ICRISAT Happenings

27 July 2012

No. 1529

Some farmers who participated in the finger millet field day in Matungu, Mumias District of Kenya.

Alleviating poverty and food insecurity in the drylands

ICRISAT-HOPE holds finger millet field day in western province of Kenya Kenya is a major processor and consumer of finger millet grain produced in the East African region.

It is estimated that almost 90% of finger millet processed and consumed by the urbanites in the country is imported from Tanzania and Uganda. While the western province of Kenya is a major finger millet producing area, it is now affected by the changing eating habits of its rural people, inadequate access to information on modern production technologies, lack of profitability and marketability prospects, and competition from other crops such as maize and sugarcane.

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CRISAT, along with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and its local agricultural office, organized a finger millet field day on 23 July in Matungu in Mumias District in the western province of Kenya, to demonstrate to farmers the

benefits of improved varieties, management technologies, value-added products for use in the household and for sale, seed and market accessibility channels, and profitability of finger millet production in comparison to sugarcane and maize.

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ICRISAT-HOPE holds finger millet field day....from page 1 During the field day, two neighboring farmers in Matungu Division of Mumias District, Mary Osimbo Murayi and Benjamin Wesonga Amere, who are members of the Matungu Rural Poverty Alleviation (MARP) had displays of improved market-preferred varieties and management technologies, field-scale production of finger millet, small seed packs of improved varieties, value addition products and information materials on improved finger millet production.

purpose in order to achieve household food and income security in the area within the next 5 years.

A total of 189 farmers, 40% of whom were women, attended the field day. Others in attendance were district and provincial agricultural officials (10), and representatives from ICRISAT (4), KARI (4) and the provincial administration (4). Deputy Provincial Director of Agriculture, Ziporrah Mugonyi, in launching the field day, underlined the food security importance of finger millet as it provides healthy and nutritious food and is a good income earner for local households.

He explained that in 2010, the last year he cropped sugarcane, he had harvested about 12-15 tons (after 18 months of growing period) on 1 acre that earned him a gross income of about Kshs 20,000 (US$ 250).

In 2011, he planted maize and finger millet in equal proportions and after a growing period of 4-5 months, earned a gross income of Kshs 27,000 (US$ 338) and Kshs 36,000 (US$ 450) from 1 acre each of maize and finger millet, respectively. Finger millet gave a gross income of 80% and 35% more than sugarcane and maize, respectively.

She, however, advised that farmers should invest more of their time and land and integrate with markets in order to increase marketable surplus and make finger millet production even more competitive. District Commissioner (DC) for Mumias, Samson Otieno Okwach, thanked all stakeholders involved in the ICRISAT-HOPE project and urged them to forge closer partnerships and unity of

Benjamin Wesonga Amere, a 45-year old farmer with a 3-acre farm, whose 2-acre plot of Okhale (an improved finger millet variety) formed part of the displays, narrated how his crop production had gradually evolved from sugarcane and maize, then to maize and finger millet in equal proportions, and finally to settle in a combination of maize and finger millet with finger millet occupying two-thirds of the land.

In the current season (first rains of 2012), he has 2 acres under finger millet and 1 acre under maize, and hopes to earn a total gross farm income per season of Kshs 72,000 (US$ 900) and Kshs 27,000 (US$ 338), respectively (there are 2 seasons in a year). The farmer says he is now more income secure (able to pay school fees for all his six children) and has adequate food for the family throughout the year. g

A file picture of Jackline Omondi, whose harvest of finger millet variety U-15 in Ukwala division of western Kenya last year helped her pay her children’s school fees and much more.

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Bhoochetana phase II and GoK-CGIAR initiative workshop held

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ased on the excellent progress of Bhoochetana phase I, the Government of Karnataka (GoK), in a bid to strengthen the initiative, held a workshop on 21-22 July at ICRISAT-Patancheru to discuss Bhoochetana phase II (Strengthening Bhoochetana – a sustainable agriculture Dr Dar highlights the project’s (L to R) Drs KV Sarvesh, KV Raju, Mr Bharat mission for improved achievements in his opening address.

Lal Meena and SP Wani during the workshop. livelihoods in Karnataka) and also emphasized the principles of convergence, the GoK-CGIAR initiative (Improving rural livelihoods through innovative scaling-up of science- consortium, capacity building and collective action to enable a science-led development approach to led participatory research for development). benefit resource-poor farmers.

Since 2009, ICRISAT has been implementing Dr SP Wani welcomed the participants and special Bhoochetana phase I in 30 districts of Karnataka. guests, which included Dr SA Patil, Chairman, Titled “Bridging yield gaps through science-led Karnataka Krishi Mission; Dr KV Raju, Economic interventions for sustainable use of natural resources in Karnataka,” the initiative which will end in March Advisor to the Chief Minister of Karnataka; Mr Bharat Lal Meena, Principal Secretary, Agriculture; 2013, has been instrumental in increasing and Dr KV Sarvesh, Director, Agriculture. agricultural production (35-66%) as well as in enhancing farmers’ gross income through scienceThe workshop participants discussed and planned based interventions covering three million hectares the GoK-CGIAR initiative and Bhoochetana phase II during the 2011 rainy season. activities to operationalize the programs soon. The participants worked in groups to map out strategies, In his address at the workshop’s opening session, institutional linkages, strengthening technologies, Director General William Dar highlighted the institutional arrangements, innovative approaches achievements of Bhoochetana and ICRISAT’s and input and delivery systems. The workshop was journey with the GoK in demonstrating how a science-led approach not only increases productivity organized by a team led by Dr SP Wani, with Dr K Krishnappa, Dr KH Anantha, Mr S Raghavendra Rao and income, but also makes agriculture a profitable and Mr KNV Satyanarayana. g venture for smallholder farming communities. He

Participants of the Bhoochetana II and GoK-CGIAR initiative workshop.

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Exploring partnership opportunities for better adaptation to climate variability

(L to R) Andre Butler, Robert Zougmoré, PCS Traoré, Andrea Wetzer and Manda Sissoko at the exploratory meeting on climate change and adaptation.

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ndrea Wetzer, Head of Contract and Cooperation, GIZ, visited ICRISAT-Samanko on 20 July to discuss and explore partnership opportunities related to climate change and adaptation. She met with Robert Zougmoré (CCAFS Regional Team Leader), Andre Butler (Visiting Scientist, CCAFS), Manda Sissoko (Science Officer) and all team members of CCAFS, Pierre Sibiry Traoré (ICRISAT Principal Scientist), and Agathe Diama (ICRISAT Regional Information Officer).

During the meeting, the group was introduced to the GIZ three-year project “Projet d’Intégration aux changements climatiques dans la planification du développement au Mali (PICP)” which aims to identify areas of vulnerability to climate change and the most appropriate tools for adaptation in three regions of Mali (Koulikoro, Segou and Kayes).

Participants of the meeting agreed that ICRISAT and CCAFS could bring a lot to this GIZ-supported project. Recent experiences by ICRISAT and CODEWA, SIBWA and others have shown that sustainable land management practices could be profitable and beneficial to smallholder farmers.

The use of simple tools and practices at the village and regional levels to assess vulnerability and studies done by CCAFS on participatory research action are available options that the new GIZ project in Mali could use as well.

At the end of their meeting, ICRISAT and GIZ representatives agreed to explore opportunities in order to synergize their efforts. g

New publication Biodiversity and Livelihoods: New ways Forward for Africa’s Desert Margins. (Order Code BOE O54)

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Philippine agriculture scientists/administrators visit ICRISAT-Patancheru

Philippine agriculture scientists/administrators with Dr Dar and ICRISAT senior staff.

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ight agriculture scientists/administrators from the regional field offices of the Philippines’ Department of Agriculture (DA) and an agricultural state university visited Patancheru on 22-23 July as part of ICRISAT’s active collaboration with the DA’s Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).

The visit provided the team with the opportunity to have face-to-face interaction with ICRISAT scientists and gain first-hand insights into the Institute’s experiences in implementing strategic programs and science-based innovations in rainfed/dryland agriculture.

The delegation at a briefing on the role of FETS in support of research-for-development programs.

The group had lectures and on-station farm visits to ICRISAT’s various research-for-development (R4D) programs, as well as an observation tour of the Kothapally watershed where they had a better perspective of the concept of up-scaling sciencebased innovations for the benefit of smallholder farming communities.

A glimpse and exposure to India’s rich culture made the scientific learning an experience to remember for the delegation. g

A fun-filled evening reception for the Philippine visitors, garbed in sarees and turbans, made their week-long scientific learning a memorable experience for all.

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KSI Connect launches scientists’ seminar platform

Dr Dar launching KSI Connect, the institute’s seminar platform for scientists.

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SI Connect, a knowledge series from ICRISAT, launched the scientists’ seminar platform on 26 July with a special presentation by Director General William Dar. More than 85 participants joined in this inaugural seminar, 28 of them via telepresence from locations around the globe.

Dileepkumar Guntuku, KSI Global Leader and project leader of KSI Connect, opened the meeting with an overview of the new virtual platform and its purpose.

In his presentation, Dr Dar explained that KSI Connect is an innovative new platform that uses information and communication technology tools to create a flexible learning environment to enable learning exchanges and knowledge transfer around the globe.

Dr Dar speaks on the occasion.

The platform allows experts worldwide to share their research and project experiences. Seminars will be hosted by agricultural researchers and experts from both ICRISAT and beyond, and will spotlight the most interesting projects, cutting-edge research and fascinating stories, especially on agricultural research-for-development in the semi-arid tropics.

All the seminars will be live-streamed to a global, online audience and then archived on the KSI Connect platform, so that they continue to be available to scientists, researchers, academics, students, and farmers as a free and open educational online resource. KSI Connect plans to host one seminar per week, which all are welcome to join by visiting http://www.ksiconnect.icrisat.org/ and clicking on the “virtual room” tab. g

HRO Director attends Philippines-Australia HR and OD symposium

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RO Director Hector Hernandez attended the first Philippines-Australia Human Resources and Organizational Development (HR and OD) Symposium on 12-13 July in Manila.

The event, with the theme “Towards a unified strategic and results-driven HR”, served as a forum for sharing knowledge on emerging HR and OD practices and for leveraging best practices in

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competency-based HR systems and processes in pursuing reforms, particularly in Local Government Units (LGUs) of the Philippines. The symposium also demonstrated how public-private partnership (PPP) can be actualized in the spirit of strengthening the human capital of more than 1.3 million public servants in the country. About 150 public and private HR and OD practitioners attended the event. g

IUBS meeting on biological consequences of global change in China

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r Hari Sharma co-chaired the meeting of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) program on “Biological consequences of global change,” along with Drs Zhibin Zhang, China and Yuri Dgebuadze, USSR, at the 31st Assembly of the IUBS on 5-9 July in Shanghai, China. Dr Sharma also presented a lead paper on “Global warming and climate change: implications for arthropod diversity, pest management and food security,” and chaired the session on “Integrative climate change biology.”

The 33rd meeting of IUBS in 2018 will be held in Hyderabad, India, to be co-chaired by Dr Sharma and the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) representative in IUBS, Dr Shashidhara from the National Institute of Biological Sciences E&D, Pune. g

HC Sharma presenting a paper on climate change and pest management at the symposium.

Welcome!

Bhawana Sharma, an Indian national, joined as Special Project Scientist – Plant Breeding, IRRI South Asia Rice Breeding Hub based at ICRISAT-Patancheru on 20 July. She obtained her PhD in Genetics and Plant Breeding in 2006 from Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, India. She has worked with IRRI-New Delhi, as National Plant Breeder since November 2011. Prior to that, she was with the Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Raipur, India.

We welcome Bhawana Sharma to Team ICRISAT and wish her all success. g

Adieu!

Samuel Guindo, Research Technician (Integrated Striga and soil fertility management) working with Drs Tom van Mourik and Eva Weltzien, leaves ICRISAT-Mali this month to work as coordinator (food security) at OXFAM in Mali (Kayes region).

Team ICRISAT wishes Samuel best of luck in his new job.

Samuel Guindo receives a memento from Dr Tom van Mourik.

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Happy retirement!

The following staff members are retiring on 31 July: P Arjun Rao, Scientific Associate, Research Program – Grain Legumes, after serving the Institute for over 29 years.

V Venkateshwara Rao, Senior Scientific Associate, Research Program – Grain Legumes, after over 32 years of service.

D Siva Prasad, Senior Security Guard, Security Services, after over 21 years of service.

Team ICRISAT wishes them a very happy retired life.

Visitors’ log 23 July: Forty Panchyat Raj officers from Orissa. (see picture) 24-25 July: Two Jet Airways staff.

25 July: Seventy-five students from Aadhi Parasakthi Agriculture College, TNAU; staff of Uniglobe; and Mr RS Aiyer, former Administration Officer at ICRISAT. 27 July: A 12-member group including 8 persons from a Spanish NGO, GEA XXII.

Thought for the week It is in fact a part of the function of education to help us escape, not from our own time – for we are bound by that – but from the intellectual and emotional limitations of our time.

– TS Eliot