THE
2229No. 2190, 23-27 09 —13 June 20142013 Issue September
BULLETIN
African organizations unite to address the threat of a named for 2013 IITA Austria and dangerous form ofFinland Fusarium wilt of banana16 Talent Development
ambassadors at IITA-Ibadan, .Competitive Grant S cite staff’s work ethics F
rom 24 to 26 September, facilities for producing Aflasafe and delegations from the embassies the specialized equipment for crop of Austria and Finland were at processing from the units they had IITA-Ibadan for an official visit visited on campus. to the institute. The Austrian “I would also like to cite your delegation was led by His Excellency Communication Unit for their Ambassador Dr Joachim Oeppinger excellent work in producing the with Ms Marisa Mercado, Liaison materials that we got. They were Officer, and Ms Nella Hengstler, very informative and well-designed,” Commercial Counselor of the Ambassador added.with Dr Beed (left) with Dennis Ochola of Bioversity InternationalKorpivaara on a farm infected embassy’s Commercial Section. The The ambassadors also emphasized Foc TR4 in northern Mozambique Finnish delegation wasof led by Her that they were looking forward An African consortium international (AC4TR4) was held in Stellenbosch, Excellency Ambassador Mrs Riita to theirAfrica, respective countries researchers and growers, backed by South 23-24 April 2014, on Korpivaara,who was accompanied by collaborating with IITA inofthe areas policymakers in regional blocs of the theme: Development a Strategy Dr Heikki of organic farming and organic eastern andValisuo. southern Africa has declared to address the threat of Foc TR4 in The guests welcomed by Dr f. Africa. fertilizers.Representatives from the “war” againstwere Fusarium oxysporum sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4), following organization took part: Nteranya Sanginga, Director General, aand highly pathogenic form of the banana Southern African Development members of IITA Management Fusarium wilt,atpreviously confined to Community (SADC), The Common with a dinner the International Asia, introduced to a farm Market for Eastern and Southern Housebut onrecently Tuesday. inOn northern Mozambique. Africa (COMESA), the East African Wednesday, the visitors FoC TR4 (also known as Panama Community (EAC), Association for toured IITA’s Genebank, the new disease) is caused by a fungal strain that Strengthening Agricultural Research Aflasafe Manufacturing the and can survive for decades inPlant, the soil, in Eastern and Central Africa Seed Processing Unit, Youth in once introduced to a country has never (ASARECA), Food and Agriculture Agribusiness Unit, the Cassava been previously eradicated. Production Organization (FAO), National Plant Processing Unit, andof thebanana cassavawhich and Protection Organizations (NPPO), of Cavendish types maize experimental farms. In each dominate export markets, and some IITA, Bioversity International, other local ofwere banana, has by been Stellenbosch University, national facility, the forms visitors briefed devastated across Asia, no interacted thanks to research organizations, and commercial the unit managers and also Foc growers. withTR4. staff. Its introduction to Africa, probably Before leaving on Thursday, the by Recommendations from the workshop infected materialwith by people, have now been harmonized. A major delegatesplanting held a meeting has already had a massive impact on the output has been “The Stellenbosch IITA Management, during which commercial plantation in Mozambique, Declaration on addressing the threat the efforts ambassadors their the and are in expressed place to contain of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense appreciation of the enthusiasm of the tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) to banana disease on this farm, to avert further scientists andtostaff aboutother their African work. spread and prepare production in Korpivaara Africa,”(6th from convened Top: Ambassadors “I am really impressed the left) and Oeppinger from right) withsigned countries against similarbyincursions, by SADC and(6thCOMESA, DG Sanginga and states other members IITA passion your scientists staff says Dr of Fen Beed, Plantand Pathologist by member and ofendorsing management; Bottom: Lawrence Kaptoge, with thethey International Institute of institutions. in what do,” Ambassador Aflasafe Process Engineer, explaining to the Tropical Agriculture (IITA). This unique Declaration aims Oeppinger said to DG Sanginga. guests how the new Aflasafe Manufacturing To envoys manageespecially the disease outbreak The cited the and to Plantcombine operates. forces to curtail the
to prepare African countries reliant on introduction and spread of Foc TR4 in banana for food security and income Africa and in particular to achieve the Got a story atostakeholder share? Please email it with and captions to Andrea Gros generation, workshop of photos following: (a.gros@cgiar.org), Jeffreyfor T. Oliver (o.jeffrey@cgiar.org), Godwin Atser (g.atser@ the African Consortium Foc TR4
1. Fully develop and implement a continental strategy under the direction of an African Foc TR4 task force to contain the staff incursion of Foc TR4 ixteen from various Hubsin the Nampula province of Mozambique and units of IITA have emergedand prevent similar elsewhere. winners of the incursions 2013 IITA Talent 2. Provide and enhanceGrant. technical Development Competitive capacity on the continent, and to The winners of this year’s grant implement and monitor phytosanitary and their respective training courses systems, wider are: Gbengaincluding Oloyede of FMS on use ofCentraVac International Standards for Electronic Control; Oluwole Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) and Oguntade of the Germplasm Unit on other matters concerning plant health Advanced Training in Phytosanitary toMeasures; address Folarin the threat of Foc TR4 in Soyode of GRC Africa. on Genomics & Bioinformatics; David 3.Oluwadare Report and map electronically by of the Security Unit on means of a web portal any new outbreaks Risk, Crisis and Disaster Management; of Foc TR4 in African member states Robert Oduor of IITA-Kenya on and communicate information on new MSc in Finance; Korede Lawal of the outbreaks, successful containment, Finance Office initiatives. on ICAN Examination; and prevention Felix Farinola of the Research Farm 4. Establish recognition that Foc TR4 Office on Database Certified Web is a continental issue that requires Programming; V. and Arthur Geh of IITAcoordination collaboration Liberia on Internal Control; Idowu between NPPOs, RECs, ICPs, research Ifaturoti of universities, the Telecomsgovernments, Unit on institutions, Telecoms Architecture and Info Tech; and other relevant stakeholders Omolara Salako of the International throughout Africa by means of regular School on Creative Teaching; Sylvester meetings and consultations. Owobu of theand Supply Chain Unit 5. Develop apply appropriate on Master services, in Businessprovide Administration; diagnostic training, raise awareness, monitor disease Abosede Pelemo of the Telecoms spread, screenCertified bananaIT germplasm Unit onand Microsoft for Foc TR4 resistance for deployment Professional; an IITA-Cameroon staff byonvulnerable banana Communication andgrowers. Client Focus; 6. Call upon African and international Anthony Fulani of the Medical organizations to recognize andSafety support Unit on Masters in Health and the activities of AC4TR4 by investing Education; Kayode Awobajo of the inProject research, awareness programs, Administration Office on human capacity, and infrastructure USAID Federal Rules and Regulations: development on the continent. Grants and Coop Agreements; and 7. Develop a regional Olabode Olumide OlaoluwaPest of Risk Analysis document and a set of the Communication Office on Film phytosanitary measures to be enforced Making and Video Production. by The member states to prevent the pilot grant began last year introduction and spread of Foc TR4 as part of the staff development and other quarantine pests of banana. plan, with DG Sanginga allocating 8. Encourage governments in Africa funding for toUS$40,000 formulateadditional the necessary legislation staff training. and to implement the required activities Zoumana IITA Head of farm to protect theBamba, crops of vulnerable Capacity Development, described owners against destructive exotic pests.
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the grant as “the first initiative of its kind since IITA’s inception.” The grant supports staff who wishes
cgiar.org), Catherine Njuguna (c.njuguna@cgiar.org), or Katherine Lopez next page... (k.lopez@cgiar.org). Got a story to share? Please email it with photos and captions to Andrea Gros (a.gros@cgiar.org), Katherine continued Lopez (k.lopez@ cgiar.org), Jeffrey T. Oliver (j.oliver@cgiar.org), Godwin Atser (g.atser@cgiar.org), Catherine Njuguna (c.njuguna@cgiar.org), or Adaobi Umeokoro (a.umeokoro@cgiar.org)
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