RTB toolbox for Working with Root, Tuber and Banana Seed Systems
Root, tuber and banana crops are the foundation of tropical food security. But their seed systems are complex and widely informal. The seed is bulky, expensive to transport, spoils easily, and can harbor health problems from viruses to weevils. These challenges must be overcome in order to improve agricultural productivity and feed the world in an uncertain future.
From the successful launch of the RTB Toolbox earlier this year, we are very pleased to bring you a three-day workshop focused on the individual tools designed to help farmers, researchers and extension workers build and develop stronger seed systems for RTB crops.
This set of workshops is a follow-up from our event in July. These workshops will focus on preliminary results from Toolbox use in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda and include discussion among scientists and policymakers to provide feedback on these early findings.
The sessions will be conducted in English and simultaneous translation to Spanish and French will be available.
FETIEN ABERA
Independent Science for Development Council
Mekelle University, Ethiopia
CONNY ALMEKINDERS
Associate Professor
Wageningen University
JORGE ANDRADE PIEDRA
Senior Scientist
International Potato Center
IAN BARKER
Program Leader for Global Agri-food Systems
International Potato Center
JEFF BENTLEY
Agricultural Anthropologist
CGIAR Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas
NICOLINE DE HAAN
Director
CGIAR Gender Platform
CARLO FADDA
Principal Scientist
Alliance Bioversity- CIAT
LAWRENCE KENT
Senior Program Officer
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
HENERIKO KULEMBEKA
Center Director
Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute, Ukiriguru
JAMES LEGG
Plant Health Specialist
International Institute for Tropical Agriculture
MARGARET MCEWAN
Senior Scientist
International Potato Center
VIVIAN POLAR
Gender and Innovation, Senior Specialist, RTB Program
International Potato Center
DAVID SPIELMAN
Senior Research Fellow
International Food Policy Research Institute
TAYE TADESSE
Director of Crops Research
Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
NELSON TURYAHABWE
Head of Department of Extension and Innovation Studies
Makerere University
Welcome
Vivian Polar, Gender and Innovation, Senior Specialist, RTB Program, International Potato Center
Presentation of Uganda seed study
Uganda ACTT
Comments on Uganda seed study
Nelson Turyahabwe , Head of Department of Extension and Innovation Studies, Makerere University
Discussion
Nicoline de Haan, Director of the CGIAR Gender Platform
Q&A
Jeff Bentley
SeEDQUAL and ACI-VSS
James Legg, Plant Health Specialist, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture
Closing comments for Day 1
Jeff Bentley
Review of Day 1
Coordination team
Tanzania seed study
Tanzania ACTT
Comments on Tanzania seed study
Heneriko Kulembeka, Center Director for TARI-Ukiriguru., Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute
Discussion
Fetien Abera, Professor of Crop Science, Mekelle University, Ethiopia
Q&A
Jeff Bentley
RTB Tools4SeedSystems Toolbox and building African capacity for seed system development
Lawrence Kent , Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Closing comments for Day 2
Jeff Bentley
Review of Day 2
Coordination team
Ethiopia seed study
Ethiopia ACTT
Comments on Ethiopia seed study
Taye Tadesse, Director of Crops Research, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research
Discussion
David Spielman, Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute
Q&A
Jeff Bentley
Proposal writing
Coordination team
The place of seed systems in the One CGIAR initiative: Nature-positive solutions for productivity, resilience and inclusive growth
Carlo Fadda, Principal Scientist, Alliance Bioversity- CIAT
Strengthening links between breeding outputs and seed systems
Ian Barker, Program Director, Global Potato Agrifood Systems
Next steps and closing remarks
Jeff Bentley
Graduation ceremony
Coordination team
- The RTB Toolbox: Building capacities for seed systems development
- The golden eggs that keep on giving
- Breaking through the 40% adoption ceiling: mind the seed system gaps
- Evaluating Seed Systems to Guide Improvement: Variety Diffusion, Disease Management and Benefits
- Let’s Build Back Better! A Strategy for Sweet Potato Vine Distribution