the price of milk, and the nutritional value of available fodder.
V. Future Areas of Focus and the Way Forward
The most relevant potato technologies to focus on for improvement, deployment and scaling up in SSA are the following:
Improvement of seed production technologies and strategies to increase production of high quality seed and vines involving organized farmers and interested stakeholders
Improvement of variety diffusion strategies linked to seed production schemes and research on how to achieve impact-at-scale to promote spreading of already released and new CIP-derived varieties
Improvement of variety selection schemes to accelerate the selection process and maintain an efficient pipeline of new superior clones with increased market options and higher resistance levels to late blight
Improvement of integrated management strategies for diseases and pests, in particular late-blight, bacterial wilt, and virus diseases, to hasten deployment and practical applications
Improvement of already known post harvest technologies for seed and ware potatoes and enhance wider utilization
Development of economically viable post-harvest processed products utilizing sweetpotato
Develop value chain approaches for sustainable uptake and diffusion of new varieties as well as the promotion of value addition and other opportunities to improve farm gate potato prices. In the case of orange-fleshed sweetpotatoes (OFSP), emphasis is placed on development of campaigns to promote the nutritional benefits of OFSP consumption.
Enhance training in related technologies to develop local human resource capacity and regional interaction
In 2008, we will continue to advance in collaboration with our partners on the potato and sweetpotato breeding and other activities described above. We will adapt a low cost version of the aeroponics technology for potato seed minituber production refined at headquarters in SSA for the first time. With this technology, we hope to be able to increase the multiplication rate in potato from 6-10 to 1 to 50-60 to 1, thus vastly accelerating the multiplication of potato seed. In addition, we have received additional funding in three areas:
1. A four year project “Wealth Creation Through Integrated Development of the Potato Production and Marketing Sector in Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia” will begin in May 2008. ”
With an integrated approach, smallholder livelihoods will be improved through parallel interventions in the seed potato as well as the ware potato production and marketing chain. Through improved productivity combined with value chain streamlining, the potato sector in the intervention area will be lifted to a more profitable level. Value will be added through the development of specialized smallholder potato production to serve the growing processing and high-end fresh consumer markets. Producers, the private sector, research organisations and public extension service will be involved as project partners for integrated potato sector development. In Kenya and Uganda commercial potato processing companies have been identified as direct project partners. These processors will be linked through the project to ware potato producer groups. The project can be influential in brokering arrangements between the producers and the processors. Furthermore the project will assure that the producers will obtain the necessary skills and organisation to effectively produce and trade high quality potatoes. In Ethiopia a commercial potato processor has not yet been identified as a project partner. The private sector is represented in the project team through a commercial seed potato production company. Commercial potato processing opportunities will be identified once the project takes off.
2. A five year project “Integrated Project for Research and Development of Production and Commercialization of Banana, Cassava, Irish Potatoes and Sweetpotatoes in Uíge, Kwanza Norte, Huambo, and Huile Provinces in Angola” has been approved and should begin in June 2008.
In collaboration with the National Agronomic Research Institute, the project intends to establish sustainable systems for generating clean basic planting material of these four vegetatively propagated crops. The project expects to reach 146,000 direct rural household beneficiaries by the end of the project. A key component is building a research program on roots and tubers into the fourth year curriculum of the University of Huambo. This will be the first time that CIP will have a scientist based in Angola.
3. A three year project “Reducing Climate Vulnerability of Poor Farm Households in East Africa through Innovations in Potato and Sweet potato Technologies and Complimentary Policies” will begin in April 2008.
Most research on climate change impacts and adaptation have been based on analysis of individual crops, analysis of “representative farms,” or modeling exercises using aggregated data, with little or no participation by farmers and other stakeholders. As a result, existing research has quantified potential aggregate impacts, but has not tested the usefulness of strategies based on specific technologies and practices that could be adopted by farmers to adapt to climate change. In this project we propose to utilize a new participatory approach to climate impact and adaptation research (Tradeoff Analysis, TOA) that produces locally useful, site-specific results that can also be aggregated for regional policy analysis. TOA is designed to assess the economic and environmental sustainability of technologies and policies by linking stakeholders with research teams using quantitative impact assessment tools. The project will focus on two areas in Kenya and one in Uganda where CIP and collaborators have already established institutional linkages and modeling capability and begun to assess climate change impacts. A new collaboration with the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research will be added to this effort. All participants in the process (farmers, local and national institutions, researchers) are both providers and users of information needed to advance knowledge.
