Jewels of ICRISAT Posters

Page 1

Community-based Integrated Watershed Management A community-based approach to integrated rural development uses watershed management as an entry point

Overview Rainfed agriculture in arid and semiarid tropics is complex, diverse, risk prone and characterized by low levels of SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG ORZ LQSXW XVH HIÂżFLHQF\ Water scarcity and land degradation are the major concerns for agricultural development and poor water use HIÂżFLHQF\ LQ GU\ ODQGV Changing climatic situation in recent years put extraordinary challenges especially in rainfed areas and is highly YXOQHUDEOH IRU DJULFXOWXUH SURGXFWLRQ Current yield levels in semi-arid tropics are 2-5 folds less than the potential yield, indicating the scope for KDUQHVVLQJ XQWDSSHG SRWHQWLDO ICRISAT demonstrated an innovative consortium model for community development and poverty alleviation in which integrated watershed development programs are LPSOHPHQWHG DV HQWU\ SRLQWV

Principal Scientist Watersheds, SP Wani (right) and Research Program Director Grain Legumes, CLL Gowda, at a water-conservation tank in Tirunnelveli watershed, Tamil Nadu.

increases groundwater recharge while trapping sediments that protect ULYHU HFRV\VWHPV IXUWKHU GRZQVWUHDP Y ,Q VLWX LQWHUYHQWLRQV LQFUHDVH VRLO PRLVWXUH DYDLODELOLW\ E\ Âą Y Ex-situ interventions trap 30-60% of surface runoff and enhances JURXQGZDWHU UHFKDUJH Y SWC interventions restrict soil loss to less than 20% of non-intervention ORVVHV

The impact

G (FRQRPLF UHWXUQ IURP WKH SURMHFW ZDV 86 PLOOLRQ HTXLYDOHQW ,:0 PRGHO DGRSWHG LQ 7KDLODQG 9LHWQDP and China D ,QFUHDVHG ZDWHU UHVRXUFHV DYDLODELOLW\ in benchmark sites encouraged farmers to diversify low value food crops with high value crops such as vegetables E &URS GLYHUVL¿FDWLRQ DQG LQWHQVL¿FDWLRQ has transformed farmers’ economy through inclusive market oriented development ,:0 KDV LPSURYHG FURS SURGXFWLYLW\ livelihood and ecosystem services while addressing the issues of poverty, equity, gender, and building resilience in dry land V\VWHPV &OLPDWH UHVLOLHQFH LQ UDLQIHG DUHDV FDQ EH LPSURYHG WKURXJK ,:0 DV DQ DGDSWDWLRQ strategy in the short-term, and mitigate the FOLPDWH FKDQJH FKDOOHQJHV LQ WKH ORQJ WHUP

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/RQJ WHUP UHVHDUFK RI LQWHJUDWHG ZDWHUVKHG PDQDJHPHQW ,:0 DW ,&5,6$7 KDV EHHQ VFDOHG RXW DQG VFDOHG XS LQ IDUPHUVÂś ÂżHOGV WKURXJK DQ LQQRYDWLYH FRQVRUWLXP DSSURDFK D (VWDEOLVKHG 0RGHO :DWHUVKHGV DV 6LWHV RI /HDUQLQJ LQ GLIIHUHQW agro-ecological zones in India, Thailand, Vietnam and China to GHPRQVWUDWH SRWHQWLDO RI UDLQIHG DUHDV IRU LQFUHDVLQJ SURGXFWLYLW\

ICRISAT-Patancheru demonstration of waterharvesting, glyricidia plantation, and water collection tank.

7KH *RYHUQPHQW RI .DUQDWDND ,&5,6$7 &RQVRUWLXP LPSOHPHQWHG D mission mode project called “Bhoochetanaâ€? to boost productivity of UDLQIHG DJULFXOWXUH WKURXJK VFLHQFH OHG LQWHUYHQWLRQV D 3URMHFW FRYHUHG PLOOLRQ KD LQ HQWLUH VWDWH GXULQJ UDLQ\ VHDVRQ E $ERXW PLOOLRQ IDUP KRXVHKROGV EHQHÂżWWHG F <LHOGV LQFUHDVHG E\ IRU PDL]H ÂżQJHU PLOOHW JURXQGQXW VXQĂ€RZHU DQG FKLFNSHD

Vermicomposting, an ancillary occupation of watershed extension work, brings additional income for women. Integrating livestock with agriculture also improves livelihoods.

Masonry check-dam in Kothapally, Andhra Pradesh.

The innovation Soil and Water conservation measures 6:&

In-situ interventions Y 0LQLPL]H VXUIDFH UXQRII DOORZLQJ PRUH ZDWHU WR SHUFRODWH LQWR WKH ÂżHOGV SURWHFWLQJ VRLOV from erosion

Ex-situ interventions Y Reduce peak discharge and harvest a substantial amount of runoff, which

Top: Community ponds in (left) Tad Fa, Thailand; and Lucheba, China. %RWWRP *XOO\ FRQWURO VWUXFWXUH OHIW DQG URFN ÂżOOHG GDPV SUHYHQW HURVLRQ DQG IDFLOLWDWH LQÂżOWUDWLRQ RI UDLQZDWHU LQWR WKH JURXQG

Aerial view showing grassed-waterways, canal, contours, slopes, and agricultural and horticultural cultivation within watersheds.

Aug 2012

Fertilizer Microdosing Small doses of fertilizer applied at the right place at the right time, combined with an inventory credit system (warrantage), lead to large bene¿ts in yields and incomes in several coXntries of sXb Saharan $frica Overview

The Impact

Land degradation leads to estimated losses of US$42 billion in income and 5 million hectares of productive land in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) each year. Poor soil fertility, in particular low phosphorus and organic matter, cause low grain and biomass production.

About 25,000 smallholder farmers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have learned the technique and increased sorghum and millet yields by 44 to 120%. Their family incomes increased by 50 to 130%. Fertilizer use has been reintroduced in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. Although microdosing is time consuming and laborious, its use in Zimbabwe resulted in 170,000 households increasing cereal production levels by 40,000 tons, saving US$7 million in food imports.

A combination of strategic fertilizer application and an inventory credit system, called warrantage has helped farmers obtain good grain yields, improve their livelihoods and access ¿nance and markets.

The innovation Microdosing involves the application of small, affordable quantities of inorganic fertilizer with the seed at planting time, or as top dressing 3 to 4 weeks after emergence.

7he microdosed plot on the left gives mXch better yield than the non fertilized one on the right.

A regional project of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is targeting 360,000 households with the microdosing technology by the end of 2012.

Microdosing, adapted to traditional water management known as Zaï, where small planting holes are dug early in the season and ¿lled with manure, doubles crop yields.

Warrantage

$ three ¿nger pinch of fertilizer is placed in the seed hole. 2000 Improved variety

Grain yield (kg/ha)

Traditional variety

Inventory credit or warrantage allows farmers to store their grain at harvest time for sale when prices are better, and take a loan against the stored grain. After sale of the grain, the farmers pay back loans and buy inputs for the new season.

1500

:arrantage allows for storage of grain Xntil prices are better.

1000

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Control

Of¿cial rate

Microdose

Treatment

,mproved sorghXm varieties do better than traditional ones, and more so when microdosed. (Source: INERA, Burkina Faso. 2010. AGRA Microdosing Project Report)

NGOs managing IDUPHU JURXSV in Mali (2010) ADAF Galle

%HQH¿W generated (CFA)

850,000

365,000

10,082,000

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540,000

243,000

SG2000

14,072,395

3,685,261

EUCORD Farmers apply 2 to 6 grams of fertilizer (about a three-¿nger pinch) in or near the seed hole at the time of planting (equivalent to about 20 to 60 kg of fertilizer per hectare).

Loans given WR IDUPHUV (CFA)

Source: IER, Mali. 2010. AGRA Microdosing Project Annual Report.

Researchers are looking at packaging the correct dose of fertilizer and exploring the use of seed coating and an animal-drawn mechanized planter as options in collaboration with other institutions.

Partners NARS, farmer organizations, NGOs, FAO, local agricultural centers, a network of international donors, CORAF/WECARD, USAID, AGRA.

July 2012

Village Level Studies ICRISAT’s unique contribution to the global knowledge base on better understanding of constraints and pathways to agricultural development and poverty alleviation in the dryland tropics Overview

The innovation

The ICRISAT Village Level Studies (VLS) started in 1975 by surveying panel households in six villages in semi-arid tropics (SAT) of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra states of India.

Y The Economics Program (now known as RP- MIP) gradually expanded survey scope from farming systems to technology adoption and impacts, poverty analysis, livelihoods, risks and vulnerability, and coping mechanisms. Y 7KH ,&5,6$7 9/6 GDWD EDQN LV HTXLYDOHQW WR D ELRORJLFDO ÂłJHQH EDQN´ ,W SURYLGHV D ³¿HOG laboratoryâ€? to undertake multi-disciplinary research on farming systems on a variety of topics by integrating biological, technical, social and economic approaches. Y ,&5,6$7 9/6 SURYLGHV D XQLTXH VHW RI KLJK IUHTXHQF\ ORQJLWXGLQDO VLQFH panel data of farm households that are International Public Goods (IPGs).

The studies were initiated to enhance availability of reliable household, individual PHPEHUV ÂżHOG VSHFLÂżF KLJK IUHTXHQF\ and time-series and spatial data to better understand farming systems and socioeconomic constraints of SAT farmers.

Director RP-MIP, Cynthia Bantilan (in white) and team members discuss collective action by women with farmers in Kanzara Village, Maharashtra state.

Objectives of VLS Y 7R SURYLGH D VRFLR HFRQRPLF ¿HOG ODERUDWRU\ IRU UHVHDUFK WHDFKLQJ training and outreach Y To track changes in the farm activities, farming systems, socioeconomic and biophysical constraints, and livelihood options of the rural poor Y To understand response of rural women and men to changing markets, policies and technologies Y To understand women and men farmers’ response to agroclimatic variability, and their coping mechanisms against risks and vulnerabilities Y To understand dynamics of rural transformation, poverty and drivers of change Y To provide feedback for designing policy interventions, setting research SULRULWLHV DQG UH¿QLQJ WHFKQRORJLHV Food and water scarcity are common plights in poor villages of India.

The impact Y VLS have attracted many scholars globally for path-breaking research in rural economy. VLS data sets are considered as International Public Goods (IPG), and rank among the most valuable contributions of the CGIAR to global communities. Y The VLS data reveal many valuable facts of the farming systems and livelihoods, and was termed as the ‘goose that lays golden eggs’ in the World Development Reports of the World Bank (2008). Y Over 150 research papers and over 40 doctoral dissertations have already been completed using the VLS dataset, resulting in over 10,000 citations of the VLS data (Google Scholar, June 2011).

$ VFLHQWLÂżF RIÂżFHU ZULWHV GRZQ LPSDFWV RI agricultural expansion in an African village.

VLS development stages: Past, present and future Y 1975-85: Intensive data collection started in 6 villages of SAT India with regular and several special purpose surveys. Y 1981/82 onwards: VLS started in 6 villages of Burkina Faso and 4 villages in Niger. Y 2001-08: Expanded survey work in India through linking with the World Bank, ODI and National Agricultural Technology Project of ICAR. Y 2009 onwards: VLS activities expanded from 6 to 42 villages in South Asia (5 states in SAT India, 3 states in East India, and 12 districts of Bangladesh), under the project “Village Dynamics Studies in South Asia� funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Partners

Top: Enumerators collect socio-economic data from village families. Bottom: A participatory rural appraisal session in progress in Konapara village, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

NARS and State Agricultural Universities, NGOs, advanced research institutes, and many other partners have greatly contributed in surveys DQG FRQGXFW RI WKH ÂżHOG UHVHDUFK DQG documentation.

Aug 2012

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Aug 2012

Drought-Tolerant Groundnuts An ICRISAT groundnut variety resists drought and diseases, has good fodder quality and replaces varieties grown for more than 60 years, bringing hope to millions of poor farmers Overview

The impact

Anantapur is a drought-prone district in the rain shadow area of Andhra Pradesh, India. Despite frequent droughts and crop failures, over 70% of the cultivated area in the district (~1.0 million ha) is sown to groundnut each year (Figure 1). Smallholdings (<3.0 ha) dominate 60% of the district, the largest groundnut growing area in the world.

❖ ICGV 91114 meets all farmer preferences of high pod and haulm yields, high shelling turnover, good seed size, and resistance to drought and diseases, making it the most popular dual-purpose groundnut cultivated in India today. ❖ Adoption of ICGV 91114 had a pod yield advantage of 23% with 30% reduction in yield variability and 36% higher net income compared to TMV 2. ❖ It is estimated that the annual value of bene¿ts in the district would cross US$500 million, assuming 35% adoption by 2020-21. ❖ In spite of severe drought conditions in the past 4-5 years, ICGV 91114 occupied 25,000 ha out of the 800,000 ha under groundnut in the district in 2010. ❖ The possible economic bene¿ts of its adoption demonstrate the impact of breeding groundnut for drought tolerance.

Soils are light textured, gravelly, shallow Al¿sols, low in nutrients. Rainfall is erratic with prolonged dry spells of 45– 50 days, Annual rainfall is 522 mm. Groundnut yield in the district is highly variable (Figure 2) and determined by rainfall. Nevertheless, groundnut can survive long dry spells and is a valuable source of fodder during dry years.

The former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, late Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy hands over the ICGV 91114 seeds to Anantapur farmers on 1 June 2006. +e is Àanked by Director General Dar (on his right), and Mr 1 Raghuveera Reddy, Agriculture Minister.

The innovation Groundnut variety ICGV 91114 was bred and developed at ICRISAT headquarters, India from a cross of ICGV 86055 x ICGV 86533, and has the following features:

)ig 1. Share ( of the total cropped area) of different crops on sample farms in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India, 2008–09.

❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖ ❖

High yielding Matures in 90-95 days in the kharif (rainy season) Tolerant to mid-season and end-of-season drought Average shelling turnover of 75% Oil content of 48%, protein content of 27% Better digestibility and palatability of haulms (dry fodder).

ICGV 91114 was released by the Andhra Pradesh State Seed Sub-Committee in 2006 and was noti¿ed in The Gazette of India in July 2007. It was subsequently released as Devi in Orissa. Our collaborator in Anantapur district, Accion Fraterna, named it Anantha Jyothi.

ICGV 91114 on gravelly, shallow al¿sols of Anantapur district. Anantapur farmers in their lush groundnut ¿eld. Fig 2. Area, production and yield of groundnut over the years in Anantapur district during 1966–67 to 2007–08.

Although the state released improved groundnut varieties during the last 20 years, old varieties such as TMV 2 (80% of the area, released in 1940), JL 24 (15–20% of the area, released in 1978) and Pollachi Red (a landrace) continued to dominate, as new varieties fell short of farmers’ expectations.

Annual value of yield and risk bene¿ts from the adoption of groundnut variety ICGV 91114 in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh, India.

Principal Scientist S1 1igam shares the joy of this southern Indian groundnut farmer over a good harvest.

Partners ❖ International Fund for Agricultural Development; ❖ NGO, Accion Fraterna in Anantapur district; ❖ Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University; ❖ State Farm Corporation of India; Department of Agriculture, Andhra Pradesh; and ❖ farmers of Anantapur district.

July 2012

Early Maturing Chickpea Early maturing chickpea, with improved fusarium wilt resistance, high yield potential and good seed quality, has greatly increased crop area and productivity in short-season environments Overview

Y Andhra Pradesh was once considered to be a low yielding state for chickpea because of its warm, short-season environment, but it now has the highest yield levels in India.

Chickpea is currently grown on ~12 million ha in >50 countries under a wide range of environments and cropping systems.

Partners

In about two-thirds of chickpea growing areas, the crop growing season is short (90-120 days) because of terminal drought or heat stresses.

Institutes supported by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), State Agricultural Universities and National and State Seed Corporations in India; and Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) and Myanmar Agriculture Service (MAS) in Myanmar.

Early maturity in chickpea helps the crop in escaping terminal drought and heat stresses.

3ULQFLSDO VFLHQWLVW 30 *DXU OHIW LQ D ¿HOG RI HDUO\ FKLFNSHD ,&&9 in Tanzania.

Y Several early (90-100 days) to extra early (85-90 days) cultivars developed both in desi (brown-seeded) and kabuli (white-seeded) types Y Super-early (75-80 days) breeding lines were also developed by combining earliness genes from two parents. Chickpea is an important pulse crop in semi-arid Africa and Asia.

Extra-early kabuli variety Yezin 3 (ICCV 2) in Myanmar.

The innovation Y 'LYHUVH VRXUFHV IRU HDUOLQHVV LGHQWL¿HG from the germplasm, and genetics of time WR ÀRZHULQJ HVWDEOLVKHG Y Bi-parental and multi-parental crosses used to develop desired segregating populations Y 7LPH WR ÀRZHULQJ ZDV XVHG DV VHOHFWLRQ criterion as it can be recorded with high precision and is a good indicator of subsequent phenological traits (time to podding and maturity)

Chickpea variety JG 11 (right) and a new super early line.

The impact Y Early maturing cultivars avoid terminal drought and heat stress. Y Adoption of early-maturing chickpea cultivars has led to an increase in area and productivity in short-season environments such as Myanmar and Andhra Pradesh state of India. Y There has been >2-fold increase in both area (129,000 to 282,000 ha) and productivity (651 to 1411 kg ha-1), and a 4.7-fold increase in production (84,000 to 398,000 tons) of chickpea in Myanmar during 2000-09. Four early-maturing chickpea cultivars (Yezin 3, 4, 5 and 6) developed from the breeding material supplied by ICRISAT covered over 80% of the total chickpea area of that country. Y The adoption of early-maturing chickpea cultivars has brought a chickpea revolution in Andhra Pradesh (AP) state in India. Y In AP, chickpea production increased 9-fold (95,000 to 884,000 tons) during 2000–09 as a result of a 5-fold increase in area (102,000 to 602,000 ha) and a 2.4-fold increase in yield levels (583 to 1407 kg ha-1). Y Over 80% of the chickpea area in Andhra Pradesh is now cultivated with the short-duration improved varieties JG 11 and KAK 2, which were developed through a partnership between ICRISAT and the Indian national agricultural research system.

Bountiful chickpea harvests spell much improved livelihoods for farmers.

Chickpea production in Andhra Pradesh increased 9-fold in nine years.

Early maturing chickpea varieties (earliest on the left) are climate ready as they escape terminal drought and heat stresses.

Roasting green chickpea for a tasty snack.

Aug 2012

Hybrid Pigeonpea Cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterility-based pigeonpea hybrids yield up to 40% more than conventional cultivars

Overview

Y ,&5,6$7 SODQV WR UHDS WKH EHQHÂżWV RI hybrid technology by cultivating the two hybrids on over 1,00,000 ha by 2014.

Annual pigeonpea production across the globe is 3.5 million tons, but productivity has remained low (750 kg/ ha) for RYHU ÂżYH GHFDGHV +\EULG EUHHGLQJ technology can break the yield plateau.

Partners The hybrid pigeonpea research and development program is supported by Department of Agriculture, India, under National Food Security Mission and ,&5,6$7ÂśV +\EULG 3DUHQWV 5HVHDUFK Consortium.

,&5,6$7 GHYHORSHG WKH ¿UVW FRPPHUFLDO cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterility(CMS) based hybrid in the world. Pigeonpea hybrids have demonstrated 30-40% yield advantage in farmers’ ¿HOGV $ JRRG VHHG SURGXFWLRQ technology is also available.

Public seed companies

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by crossing a wild relative of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajanifolius) and a cultivar. Y The new hybrid technology is based on a three line system that includes A-line (male-sterile); B-line (maintainer), and R-line (restorer). Y Several experimental hybrids were evaluated at ICRISAT and various ICAR centers, which demonstrated 50-150% superiority in yield over popular varieties. Y ,Q RYHU RQ IDUP WULDOV FRQGXFWHG LQ ÂżYH VWDWHV RI ,QGLD WKH K\EULGV ,&3+ DQG ,&3+ UHVSHFWLYHO\ H[KLELWHG DQG \LHOG advantage over the best local variety. Y Seed production of hybrids, mediated by honey bees, is easy. Under congenial growing conditions, 700-1200 kg/ha of hybrid seed was produced.

The impact

A progressive farmer observing ICPH 2671 hybrid plot in Gulbarga.

Y Several farmers have registered high seed yields in different states of India and a farmer from Andhra Pradesh received ‘Best Farmer Award’ for harvesting yields of 3250 kg/ha, a record for this state. Y 7KH ZRUOGÂśV ÂżUVW &06 K\EULG ,&3+ ZDV UHOHDVHG E\ D SULYDWH company in 2008 and also by State Variety Release Committee in Madhya Pradesh in 2010. Y +\EULG ,&3+ SURGXFHG PRUH \LHOG WKDQ ORFDO FXOWLYDUV LQ WKH states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. A farmer in Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, harvested 3300 kg/ha grain. This hybrid has recently been recommended for release in Andhra Pradesh. 2YHU DOO SHUIRUPDQFH RI ,&3+ LQ 21 )$50 75,$/6

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ICPH 2740, a promising medium-duration pigeonpea hybrid.

The innovation Y In 1991, a milestone in the history of food legume breeding was achieved when the ZRUOGÂśV ÂżUVW SLJHRQSHD K\EULG ,&3+ , was released. Y ICRISAT and ICAR jointly developed the hybrid using a genetic male-sterility (GMS) system, although high production costs prevented acceptance by seed producers. Y In 2005, another breakthrough was achieved when a cytoplasmic nuclear male-sterile (CMS) hybrid was developed

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Y National Seeds Corporation (NSC) Y State Farms Corporation of India Ltd (SFCI) Y Maharashtra State Seeds Corporation (MSSC) Y Andhra Pradesh State Seeds Development Corporation Ltd. (APSSDC)

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Private seed companies Y Adriana Seed Company, Londrina, PR Londrina, PR Brazil Y Biogene Agritech, Ahmedabad, Gujarat Y Bioseeds Research India Pvt Ltd, +\GHUDEDG $QGKUD 3UDGHVK Y Nimbkar seeds Pvt Ltd, Phaltan, Maharashtra Y 9LEKD $JURWHFK /WG 0DGKDSXU +\GHUDEDG Y 60 6HKJDO )RXQGDWLRQ +\GHUDEDG

State Agricultural Universities Y Acharya NG Ranga Agriculture 8QLYHUVLW\ +\GHUDEDG Y Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV), Akola Y Maharashtra Krishi Vidyapeeth (MKV), Parbhani Y Agricultural Research Station (ARS), Gulbarga Y All ICAR Institutions

Aug 2012

Pigeonpea in Eastern and Southern Africa ICRISAT varieties resist wilt, have high yields and large seeds, and are widely grown in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda, increasing farmers’ incomes by up to 80% Overview

Y PMGs facilitated community seed production, local distribution and market access, and helped to increase local producer prices by 20–25% in Nairobi and Mombasa after linking producers to wholesalers. Y Most importantly, introduction of mediumduration varieties (ICEAPs 00554 and 00557) provides for two crops a year. This attribute of early maturity allowed spreading of pigeonpea to non-traditional areas in .HQ\D 0DODZL 0R]DPELTXH DQG 7DQ]DQLD Y Enterprising women farmers lead demonstration of pigeonpea technology and proudly call it “our dryland white coffee�, as well as “our beef�, alluding to its high protein content.

ICRISAT pigeonpea varieties resist wilt, have high yields and large seeds, and are widely grown in eastern and southern Africa (ESA), increasing farmers’ incomes by up to 80%. Until recently, farmers were unable to fully exploit the potential because local varieties were low-yielding, latematuring and susceptible to pests and diseases. Small-seeded varieties failed to meet market requirements; market linkages were underdeveloped; and farmers could not access seed of improved varieties. Director General Dar and Director ESA, Said Silim, admire the wiltresistant pigeonpea in Babati district of Tanzania.

Y 5HFRJQL]LQJ WKH GHPDQG IRU LPSURYHG VHHGV ORFDO DJUR GHDOHUV FDOOHG Agrovets) contract farmers to multiply high quality seeds, supported by ORFDO H[WHQVLRQ V\VWHPV IRU WUDLQLQJ DQG IDUPHU RUJDQL]DWLRQ Y The commercial produce is marketed through producer marketing groups (PMGs). This collective action enables smallholder farmers to sell quality grain at higher prices.

The impact Mr Phillemon Mushi of SARI, Arusha, admires the heavy pigeonpea podding at a village in Karatu, Tanzania.

Scientist Sabine Homann (right) discusses pigeonpea with a member of the national system and a farmer.

Y &RPPHUFLDOL]DWLRQ RI SLJHRQSHD HQDEOHV IDUPHUV WR EX\ YDOXDEOH assets ranging from mobile phones to land, houses and livestock. Y Farmers have invested in small ruminants, milking cows and bullocks, helping them diversify and expand their income sources. Y Increased income enables increased school enrollment of children. Y In Babati district – famous for high quality pigeonpea – adoption of improved varieties has reached 60%, and pigeonpea alone contributes more than 50% of the cash incomes of smallholders. Y ,&5,6$7 GHYHORSHG YDULHWLHV GRPLQDWH WKH ¿HOGV ,&5,6$7 HIIRUWV KDYH resulted in expansion of area under pigeonpea in the last 10 years from 0.45 m ha to 0.82 m ha in ESA. Pigeonpea consumption has increased as the bean crop has succumbed to pests and the changing weather patterns that the hardy pigeonpea can withstand. Y 0DL]H KDV WUDGLWLRQDOO\ EHHQ WKH PDLQ FURS EXW IDLOV LQ WKUHH RXW RI ¿YH \HDUV )DPLOLHV QRZ UHO\ RQ SLJHRQSHD DQG KDYH DOVR UHDOL]HG WKH potential of fresh vegetable pigeonpea in the domestic market.

These factors deprived farmers of the EHQHÂżWV RI D VL]DEOH H[SRUW PDUNHW India alone imports over 254,000 tons of pigeonpea per year, but Africa supplied less than 5% of this demand. Similar high-value niche markets exist in Europe and the Americas.

Farmers in eastern Africa are happy with the improved varieties.

Partners ICRISAT’s collaboration for breeding with NARES in ESA resulted in release of 21 varieties in – Malawi (6), Kenya 0R]DPELTXH 7DQ]DQLD DQG Uganda (2). Strategic partnerships between NARS, commercial seed companies, input suppliers and farmer associations improved access to and marketing of seed.

Domestic demand for pigeonpea has grown substantially over the last few years, increasing wholesale prices.

Private seed companies are now investing in production of commercial seed, selling to farmers through agro-dealers.

The innovation Y ICRISAT and partners developed high yielding, slightly early, cream colored, large seeded and fusarium wilt resistant varieties. Y Availability of improved varieties along with institutional innovations enabled farmers to reduce the cost of product marketing, VSXUULQJ FRPPHUFLDOL]DWLRQ RI WKH FURS

6WDII IURP ,&5,6$7 1DLUREL LQ D ÂżHOG RI ICEAP 00554 medium-duration pigeonpea, known for its broad seeds.

Green pigeonpea is sometimes the only vegetable in the market during the dry months in Kenya. (Right) Green pigeonpea is the main course.

Policy makers in ESA and donors are fully aware of the importance of pigeonpea as a food and cash crop, and are now funding research.

Aug 2012

Pigeonpea Genome 3LJHRQSHD LV WKH ÂżUVW ÂľRUSKDQ FURSÂś WKH ÂżUVW ÂľQRQ LQGXVWULDO FURSÂś DQG WKH VHFRQG IRRG OHJXPH ZLWK D FRPSOHWHG JHQRPH VHTXHQFH

Overview

Y It will also be useful in identifying germplasm lines or advanced breeding lines with a broader genetic base for future breeding programs. Y Modern genetics and breeding approaches such as genotyping by sequencing, markerassisted recurrent selection and genomic VHOHFWLRQ ZLOO LPSURYH WKH HIÂżFLHQF\ RI pigeonpea breeding.

Pigeonpea is an important crop in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America, grown on nearly 5 million hectares worldwide. Despite its importance for food security in the world’s poorest regions, it has been under-researched in the past.

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Rapid advances in genetic improvement of pigeonpea have been constrained by the lack of genomic resources coupled with low genetic diversity in the primary gene pool. Pigeonpea was neglected until 2005, when intensive efforts by ICRISAT, the CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme, the US National Science Foundation, the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and several other programs led to the GHYHORSPHQW RI VLJQLÂżFDQW JHQRPLF resources.

Y This technology was used to generate a 237.2 Giga base pair RI VHTXHQFH ZKLFK DORQJ ZLWK 6DQJHU EDVHG %DFWHULDO $UWLÂżFLDO Chromosome-end sequences and a genetic map, was assembled into scaffolds representing about 73% (605.78 Mega base pair) of the pigeonpea genome. Y *HQRPH DQDO\VLV OHG WR WKH LGHQWLÂżFDWLRQ RI SLJHRQSHD JHQHV A few hundred of these are unique to the crop and relate to drought tolerance, an important trait that can be transferred to other legume crops. Y 7KH UHVHDUFK LGHQWLÂżHG VLPSOH VHTXHQFH UHSHDWV 665V DQG 665 SULPHUV ZHUH GHVLJQHG Y Similarly, after aligning the transcript sequences from 12 genotypes, D WRWDO RI QRYHO VLQJOH QXFOHRWLGH SRO\PRUSKLVPV 613V ZHUH LGHQWLÂżHG Y 7KH FRPSOHWLRQ RI WKH SLJHRQSHD JHQRPH KDV PDGH D VLJQLÂżFDQW contribution to the genomic resources available for pigeonpea.

The impact Y The availability of a genome sequence opens up new avenues for pigeonpea improvement. Y The genome sequence will help harness pigeonpea’s genetic diversity by identifying molecular markers and genes for targeted traits, and will allow researchers to develop superior varieties and parental lines of hybrids.

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Partners

In 2011, a global team comprising several organizations from China, Europe and the USA, and led by ICRISAT, sequenced the pigeonpea genome.

The innovation Y Illumina – a next generation sequencing technology – was used to generate the draft genome assembly of pigeonpea genotype ICPL 87119 (popularly known as Asha).

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Beijing Genome Institute, Shenzhen, China; BGI-Americas, Cambridge, USA; Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, New York, USA; CGIAR Generation Challenge Programme, Mexico; University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Monsanto Company, Missouri, USA; National Center for Genome Resources, New Mexico, USA; National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; University of California, Davis, USA; University of Georgia, Athens, USA; University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA

Aug 2012

Guinea-race Sorghum Hybrids 6KDULQJ WKH EHQHÂżWV RI K\EULG YLJRU ZLWK :HVW $IULFDQ IDUPHUV ZKLOH UHWDLQLQJ WKH DGDSWDWLRQ DQG TXDOLW\ WUDLWV RI ORFDO JHUPSODVP

Overview

accessions that give the highest heterosis in crosses with a West African tester came from Cameroon, China and Zimbabwe. Y Farmer seed producer organizations are empowered to produce hybrid seed through ’learning by doing’, with training and technical support from IER and ICRISAT Y Emerging seed companies have bought and marketed all the hybrid seed that has been available every year since 2009, when large scale production began Y Sorghum is changing from a subsistence crop to an increasingly important source of income for farmers.

Sorghum varieties of the Guinearace combine high grain quality with excellent adaptation for major parts of the Sudanian zone of West and Central Africa. Yes, despite their exceptional yield stability, yield levels rarely exceed 2 t ha-1 LQ IDUPHUVÂś ÂżHOGV In 1999, ICRISAT and partners started unlocking the genetic potential of these sorghums to enhance the productivity of this staple crop.

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Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) program, and guinea-race accessions of worldwide origin from the ICRISAT genebank in India Y First experimental hybrids produced in 2004 on new female parents of both inter-racial and guinea-race backgrounds Y Regional testing of new sorghum hybrids was conducted in collaboration with the national research programs in Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Ghana. Y 7KH ¿UVW IRXU VRUJKXP K\EULGV ZLWK *XLQHD UDFH SDUHQWDJH ZHUH released in Mali in 2008.

The impact Y Extensive on-farm testing of the new guinea-race hybrids enabled thorough comparison of yields against the well-adapted control variety, Tieble, under farmer-managed conditions. Y Average yield of all eight developed hybrids showed 28% superiority over Tieble. Y Two of the released hybrids, Fadda and Sewa, produced 450 kg ha-1 more than Tieble, displaying 46% yield superiority across all environments. Y Hybrid yield superiorities expressed across the entire range of productivity conditions and across the full range of soil fertility conditions and sowing dates. Y Initial results show that high heterosis (hybrid superiority) can be obtained when parents from humid West Africa, East Africa, southern Africa and even Asia are crossed onto a West African tester. The

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The innovation

Partners

Y Researchers developed hybrids based on well-adapted guinea-race parents that grow from Senegal across to Nigeria and Cameroon in West and Central Africa Y $ PDMRU WDVN ZDV WR GHYHORS WKH ÂżUVW guinea-race female parents based on the cytoplasmic nuclear male-sterility (CMS) system Y Genetic materials used included local varieties from Mali, inter-racial (Guineacaudatum) breeding lines from the Malian

The Malian Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER); Institut National de l’Environment et des Recherches Agricoles (INERA), Burkina Faso; Institute for Agricultural Research, Nigeria; Institut SÊnÊgalais de Recherches Agricoles, Senegal; and Selian Agricultural Research Institute, Ghana. +\EULG WRS DQG PDOH SDUHQW IURP =LPEDEZH ERWWRP

Aug 2012

Extra-early Pearl Millet Hybrids Developed via inter-institutional collaboration, integrating marker-assisted, participatory and conventional breeding methods, extra-early pearl millet hybrid HHB 67 Improved has enhanced downy-mildew resistance and yield The Impact

Principal Scientist CT Hash (in hat) identifying an off-type plant in a ¿eld of pearl millet.

The Innovation

HHB 67 and HHB 67 Improved were rapidly adopted by farmers and the seed industry.

❖ HHB 67 was developed at CCSHAU by crossing inbred restorer line H 77/833-2 (bred at CCSHAU) onto an exceptionally early seed parent, 843A (bred by ICRISAT from materials introduced from Kansas State University, USA), reÀecting inter-institutional research efforts. ❖ Several DM-resistant versions of the seed parent were developed at ICRISAT using conventional pedigree and backcross breeding. ❖ Efforts involving ICRISAT and advanced research institutes in the UK had identi¿ed two DM resistance 4TLs in H 77/833-2. Two more were added using marker-assisted backcrossing (Figure 1) to develop more DM-resistant male parents. ❖ HHB 67 Improved, produced by crossing improved DMresistant seed parent 843-22A with improved restorer parent H 77/833-2-202, was almost free of DM incidence vs. 98% incidence in HHB 67 under high disease pressure (Figure 2). ❖ In over 3 years in national trials, HHB 67 Improved gave 1992 kg ha-1 grain yield and 4.5 t ha-1 stover yield (about 10% more than HHB 67). It was released in 2005 by authorities in India, and was the ¿rst public-bred ¿eld crop developed by marker-assisted breeding to reach farmers’ ¿elds in India.

Fig 1. Two native downy mildew resistance QTL ( ) identi¿ed in H 77 8 -2, and two additional QTL ( ) pyramided through marker-assisted selection from donor parent ICMP 451.

With limited hybrid cultivar options for this zone, and having learned hard lessons about the vulnerability of singlecross hybrids to downy mildew (DM) disease, a proactive breeding effort was initiated by ICRISAT in 1991 to develop more DM-resistant versions of the seed parents of HHB 67.

100

5.0 HHB 67 HHB 67 Improved

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Large-scale adoption of hybrids in India has contributed to 73% increase in pearl millet productivity during the last 25 years. However, the drier and most drought-prone arid parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and Gujarat receiving <400 mm of seasonal rainfall, bene¿tted little from hybrid technology due to lack of adapted hybrids, with early maturity being one of the essential requirements. An extra-early-maturing hybrid, HHB 67 (matures in 65 days) developed on an ICRISAT-bred malesterile line by CCS Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU) was released in 1990, and was rapidly adopted by farmers in Haryana and Rajasthan.

❖ In 2002 (12 years after its release), HHB 67 was cultivated on about 774,000 ha in Haryana and Rajasthan. Superior performing HHB 67 Improved spread to 875,000 ha by 2011 (6 years after its release). ❖ Net additional bene¿ts to the farming community from cultivation of HHB 67 Improved over the local varieties in Rajasthan and over HHB 67 in Haryana in 2011 alone reached Rs 675 million (US$13.5 million). ❖ Seed production of HHB 67 Improved gave a net income of US$6.4 million in 2011 alone to the smallholder seed producers in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. It also generated at least 900,000 person days of employment (45% for women).

GY and SY (t ha-1)

Overview

2.00 20

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SY

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❖ HHB 67 Improved helped stabilize pearl millet production and release land for crop diversi¿cation with sesame, cluster bean, and food legumes. The short duration of HHB 67 and HHB 67 Improved also facilitates cultivation of winter season rotational crops such as mustard, wheat and chickpea, thus doubling cropping intensity and substantially increasing incomes.

Partners

Pearl millet is an inexpensive source of dietary energy, protein and important nutrients in the dry tropics of Asia and Africa.

John Innes Centre, Norwich; Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research, Aberystwyth; University of Wales, Bangor, UK; and Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU), Hisar, Haryana, India

July 2012

Sweet Sorghum A smart, multipurpose (food, feed, fodder, ¿ber and fuel) crop adapted to drought and climate change provides higher incomes for farmers Overview

❖ Varieties SPV 422 and ICSV 93046 are being widely cultivated in the Philippines for vinegar production and allied uses, and will be released in 2012. ❖ Technical backstopping on sweet sorghum cultivar choice, cultivation and utilization was provided to many distilleries in India, the Philippines and China. ❖ Varieties ICSV 93046, ICSV 25274 and ICSV 25280 have been identi¿ed for release in India due to their superior performance at the All India Coordinated Sorghum Improvement Project (AICSIP) multi-location trials in three years. ❖ About 4000 samples of improved sweet sorghum female hybrid parents, restorers/ varieties and hybrids have been supplied to over 42 countries.

Sweet sorghum is similar to grain sorghum but accumulates sugary juice in its stalk. Traditionally used as livestock fodder, the stalks can now be crushed to extract juice as raw material for ethanol production. Because of its short growing period, high biomass and bio-product potential, tolerance to drought, water-logging, salinity and acidity, low water requirement and greater income opportunities, sweet sorghum is the preferred crop for cultivation on dry lands in the semiarid tropics. Sweet sorghum is recognized as an alternate feedstock for bioethanol production by the Government of India (National Biofuel Policy, December 2009). The sweet sorghum ethanol value chain shows a positive net energy balance of 7.5 and a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 86%, compared to fossil fuels.

Literature on sweet sorghum is a prized gift for a VIP visitor.

Director General Dar and Principal Scientist Belum VS Reddy in a ¿eld of CSH 22SS, a sweet sorghum hybrid.

❖ Many improved sweet sorghum female hybrid parents and restorer lines were developed and new hybrid combinations were identi¿ed to exploit heterosis for sugar yield. ❖ Adopting the right cultivars and crop production technology, including technical backstopping, enhances on-farm yields by 50-160%. ❖ There are no food-fuel tradeoffs with sweet sorghum cultivation as farmers realized 1.5 to 2 t ha-1 sugar yield and 2 to 2.5 t ha-1 grain yield, from demonstrations in their ¿elds. ❖ About 50 liters of ethanol can be produced per ton of sweet sorghum stalk. ❖ It was shown that a multi-feedstock based distillery with government policy support can be sustainable. ❖ Sweet sorghum bagasse (residue after crushing) with leaves is a valuable feed resource. Complete feed blocks based on bagasse are highly palatable, cost effective, and improve yields of both milk (cows) and meat (sheep). ❖ Syrup from sweet sorghum juice can also be used as a biofuel feedstock as well as sugar substitute in the pharma and food industries.

Philippines envoy visits ICRISAT sweet sorghum ¿eld.

The impacts ❖ Many sweet sorghum hybrids were developed by seed companies using ICRISAT-bred materials. ❖ The ¿rst sweet sorghum hybrid released in India was CSH 22SS in 2005. The female hybrid parent (ICSB 38) was from ICRISAT.

Crushing the stalks to extract juice.

Bagasse is used to make feed blocks for livestock.

The innovation ❖ Research on genetic enhancement at ICRISAT showed good variability for stalk sugar content and juice volume in sweet sorghum, providing ample scope to improve genotypes for high sugar/ethanol yield. ❖ The G u E interactions are signi¿cant, hence cultivars need to be customized for different agro-ecological zones and seasons. ❖ The heterosis for candidate traits for sugar yield, ie, stalk and juice yield, has been identi¿ed. However, no signi¿cant heterosis for Brix% was observed.

Tasty sweet sorghum treats.

Partners The partners include NARS, advanced research institutes, private sector seed companies and farmers. (Left) Scientist P Srinivasa Rao in front of ICSV 25274 ratoon crop. (Right) Sweet sorghum vinegar on display.

July 2012

Genetic Resources for Food Security ICRISAT’s genebank conserves more than 120,000 accessions and supports the global crop improvement community in developing improved cultivars ❖ National partners have released more than 800 varieties in 79 countries utilizing germplasm and breeding lines from ICRISAT. ❖ The ICRISAT genebank has restored native germplasm collections to several countries in Asia and Africa.

Overview Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) contribute enormously towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals of food security, poverty alleviation, environmental protection and sustainable development.

Partners

The genebank at ICRISAT headquarters holding 120,006 germplasm accessions is one of the world’s largest repositories of its mandate crops - sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundnut, including wild relatives and six small millets, from 144 countries. ICRISAT regional genebanks in Niger, Kenya and Zimbabwe conserve mostly working collections and mini core collections.

Director General Dar, former CGIAR Chair Kathy Sierra, CLL Gowda and H Upadhyaya in the genebank at ICRISAT-Patancheru.

The Innovation

Manager, Genebank, DVSSR Sastry (L), and Head of the Genebank, HD Upadhyaya with containers ready for shipment to Svalbard.

❖ To enhance germplasm utilization, ICRISAT scientists developed core (10% of entire collection) and mini core (1% of entire collection) collections for all mandate crops and ¿nger millet and foxtail millet, representing the genetic diversity in the collections. ❖ Evaluation of mini core collections by ICRISAT, NARS and ARI scientists in 24 countries resulted in identi¿cation of new and promising sources for tolerance/resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses, and for agronomic and nutritional traits. ❖ Molecular characterization of mini core and trait-speci¿c germplasm subsets help to unravel additional information and the usefulness of accessions. ❖ Wild relatives of mandate crops assembled at ICRISAT genebank are good sources of higher levels of resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, nutritional and agronomic traits.

The Impact

FAO of the United Nations; CGIAR Consortium; Global Crops Diversity Trust, Rome; Brazilian Agricultural Research Cooperation (EMBRAPA); International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA); International Cooperation Centre for Agronomic Research for Development (CIRAD), France; National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), ICAR, New Delhi; Indian Institute of Pulses Research (IIPR), Kanpur, India; national agricultural research systems (NARS) and universities in different countries.

Director General Dar of¿cially hands over the ¿rst 20,000 accessions from ICRISAT to the Svalbard Vault, Norway.

❖ ICRISAT genebank has become a major source of genetic diversity available to researchers for improvement of mandate crops. ❖ More than 1.4 million samples of germplasm accessions have been shared with researchers in 145 countries. Genebank accessions are regularly checked for viability and duplicated when necessary. HD Upadhyaya admiring the good Àush of vegetable pigeonpea.

Seeds of germplasm accessions are maintained at international standards. ICRISAT has safely duplicated over 86,000 of its accessions at the Global Seed Vault, Svalbard, Norway. More will be duplicated by 2014. Accessions have been characterized and evaluated for morpho-agronomic and nutritional traits, and for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, and passport information (characterization) has been documented and shared with the global research community.

Evaluating wild species of pearl millet, which are highly resistant to downy mildew disease.

Scientists checking the growth of non-seedproducing wild groundnut relatives.

July 2012

Hybrid Parents Research Consortium Public-private partnerships producing scienti¿c innovations and products for the poor

Overview

Conclusions

ICRISAT crop scientists work with partners to develop improved varieties, hybrids, and hybrid parents for increased grain/fodder yield potential in farmers’ ¿elds.

❖ Linkages between ICRISAT and private sector seed companies within and outside India are strengthened. ❖ Farmers have bene¿tted through increased access to improved hybrid seed at affordable costs, and enhanced yield and incomes. ❖ This public-private partnership is the ¿rst in the CGIAR to tap private sector funds for public research, and to optimize synergies to swiftly move research products to farmers. ❖ HPRC is the precursor of the Agribusiness and Innovation Platform at ICRISAT. Other CGIAR Centers have used the HPRC model in hybrid parents’ research.

Between 1976 and 2011, partners in 79 countries released over 800 varieties/ hybrids using breeding materials from ICRISAT.

The innovation ❖ Recognizing the role of private sector seed companies in developing and marketing hybrids, ICRISAT set up the Hybrid Parents Research Consortium (HPRC) in 2000. ❖ Private seed companies contribute small annual grants to become members of HPRC. ICRISAT uses the funds for core crop improvement research.

Meeting of the HPRC Advisory Committee. March 2012.

The impacts Highlights of survey undertaken in 2012

Sorghum ❖ A total of 54 hybrids were developed in 2000-2009 by seed companies, of which 30 hybrids were developed using ICRISAT-bred materials. ❖ HPRC members directly utilized 67-100% parental lines from ICRISAT for development of hybrids.

Pearl millet A large-seeded pearl millet variety with high iron and zinc content.

Hybrid pigeonpea grown from consortiumpromoted seed.

❖ A total of 103 hybrids were developed in 2000-2010 by the seed companies, of which 62 hybrids were developed using ICRISAT-bred materials. ❖ HPRC members used 86-100% of ICRISAT-bred parental lines to develop hybrids.

Pigeonpea ❖ Evaluation of hybrids led to the release of world’s ¿rst commercial food legume hybrid, ICPH 2671, by the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh in 2010. ❖ Plan to provide hybrid seed to plant at least 100,000 ha by 2014 is in progress.

Screening for downy mildew resistance in pearl millet.

Consortium members during a pigeonpea ¿eld day at ICRISAT.

❖ Private sector seed companies (and public sector institutions) participate in ¿eld days at ICRISAT to select breeding materials for developing hybrids. ❖ All ICRISAT-bred material remains in the public domain as International Public Goods. No seed company has exclusive rights. ❖ Scientists in public research institutions have free access to the improved breeding materials. ❖ Member seed companies provide feedback on the performance of ICRISATdeveloped materials and on farmers’ needs and preferences. ❖ Currently HPRC has 47 memberships across 3 consortia (Sorghum, Pearl millet and Pigeonpea)

Sorghum displaying hybrid vigor in healthy foliage and well-¿lled heads.

Partners ❖ The partners include NARS, advanced research institutes, private sector seed companies and farmers. Scientists and farmers examine hybrids in the ¿eld.

July 2012

Open Access Repository An interoperable open access institutional repository for ICRISAT knowledge products Overview

harvested by special academic search services such as Bielefeld Academic Search Engine (BASE) and OAIster, and is indexed by popular search engines such as Google and Google Scholar.

ICRISAT’s Open Access Repository (OAR) showcases 40 years of ICRISAT publications produced by our researchers and scholars. The repository holds postprints of research papers published in journals; conference papers; book chapters; monographs; training manuals; annual reports and other research documents produced by the Institute.

Manager, Information and Library Services, M Madhan, doesn’t have to open a book anymore. Several thousand ICRISAT publications are available at desktops through OAR.

Anyone with internet access can access the OAR, which provides free, immediate, permanent access to the full text of all the publications.

The Innovation

❖ Users can employ the OAR to build searches by choosing various access points and search features within them. ❖ Metadata (data about the data) of all the documents in the repository is

❖ The contents of OAR form part of AGRIS –the global public domain agriculture database, and VOA3R – the Virtual Open Access Agriculture and Aquaculture Repository. ❖ As of July 2012 the repository had registered more than 90,000 download counts from more than 75 countries.

Visit: http://oar.icrisat.org ❖ The ICRISAT OAR facilitates online access to all major research publications.

The Impact

The stylistic “Open lock” is a well-chosen logo for the OAR.

No barriers! ICRISAT’s research output is available to all.

❖ The repository has recorded over 3,500 unique visitors every month since its launch on 2 May 2011. ❖ About 50% of the users of the repository are redirected from Google, and about 10% are directed from Google Scholar. July 2012

Seed Systems in sub-Saharan Africa Facilitating access by poor farmers to seeds of ICRISAT’s improved varieties in sub-Saharan Africa

Overview Commercial agriculture is growing in importance, requiring that seed systems deliver high-quality seed of food crops and meet market demands of agro-processors. Numerous constraints limit the performance of seed systems in subSaharan Africa including limited access to seed of new varieties; limited supplies of seed; and the lack of enabling policies and institutional environments. ICRISAT works with partners to support development of open seed markets and local seed companies for supply of quality seed at affordable prices. Sale of seed in small packets makes it easy for poor farmers to buy improved varieties.

Y Over 450 farmers organized as farmer FOXEV IDUPHU ÂżHOG VFKRROV DQG IDUPHU marketing groups linked to the nongovernmental organization, CARE; 233 farmers linked to NASFAM, and 73 farmers linked to the Millennium Villages Project have produced more than 2,808 WRQV RI FHUWLÂżHG JURXQGQXW VHHG GXULQJ WKH past 4 years under the Tropical Legumes 2 project partnerships. Y ,Q 7DQ]DQLD FHUWLÂżHG VHHG LV SURGXFHG by over 100 farmer groups under similar contracting arrangement. They produced D WRWDO RI WRQV RI FHUWLÂżHG JURXQGQXW seed for the Agricultural Seed Agency during the past 4 years. Y In West and Central Africa, ICRISAT supported the development of local seed companies under the West Africa Seed Alliance.

The innovation

Seed Categories Breeder seed is directly controlled by the originating plant breeder, sponsoring LQVWLWXWLRQ RU ÂżUP WKDW VXSSOLHV WKH LQLWLDO VRXUFH RI VHHG 7KHUH DUH QR FHUWLÂżFDWLRQ standards for breeder seed. Foundation seed is pure seed produced IURP EUHHGHU VHHG RU IRXQGDWLRQ VHHG under the control of the originator or sponsoring institution or licensee, and PDLQWDLQHG E\ FRPSDQLHV RU VWDWH agencies.

Y To guarantee sustained production, ICRISAT has arranged contract farming for seed production through a seed revolving fund (SRF) in eastern and southern Africa (ESA) and community-based seed systems in West and Central Africa (WCA). Y Long-term training in seed production has been linked to SRF activities, through the National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM), the Agricultural Seed Agency in Tanzania, local seed companies under the West Africa Seed Alliance, NGOs such as the Citizen’s Network for Foreign Affairs, and an agro-dealer network for input supply and output marketing.

The impact Y Currently, the combined efforts of ICRISAT and national systems SURYLGH WRQV EUHHGHU VHHG RI WKH ÂżYH SRSXODU UHOHDVHG JURXQGQXW varieties annually. Y Seed production has been going on for 12 years. So far, the SRF has FRQWULEXWHG WRQV RI IRXQGDWLRQ VHHG DQG WRQV RI FHUWLÂżHG seed of improved groundnut varieties, and 12.21 tons breeder and 197.40 tons foundation seed of improved pigeonpea varieties for Malawi.

A groundnut seed production plot.

Registered seed LV SURGXFHG IURP foundation or other approved seed VWRFNV 7KH VHHG PXVW EH RI D TXDOLW\ VXLWDEOH IRU WKH SURGXFWLRQ RI FHUWLÂżHG seed.

Y Community-based organizations produced PRUH WKDQ WRQV RI FHUWLÂżHG VHHG DQG over 1,000 tons of quality declared seed Y In Niger and Mali, 124 farmer associations and 98 smallholder farmers were trained in seed production technologies and business skills. Y Adoption rates of improved varieties is estimated at 57% of the total area in Malawi, 35% in Tanzania, 59% in selected districts of Uganda and 57% in Zambia for ESA, 27% in Mali and 22% in Nigeria for WCA. Y The reductions in unit costs of improved varieties range from 21% in Malawi to 44% in Uganda, compared to local varieties.

&HUWLÂżHG VHHG LV SURGXFHG IURP IRXQGDWLRQ UHJLVWHUHG FHUWLÂżHG RU RWKHU DSSURYHG VHHG VWRFNV ,W PXVW EH YHULÂżHG WR EH SXUH ZLWK D KLJK JHUPLQDWLRQ UDWH DQG FDQQRW EH XVHG WR SURGXFH FHUWLÂżHG VHHG DJDLQ ZLWKRXW WKH DSSURYDO RI WKH VWDWH FHUWLÂżFDWLRQ DJHQF\ 6HHG ORWV PXVW PHHW VSHFLÂżHG VWDQGDUGV DQG SDVV ÂżHOG LQVSHFWLRQ EHIRUH EHLQJ VROG DV FHUWLÂżHG VHHG Quality declared seed LV IURP D V\VWHP RI VHHG TXDOLW\ FRQWURO GHYHORSHG E\ FAO that is less expensive than regular FHUWLÂżFDWLRQ SURFHGXUHV

Meeting of local seed company representatives.

Partners Clockwise from top left: Farmers at a seed fair show interest in new varieties; grading groundnut; bags of seed ready for transportation to market; a seed processing factory.

CARE; Irish Aid; NASFAM, USAID; Millennium Villages Project; Common Fund for Commodities; NARS and NGOs.

Aug 2012

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