50 1967 - 2017
IITA news No. 2353
7–11 November 2016
Stakeholders convene in IITA to address research issues in cocoa
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takeholders, researchers, policy and decision makers across the value chain converged at IITA in Ibadan, for a Regional Cocoa Symposium to brainstorm on the future of Africa’s cocoa research, 8-10 November. The inaugural symposium focusing on the Next Generation of Cocoa Research for West and Central Africa, aimed at addressing the issues around the sustainability of cocoa in West and Central Africa, the region which produces about 70% of cocoa in the world, and strengthening the partnerships among different actors across the entire sector. Speaking at the opening of the symposium, Kenton Dashiell, IITA Deputy Director General, Partnerships for Delivery, said that IITA would intensify research to improve the production of cocoa and other crops in Nigeria, Africa and the world, and that high quality materials with new genotypes and improved cropping systems that will increase yield and quality of cocoa and improve disease control would be given priority. The Ooni (king) of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, who attended the opening program, said that cocoa farmers in Africa should be involved in determining the price of cocoa in the international market. This can be an incentive for the youths to embrace cocoa cultivation and boost its production. The traditional monarch said, “Africans produce up to 70 percent of the cocoa globally, yet the price is not determined by Africans, but by the West, where the crop is not produced. We should bridge the gap of disparity and work together as a global village to correct it...I am very impressed with IITA; it has added a lot of value in research and development, and I encourage it to keep on adding value in research, for the entire agricultural value chain”. Paul Macek, Senior Director for West Africa Programs of World Cocoa Foundation, said that the symposium will address the hindrances to a healthy cocoa cultivation,
and that complementary measures need to be implemented to increase incomes. “WCF aspires to double yields per hectare, through improved planting material, and better agricultural practice under a program called CocoaAction. Cocoa today faces more threats than ever from pests, diseases, and now sadly, climate change. We need to also focus on complementary measures to increase incomes, as productivity increases alone are not sufficient, and we have to do it through research which includes Promoting alternative income generating activities for farmers, ensuring an effective agricultural policy framework that benefits farmers, and more inclusive growth that empowers women farmers and engages the youth”, he said.
“There is need to review policies and develop new strategies to address the challenges faced by the cocoa industry and research institutes involved in cocoa production. We have to come up with the strategies that will ensure sustainable cocoa production for the benefit of all”, Dr Olayiwola Olubamiwa, Acting Executive Director, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, stressed.
From the Mars chocolate company, (UK), Martin Gilmour spoke on the importance of improved seedlings for cocoa farmers, “To supply cocoa farmers with improved seedlings, we have to do more breeding of higher yielding cocoa, and investing more in propagation. We also have to invest in producing clones and making sure healthy plants reach farmers. I manage research to improve cocoa productivity and quality, and we are here to absorb information and connect to the African network of cocoa researchers”.
“This symposium is unique as it brought together private companies, students, USAID, NGOs, and many other stakeholders to address strategic issues and improve research engagement in the cocoa sector”, Ranjana Bhattacharjee, Molecular Geneticist at IITA and symposium organizer. “I have a real passion for cocoa, and this symposium addresses the coco farmers’ needs.
When asked, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) representative, Jay Daniiuk, stated “The African Cocoa Initiative (ACI) has a focus on youths in terms of making the cocoa sector a profitable business. We will make the plant materials and finance available where necessary”.
The symposium was organized by WCF, CRIN, IITA, and USAID.
The Ooni (king) of Ife, also a farmer, participated in the.opening program of the Regional Cocoa Symposium held in IITA.
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Research put into action can double cocoa yield in Africa – WCF Director
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aul Macek, Director of West Africa 2. New varieties that are higher Programs of the World Cocoa yielding and tolerant to pests, Foundation (WCF), speaking on diseases, and the adverse impacts behalf of President Richard Scobey, of climate change. in a keynote talk during the Regional 3. A deeper understanding of the Cocoa Symposium on 8 November, socioeconomic and household emphasized that research needs to behaviors in cocoa growing areas be given more attention to ensure the that create sustainable livelihoods revival of the cocoa industry in the and communities. region. WCF recognizes the efforts of African He said that the theme of the symposium cocoa farmers and the challenges “Next Generation of Cocoa Research they contend with in production, noting for West and Central Africa” was borne that the symposium took stock of out of the need to develop a regional Africa’s research and highlighted the approach to cocoa research that will strategic directions for cocoa research prioritize critical issues in the sector as well as emerging challenges in the while demonstrating how research cocoa sector. He also said that WCF can be put into action to transform the is devising production models that sector, lives, and livelihoods of millions focus on complementary measures to increase incomes in recognition of the in West and Central Africa. fact that productivity increases alone “The theme of this symposium reminds are not sufficient. us that cocoa is central to the livelihoods and way of life for millions. While cocoa “We acknowledge the most important cultivation may be culturally rooted people to this sector today—the for many Africans, we must strive to cocoa farmers—whose hard work and modernize and professionalize its efforts are the backbone of the entire production and to get there, we need cocoa and chocolate industry. Cocoa today faces more threats than ever three things from research: from pests, diseases, and now sadly, 1. Investments in global cocoa climate change. To overcome these collections. challenges, we are looking to promoting
Paul Macek, Director of West Africa Programs of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF).
alternative income-generating activities for farmers, ensuring an effective agricultural policy framework that benefits farmers, and developing a more inclusive growth strategy that empowers women farmers and engages the youth”. Symposium participants were asked to “build the bridges of understanding to enhance the sustainability of the cocoa subsector.” “Let us continue to build bridges of understanding, sharing, and collaboration as we seek to enhance the sustainability of the cocoa sector and improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers, their families, and communities,” Macek concluded.
Beating the odds: Agripreneurs make giant strides in rice seed production
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he Rice Commodity Unit of the IITA Abuja Youth Agripreneurs have begun producing improved rice seeds of the preferred FARO 44 and FARO 52 varieties despite encountering challenges with the expanse of land they acquired. Felicia Okotie, a graduate of Business Administration from the Polytechnic Ibadan and Head of the Rice Commodity Unit, narrated that their group were confronted with a series of challenges before production could begin.
“The Abuja Youth Agripreneurs leased a 5-hectare area of land in Koso village, Nasarawa State. However, only 2.5 hectares were cultivated because some locals laid claim to the remaining 2.5 hectares,” she said.
Okotie attributed the success of the group to a combination of their belief in the profitability of agriculture and the mentorship, backstopping, and technical training they have received especially from the 2015 rice demonstration farming exercise organized by the Agricultural Undaunted by this encounter, the youth Transformation Support Program Phase Agripreneurs proceeded to conquer One (ATASP-1) Outreach Program rice every setback and deliver on their goals commodity value chain. of producing rice seed to fill the demand for the crop by farmers in northern “Producing rice seed involves a lot of Nigeria. technicalities but is far more rewarding in terms of return on investment than rice grain production. Currently, the Agripreneurs are aiming to satisfy the huge gap in the rice seed market around the highly agriculturally active middle-belt region of Nigeria. The improved varieties we produce are highly demanded by lowland rice farmers in northern Nigeria. Our achievement is proof that given the right support, such as we have received from IITA and ATASP-1, youth without prior knowledge of agriculture can be productively engaged in the agricultural sector,” Okotie said.
Agripreneur Felicia Okotie in one of the rice trial plots.
IITA Bulletin 2353
In addition to the 2.5-hectare rice farm in Koso village, the group also maintains a 4-hectare rice seed production farm in Agaie village in Niger State. page 2
Stakeholders hail climate change district learning alliances
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e need a special committee or government agency to address issues of climate change in the country, something similar to a committee that was formed in the past to deal with HIV/AIDS”. This was said by Lucas Shemndolwa, the recently elected Lushoto District Council Chairperson during a reflection meeting attended by members of the Lushoto District Climate Change Learning Alliance held on 6 October. Shemndolwa recounted the observable impacts of climate change in the District, including depletion of water sources, loss of known bird species, and deepening of water tables. He emphasized that dealing with these impacts needed collective action from various stakeholders. He applauded the learning alliance initiative and pledged to take the agenda of climate change adaptation and the learning alliance initiative to the council’s budgeting and planning meetings. Learning alliances are platforms that bring together different partners drawn from policymakers, academia, research organizations, civil society, the private sector, and farming communities to facilitate the sharing of information, knowledge, and experiences on issues of climate change. Beyond coordinating actors, they are seen to help in connecting policy implementation structures at different governance levels. The learning alliance model is an initiative of the Policy Action for Climate Change Adaptation (PACCA) project of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) led by IITA and being implemented in both Uganda and Tanzania. In Tanzania, the
the meeting, revealed that Lushoto District is now perceived to be ahead of other districts because it had the learning alliance in place and an adaptation action plan developed by the multi-stakeholder platform. She also promised to make Lushoto District a pilot space for collective climate action, hoping that lessons learned could be scaled out to other districts.
Kilolo Learning Alliance replicated at grassroots level In Kilolo District, the learning alliance coordinator reported that they have replicated the learning alliance model at the agroecological zone level and communities. IITA’s Edidah Ampaire speaking at a previous This was based on the livelihood meeting of the Learning alliance zones developed jointly by the alliance stakeholders during previous climate project is coordinated by the Environmental change adaptation planning meetings. The Management Unit (EMU) of the Ministry of model has also been reflected in a proposal Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries (MALF) submitted to USAID and which was rated as well as the Vice President’s Office. higher than the others because of having a clear implementation plan that brings Spillover benefits stakeholders together across scales. There have been spillover benefits from the formation of the alliances. For example, the With district leaders showing an interest in coordinator of the Lushoto Learning Alliance, advancing the concept of learning alliances who is also the District Agriculture, Irrigation at council level, platform members have and Cooperatives Officer (DAICO), has realized that the model can be relevant been appointed the national chairperson for other sectors. As a result, Lushoto and of the Climate Change and Environment Kilolo districts in Tanzania are planning to Committee that will approve proposals integrate the health and energy sectors so on climate/environmental projects to be that they can be relevant to a broad range implemented under the National Agriculture of stakeholders. Sector Development Plan II. “While more in-depth reflections will be Lucy Sendi, the new director of Marketing and Productive Sectors in the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Governments (PO-RALG), also speaking at
undertaken at the end of the year, preliminary results show that district learning alliances can, indeed, be beneficial. The learning alliances of Lushoto and Kilolo have demonstrated that not only do they serve as a platform for climate change policy action but can also potentially serve as an “institution” that connects district sectoral activities, and negotiates and attracts funding,” says Edidah Ampaire, PACCA Project Coordinator. “What needs to be addressed now is how the learning alliances can become sustainable beyond the project initiative. While there are signs that the learning alliance model might be integrated in district structures, we are still watching the steps the districts will take to make this feasible.”
Exposed bare soils in parts of Lushoto just before the beginning of the short rainy season near Mbuzii village, Lushoto District, Tanzania (CIAT).
The PACCA project is being implemented in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT). In addition, PACCA also championed the formation of a National Learning Alliance in Tanzania.
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N2Africa reaches out to 20,000 plus households in Tanzania with improved legume technologies
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t least 23,828 households in Tanzania have been reached with improved technologies for legume production while at least 1,365 farmers have been trained on how to use these technologies with significant increases in yield being realized by those who have adopted the new technologies. The technologies included the use of quality seeds of improved legume varieties, rhizobia inoculants, and appropriate application of fertilizers among other improved farming practices.
This was noted by Freddy Baijukya, the country coordinator for ‘Putting Nitrogen fixation to work for Africa (N2Africa) project in Tanzania which is behind these successes. He was speaking at an annual review and planning meeting held on 19-20 October whose purpose was to look back at the project’s past achievements and develop work plans for 2017. Participants at the N2Africa Review meeting. The meeting brought together the partners and beneficiaries of the project including the media, researchers, NGOs, and private sector companies to discuss their experiences and challenges encountered when implementing the project activities and identify further areas of collaboration.
“Our target is to reach over 60,000 farmers in Tanzania by 2018. To achieve this goal, we need to be strategic and work together to efficiently implement the project activities,” Baijukya said. Theresa Ampadu-Boakeye, the N2Africa project Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist praised the efforts made by partners. She advised them to conduct a demand quantification analysis before introducing any new technology to farmers. The analysis will help in determining the needs of farmers.
N2Africa is a large-scale, science-based “research-in-development” project focused on putting nitrogen fixation to work for smallholder farmers through promoting the cultivation of legume crops in Africa. It is led by Wageningen University and IITA is one of the main She also encouraged partners to implementing partners. create information databases with The project is seeking to promote and contact details of farmers, field expand legume production through extension officers, and other partners. strengthening delivery and dissemination The databases should be shared of improved legume technologies with and will help in the marketing quantity potential to boost production and close analysis and identification of technologies the yield gap through, among others, that are needed by farmers. creating sustainable input supply and market access and empower women to On the first day of the meeting, partners presented their work progress, benefit from legume production.
achievements, challenges, and lessons learned; on the second day, they deliberated on activities for the 2017 work plan. The partner projects include Sustainable Agricultural Intensification Research and Learning in Africa (SAIRLA), Scaling up improved legume technologies (SILT), and Africa RISINGNAFAKA. Partner institutions include the Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) at Ilonga, Naliendele, Makutupora, and Uyole for the research component; NGOs such as Building Rural Income through Enterprise (BRITEN), Farm Inputs Promotion Services (FIPSAfrica), Catholic Relief Services, Farm Radio International, Faida Market Link (FAIDAMALI), and the Clinton Development Initiative (CDI) to support the dissemination of the technologies and private companies such as YARA, Syngenta, MEA Ltd., and Export Trading Group (ETG) to either supply inputs or buy legumes.
Announcements • IITA Open Day, IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria, 12 November. • Marketplace Event, Humidtropics, IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria, 15–17 November. • P4D (Partnerships for Delivery) Week, IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria, 21–25 November. • Launch of the aflasafe Technology Transfer Commercialization (aTTC) project, IITA, Ibadan, Nigeria, 1 December. IITA Bulletin 2353
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IITA and policy action partners contribute to approved Single Spine National Extension Policy and Strategy for Uganda
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he Cabinet of the Government of Uganda approved the National Agricultural Extension Policy (NAEP) and its strategy (NAES) in October, marking another major milestone for the IITA-coordinated Policy Action for Sustainable Intensification of Cropping systems (PASIC) and its policy action partners and projects. These include the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Enabling Environment in Agriculture Activity―a project of USAID’s Feed the Future initiative in Uganda―and the World Bank.
This is an achievement for the project and Stakeholders at the validation meeting. its partners in efforts to promote evidence- Directorate of Agricultural Extension based climate-smart agricultural Services, in her opening remarks of the final intensification policies following the NAES validation workshop on 12 April 2016. approval of the National Agricultural The strengthened extension services Fertilizer Policy in April 2016. will enable producers to experiment NAEP was formulated and approved, with on, adapt, and adopt new agricultural nationwide consultation of stakeholders, technologies, and therefore increase in a record of less than a year. The policy production, noted Pamela Pali, PASIC will transform extension into a well- Research for Development Coordinator. coordinated, harmonized, regulated, pluralistic service with multiple providers “PASIC research findings show that addressing diverse needs. It synthesizes potato yields in South Western Uganda the fragmented extension service providers are about 74.4% of the attainable yield. into a single coherent whole under a single According to Uganda’s economic policy think tank the Economic Policy spine extension system. Research Centre (EPRC), the use of The strategy, on the other hand, aims to quality seed with fertilizer provides the improve the efficiency and effectiveness best intensification technology options of the extension system through the and provides a country wide farm delivery of information and best practices income per annum valued at US$485 million. However extension is accessed to an array of beneficiaries. by only 38% of potato producers in the “This strategy will effectively and efficiently region. Agricultural extension has the provide agricultural extension services potential to increase efficient use of yield, to support sustained progression of augmenting inputs and hence tripling smallholder farmers, from subsistence yield,” she said. agriculture to market-oriented and commercial farming,” noted Beatrice To operationalize NAEP and facilitate Byarugaba, the Acting Director for the the implementation of its strategy, the
Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs will begin the law reform process. The Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services, will, in collaboration with the District Production Officer (DPO), support the provision of advice and information services to farmers; support technology development and linkages with markets; monitor and ensure the quality, appropriateness, and affordability of advisory services; support private sector and farmer institutional development; provide program management and monitoring; and ensure that the research and extension needs of farmers are identified and attended to by service providers. To ensure effective implementation, the capacity of DPOs will be continuously developed. During the policy development process in 2015, 112 DPOs were trained on how this new single spine extension system would be coordinated and monitored. As part of the implementation process of the policy framework, the DPOs will be provided with guidelines and standard operation procedures that outline the implementation of their dayto-day extension activities.
Farmers’ field day and donation of 200 hectares of land at Mokwa
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ITA’s Maize Improvement Program (MIP) with support from Robert Asiedu, the IITA West Africa Regional Hub Director, organized a farmers’ field day on 29 October to demonstrate maize technologies for combating Striga hermonthica prevalent on the fields of
smallholder maize farmers in Mokwa, Niger State and its environs. The day also marked the official inauguration and hand-over of 200 hectares of research land donated to IITA by the Niger State College of Agriculture
(NSCA). It brought together participants from IITA, NSCA, the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) Ahmadu Bello University, the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI), and local authorities including the Agricultural Development Project (ADP), the Division Police Officer (DPO),
Happy farmers at the field day in Mokwa, Niger State.
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community leaders, representatives of Fulani herdsmen, and local farmers from Mokwa, and the surrounding villages of Ndayako, Tunganoma, and Kwandegi. During the inauguration of the land, Sylvia Oyinlola, Administrator, Western Africa hub representing Asiedu, thanked NSCA for giving the land to IITA to generate technologies for reducing hunger and poverty as well as malnutrition in Africa. “IITA has been carrying out research work in Niger State for over 20 years, mainly on maize, cassava, cowpea, soybean, and yam. This donation will further enhance the collaboration among IITA, IAR, and NSCA in terms of training and offering job opportunities to the local communities in Mokwa,” Oyinlola said. She also encouraged the farmers to take the field day as an important platform for interacting with scientists on various constraints to crop productivity and production. In his speech, the Provost of NSCA, Aliu Mohammed, announced the official handing over of the land to IITA and implored the Fulani herdsmen occupying the land to vacate it before the start of the next planting season. He appreciated IITA for the collaboration and pointed out
that “giving out the land was a combined effort of NSCA and the communities in Mokwa”.
levels of vitamin A to combat malnutrition among children under 5 years and mothers,” Meseka said.
The field day session was led by Silvestro Meseka, representing Abebe Menkir, MIP leader. Meseka said that Striga (witchweed), locally called wuta-wuta (in Hausa/Nupe), has infested up to 4 million hectares of land under maize production in sub-Saharan Africa, causing yield losses of up to 80% and sometimes 100% under heavy infestation in farmers’ field, especially in areas like Mokwa where low soil fertility and frequent occurrence of drought are not uncommon. He also highlighted the breakthroughs of IITA and partners to eradicate the complex weed. Some of the improved varieties were planted in the demonstration plots adjacent to the Striga-resistant varieties for farmers to see.
Meseka also pointed out that there was a new challenge to maize production caused by the armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in Nigeria and other West African states including Benin Republic and São Tomé and Príncipe, which had proved very difficult to control.
“Over the years, MIP and partners (IAR, Institute of Agricultural Research & Training - IAR&T) have developed and released several maize varieties that combine resistance to Striga with high grain yields. Each year, at least one improved maize variety is released. IITA and partners have also developed and released maize varieties with enhanced
A total of 110 local farmers including eight women attended the field day. The farmers walked through different maize plots, artificially infested with Striga and non-infested as well as maize varieties with improved levels of vitamin A to demonstrate their performance in the demo plots. The farmers thanked IITA and other partners for providing them with the opportunity to interact with scientists and learn from the knowledge transfer process. In his vote of thanks, the officer in-charge of CNRI, Mokwa station, S. Tiamiyu, thanked the participants and commended NSCA and IITA for forging a symbiotic collaboration that will benefit not only the farmers but also the agricultural institutions working in Mokwa.
IITA scientist and spouse counsel young innovators in Nigeria
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he 2016 edition of the annual Nigeria Innovation Summit (NIS), themed “Innovation: A Key Driver of Economic Growth and Sustainable Development”, was held on 3 and 4 November at Sheraton Lagos Hotel, Ikeja. NIS is an initiative led by Emerging Media & Advertising Services, New York, and Emerging Media Nigeria. It partners with the world’s leading innovation providers from academia, government, and industry to connect Nigerian businesses and innovators to global innovation ecosystems.
Hemant Nitturkar, Project Coordinator, Building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS) was at the event and presented a talk on “Agricultural Innovations”. He was also on a panel discussion on the same subject. Describing the economic importance of cassava in Nigeria, Nitturkar spoke about the innovative work happening in IITA that is helping to improve entire cassava value chain. He cited the range of work happening under BASICS in terms of improving the cassava seed system and shared
details of the entrepreneurial opportuni ties across the cassava value chain. He also encouraged the young participants to be innovative and entrepreneurial and suggested that they connect with the National Root Crop Research Institute and other national agricultural research institutions for technologies from IITA. Vaishali Nitturkar, spouse of the BASICS Coordinator, also presented a talk on “Supporting Start-ups, Innovators and Entrepreneurs in Nigeria” and participated in a panel discussion on the same subject. She shared her own life experiences as an entrepreneur and was especially well received by the young female participants. She explained to the young entrepreneurs and the academia that a change can be brought about by a top-down approach, but a solid transformation can only happen from bottom up. She encouraged every young person to internalize innovation and enterprise to succeed in life in today’s world, as even employers are looking to hire people who are entrepreneurial. “Only risk takers can take up entrepreneurship to create jobs, value, and wealth for themselves, their community, and the nation,” Vaishali advised.
IITA speakers Hemant and Vaishali Nitturkar with participants, including high school students.
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