CABI in
AFRICA
newsletter 2012/13
Improving the lives of seed producers 02 Farmers turn to producing African indigenous vegetable seeds
Fighting coffee leaf rust 04
Also in this issue
Tackling coffee leaf rust in African coffee farms
Fighting IAS with technology 03 Cottoning on to ICM 04 Plantwise grows 05 Drying beads for drier seeds 09 NERICA aids post-conflict areas 10 Cochineal to solve prickly problem 10
Celebration and strategy in Accra
Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Alhaji Muhammed Mumuni, officially opened CABI’s new West African office on 4 July 2012.
High level representatives of 12 countries joined the celebrations, which took place during the CABI Africa Member Countries’ Consultation. Situated on the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) campus, CABI joins several other regional and international research and development organizations in what is rapidly becoming a West African hub of scientific and agricultural knowledge. CABI has been working in West Africa for many years, but the opening of the Accra office signals its intention to expand activities in the sub-region, particularly in current member countries Côte d’Ivoire, the Gambia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Cameroon and Togo have already expressed interest in joining CABI, as a result of successful collaborative projects to boost their coffee production and export. “We are excited to have a permanent base in West Africa at last,” said Morris Akiri, CABI’s Regional Director for Africa. “Our expertise in smallholder commodity crops such as cocoa, coffee, oil palm and others is very relevant to our West African member countries. We are also delighted that the first plant clinics are just starting in Ghana under our Plantwise Initiative.”
Regional priorities Aside from the celebrations, representatives of the African member countries also spent two intensive days reviewing and updating priority areas for CABI’s work in Africa. Chaired by Hon Ms Sherry Ayittey, Ghana’s Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, the open session was attended by around 60 delegates. Top of their priorities were trade and market development, and knowledge management, which involves sharing knowledge among scientists and broad stakeholder groups.
The delegates also discussed protecting biodiversity and managing a range of stressors, including pests, water and soil nutrients, many of which are made worse by climate change. Institutional capacity building was seen as cross-cutting and applicable in all areas. The priority areas will be further discussed and approved at the 2013 Review Conference. For more information, please contact Morris Akiri: m.akiri@cabi.org
www.cabi.org
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
Improving the lives of seed producers Producing African indigenous vegetable seeds is a way of improving and sustaining livelihoods among farmers.
Introducing farmers to indigenous seeds
The Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) is supporting a project in Kenya and Tanzania which helps to train and establish seed farmers as producers of African indigenous vegetables. A course to teach future trainers the principles of quality seed production and postharvest handling has been developed and is being used to train farmers, government and private sector extension workers beyond the project site. Seed production has increased dramatically. Seed purity and germination
New project aims to improve smallholder crop yields Launched in May 2012, COMPRO II (the institutionalization of quality assurance mechanism and dissemination of top quality commercial products to increase crop yields and improve food security of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa) is a five-year project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and implemented by CABI and led by IITA.
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rates now exceed 90 per cent, compared with less than 50 per cent prior to the project, and the profits and livelihoods of seed producers have consequently improved. “Before we were introduced to this project, life was very difficult because I was poor and often borrowed from my neighbours,” says one farmer. “I could not afford to take my children to school. I am thankful for this project because my children now go to school and neighbours come asking for help from me.” The aim is to improve the crop yields of smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa through the dissemination of effective agricultural commercial products and institutionalization of regulation procedures to guarantee the quality of those products. COMPRO II is running in Ethiopia, Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and Ghana. CABI in Africa is spearheading the development of a communications strategy. We are also developing various information products including policy briefs, manuals for farmers and extension personnel, and
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
Through the project, descriptors and quality starter seed have been produced for spider plant and amaranthus, ensuring a sustainable supply of seed to growers who have no formal contracts with seed companies. This work has also enabled the fast release of seven improved varieties of African indigenous vegetables in Tanzania. For more information, please contact Daniel Karanja: d.karanja@cabi.org
the supporting the dissemination of the project’s messages to policy-makers in the six focus countries. Other partner agencies, FIPS-AFRICA and AATF are leading different parts of the project, including building capacity for quality control and monitoring through MSc and PhD fellowships, and laboratory capacity strengthening. For more information, please contact James Watiti: j.watiti@cabi.org
CABI in Africa 2011/12
Fighting IAS with technology East Africa’s biodiversity resources are under threat from the spread of invasive alien species (IAS) - a threat which poses the second biggest threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction. However, little is currently known about either the distribution of invasive species or their impact. A new project seeks to fill some of these knowledge gaps and use a variety of communication technologies to provide authorities with the information they need to safeguard biodiversity in the region. These include the development of openaccess IAS data sets and an identification toolkit, as well as capacity building activities. The project, which has received funding from the JRS Biodiversity Foundation, was initiated in August 2012 and will be completed in July 2015.
Cleaner coffee in Cameroon Cameroon is one of the most important coffee producing countries in Africa. However, production has declined significantly over the last 30 years. The government has responded by producing a coffee strategy and, as part of this strategy, CABI, the European Union and the World Bank have collaborated on a pilot project to introduce improved coffee washing technology. Ecological coffee pulping machines reduce
Beating black rot in brassicas
Opuntia stricta invasion in Laikipia, Kenya
It is working closely with national stakeholders, such as national plant protection organizations (NPPOs) and conservation agencies, to build capacity for future data collection and analysis. The project will make comprehensive data – including an identification guide – on identifying and managing invasive alien plants in East Africa freely and widely available, and will increase the use of information resources by NPPOs, conservation organisations and the amount of water required for wet coffee processing by up to 90 per cent, compared with conventional coffee processing machines. Central pulping unit (CPU) equipment was purchased and installed at four sites – Bandjoun, Belo, Angossas and Chede. Technical staff at the four sites were trained to operate the equipment so that it could be used as soon as the harvest began. Farmers were enthusiastic about the new equipment, indicating that they would like to own it and would contribute to its maintenance through delivery of red DfID, project activities include mapping second-generation Brassica rapa lines for resistance localization and field-testing third generation Brassica rapa lines for their resilience to two major races (1 and 4) of Xcc. The trial includes commercial cabbage and kale varieties and two local kale lines (CABI 4 and CABI 5). The project is building capacity in Africa
other biodiversity stakeholders. It also aims to increase co-operation between East African states so as to prevent IAS from spreading between countries, to contribute to the global knowledge pool on the presence and distribution of IAS, and to help countries meet their obligations to international conventions and treaties. For more information please contact Arne Witt: a.witt@cabi.org cherries, and by pooling resources so they could carry out repairs and pay the operators. When the pilot project was drawing to a close, the management committees had already become accustomed to meeting regularly so they could discuss any issues regarding the effective running of the equipment. The four pilot sites produced clean coffee totalling 17.2 tonnes of fully washed Arabica and 18.7 tonnes of fully washed Robusta during the 2011/2012 coffee campaign. For more information, please contact Charles Agwanda: c.agwanda@cabi.org in the areas of Brassica pathology and breeding. A scientist from KARI, Mr Salim Sanya Inzaule, has been trained at the University of Warwick on identification, race and pathotype determination of Xcc using modern DNA finger printing techniques. For more information, please contact Joseph Mulema: j.mulema@cabi.org
Black rot is a devastating plant disease caused by a bacteria, Xanthomonas campestris pv campestris (Xcc). It particularly affects the Brassica oleracea subspecies of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and kale (used in the popular Kenyan dish sukuma wiki), resulting in considerable losses in yield. CABI, Harper Adams University College, the University of Warwick and Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) are collaborating on a project looking at how to breed black rot tolerant Brassica oleracea accessions. Funded by BBSRC/
Black rot disease on cabbages
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
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Winning the fight against coffee leaf rust For centuries, coffee leaf rust (CLR) has been one of the biggest threats facing the coffee industry worldwide. Caused by the fungus Hemileia vastatrix, CLR can cause crop losses of around 30–60 per cent per year. The disease brought about the collapse of the entire coffee industry in Sri Lanka, spread from there to Brazil, and is now a huge concern in Africa and Asia. Control of CLR has always been problematic, as the fungus spreads easily and can develop new races to overcome the natural resistance of the coffee tree. To help tackle the issue, CABI is collaborating with Kenya, India, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Supervised by the International Coffee Organization (ICO) and funded by the Common Fund for
Commodities (CFC), the project aims to reduce the economic and environmental costs of controlling the disease for smallholder coffee farmers by reducing the crop and quality losses it causes. Progress is encouraging. A number of varieties of coffee have been identified as having resistance to CLR, and these varieties are being used where possible. Countries such as Kenya, which has identified and released a Batian variety resistant not only to CLR but also to the equally devastating coffee berry disease, have experienced huge demand for the new varieties. New races of CLR have also been identified in all five countries and this will help greatly in devising the right strategies against the disease. Indian varieties have
Coffee leaf rust on leaf
shown great promise in resisting CLR in African coffee farms. Knowledge of the new and existing technologies is being shared with key stakeholders (mostly farmers) through farmer field schools, which are proving popular with the coffee farmers. For more information, please contact: Noah Phiri: n.phiri@cabi.org
Coffee credit scheme progress When the project “Sustainable Credit Guarantee Scheme to Promote Scaling up/out of Enhanced Coffee Processing Practices in Ethiopia and Rwanda” was officially launched, the plan was to design and implement a credit guarantee scheme which would empower smallholder farmers to access commercial loans and enable cooperative societies to purchase and process cherry from farmers. The project’s achievements to date include developing and implementing a curriculum to facilitate capacity building by loan
officers administering the scheme. It is developing and applying criteria to identify cooperatives which could benefit from the scheme. Candidate cooperatives have been identified and capacity building undertaken. The first loan applications have been processed and loans disbursed.
The project will run for five years and will enable farmers, cooperative societies and banks to collaborate effectively in strengthening the value chain.
times they sprayed pests from 8–12 to 5–6. Training materials including a manual on ICM in cotton, integrated pest management (IPM) posters and pictorial pest identification guides have been developed, and 124 farmer field schools reaching more than 3000 smallholder cotton farmers established.
In Mozambique, the seed cotton yield during the 2010/11 cropping season was as high as 1682 kg/ha, compared with 552 kg/ha in the non-ICM plot nearby. A cost benefit analysis is ongoing.
For more information, please contact Charles Agwanda: c.agwanda@cabi.org
Cottoning on to ICM Cotton farmers in Kenya and Mozambique are benefiting from a project to make cotton production more efficient. Following a needs assessment, a curriculum on integrated crop management (ICM) in cotton has been developed for trainers and farmers and will be continuously updated during the farmers’ training. More than 100 farmer field school facilitators from the six target districts in each country have also attended a training course. An agro-ecosystem analysis shows that, during one cropping season, farmers in both countries reduced the number of
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KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
For more information, please contact Daniel Karanja: d.karanja@cabi.org
CABI in Africa 2011/12
Hunting evasive invasive information Managing invasive species and preventing them from entering any country is hard, and this difficulty is compounded if threats from across or even within the country’s borders are unknown. Information is the key. The Invasive Species Compendium (ISC) is a freely accessible resource with information on invasive species worldwide. As part of an EU-funded project to sharpen the ISC’s effectiveness in East Africa, a workshop was held in Entebbe in October 2012, organized by CABI with the assistance of the National Agricultural Research Organization – Uganda. Fifteen participants from Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, representing bodies including government ministries, inspectorate services and research institutes, were trained to use the ISC effectively as both a reference tool and a system for answering questions. A primary objective of the workshop was to improve the ISC’s data on invasives threatening East Africa. Over the three days, the experts brought together from around
Participants in workshop, Entebbe, Uganda
the region were able to identify several gaps in coverage, including invasives missing from the information tool and relevant species included in the ISC but not listed as invasive. With communication channels now in place, participants will continue to give feedback to ISC, so its content on invasive species relevant to East Africa will become more comprehensive.
The ISC project team will concentrate on filling gaps identified in these workshops and other activities, improving the ISC’s relevance to the region. Participants will be equipped to use the ISC themselves and to train colleagues to use it at the front line of combating the dire effects of invasives on the environment, biodiversity and our social and economic wellbeing.
Far from being an isolated activity, this was the first workshop in a programme of six.
For more information, please contact www.cabi.org/isc
Plantwise grows Plant clinics continue to positively impact rural farmers across Africa
Africa Plantwise Summit Early in 2012, the Africa Plantwise Summit gave people running plant clinics in Africa an opportunity to review progress, learn lessons and discuss how to enhance the role of clinics in catalysing the plant health system (PHS). At the opening ceremony, CABI Executive Director for International Development, Dennis Rangi, emphasized the importance of regional consultations and the national stakeholder meetings held in each country.
contributions of extension providers and their relationships with other technical, scientific and regulatory organizations working in agriculture were identified. Participants also suggested ways to sustain plant clinics within a wider PHS, examining what this means for CABI partners and others. James Wanjohi, Director of Extension Services at the Ministry of Agriculture, Kenya, stated that Kenya intends to make clinics one of its key approaches to improving extension services in the country. For more information, please contact Florence Chege: f.chege@cabi.org
As well as giving presentations on progress made by plant clinics in countries including the DRC, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and Sierra Leone, participants made field visits to plant clinics in Kenya. They shared experiences and insights on running clinics, supporting farmers effectively, and combining clinics with other extension methods. The roles and
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
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In DRC and Rwanda: Progress continues In DRC, a stakeholder forum held in Beni was attended by delegates representing important regional organizations including the government, university and a private company, ESCO, which is currently operating eight clinics.
Ghana: Plant clinics find fertile ground
Plant clinics are progressing well under ESCO Kivu and Catholic University Graben, Butembo, which operate four clinics. One milestone is that 48 people from institutions already running plant clinics and new ones, including government institutes, have now been trained in Module 1. In Rwanda, plant clinics are continuing to generate a lot of interest. The eight established clinics are progressing well and data recording is continuing. A booklet of pest fact sheets has been published and an annual national stakeholder forum and planning workshop is to be held later in the year. For more information, please contact Noah Phiri: n.phiri@cabi.org
The success of plant clinics in other countries has encouraged Ghana to initiate clinics of its own. Extensive discussions with national partners generated positive responses, and the initiative has been welcomed by the main stakeholders at a national and regional level. After the initial discussions, a successful plant clinic training was held in Kumasi during the last week of June 2012 at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute (CSIRCRI). Of the 30 participants, the majority were from extension, complemented by staff from plant protection and regulatory services, and researchers. They were enthused by the comprehensive and practical oriented course, which was warmly received. Plant clinic-Rwanda
As part of the practical exercise, a pilot clinic was held at Afigya Kwabre district in Boamang, a busy market town near Kumasi. Although the clinic was advertised at short notice, the plant doctors were soon busy attending to the first 20 or more farmers waiting with sick plant samples. The number of farmers and queries steadily increased, with cocoa and eggplant accounting for about one third of the total. The clinic proved a practical demonstration of the known but perhaps poorly articulated need to respond actively to farmers’ problems. The massive demand and the interest shown by the farmers inspired the participants. The head of the district agricultural office and her staff also showed their support for the initiative by taking part in the event. The next steps towards launching regular plant clinics were discussed with representatives from extension, regulatory and research.
Plant clinic-DRC
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KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
For more information, please contact Negussie Efa: e.negussie@cabi.org
CABI in Africa 2011/12 Kenya: Global Plantwise Initiative launched
In May 2012, the Global Plantwise Initiative was officially launched in Kenya by the Minister for Agriculture. The event gained much media coverage and was followed by a national stakeholder forum to consider plans for expanding, managing and using the information generated on plant pests and diseases, stakeholder roles, and sustainability. The launch ceremony concluded with a detailed presentation on progress to date, outlining challenges and lessons learned during the plant clinic piloting phase (2009–2011). Thirty-five plant clinics have been established in Kenya’s Central, Eastern, Western and Rift Valley regions. Extension staff reported that the clinics are enabling them meet their “farmer contact” targets and, by providing them with current information on pests and diseases, enhancing their capacity to undertake diagnostics. The clinics are also helping to strengthen the links between everyone involved in the plant health system, including farmers, researchers, regulators, agro-input providers and the extension agency. This positive feedback has encouraged the ministry and other stakeholders to increase the number of clinics around the country.
Future targets include drafting a Plantwise strategy for Kenya, determining how data ownership, processing and sharing at country level and beyond should work, implementing sustainability measures in institutions, increasing the number of clinics and broadening the range of training, and identifying additional internal and external funding. For more information, please contact Florence Chege: f.chege@cabi.org
Plantwise Kenya stakeholder forum discussions
Sierra Leone: Activities grow thick and fast Early in 2012 meetings were held with in-country programme partners to determine Plantwise activities for 2012, particularly training plant doctors and setting up plant clinics. The establishment of plant clinics in the western region was rigorously planned. There was a great deal of publicity about the initiative, and a poster aimed at promoting plant clinics was designed to be displayed during the plant clinic launch. A Plantwise Partnership Statement was signed with the government, following which plant clinics were officially launched and established. Training for more plant doctors was conducted and trainees were also taken through the new clinic record sheets and shown how to complete them. A workshop bringing together scientists and extensionists saw the development of more pest fact sheets, which have been validated by farmers and distributed to plant clinics. A workstation has also been installed to manage the information from clinics. For more information, please contact Martin Kimani: m.kimani@cabi.org
Kenya: Trade fair is popular with urban farmers
Plant doctors reached urban farmers for the first time at the Nairobi International Trade Fair. The Nairobi International Trade Fair is a popular annual event which draws farmers and exhibitors from across Kenya as well as neighbouring countries. The Plantwise stand at the event proved a great draw for farmers and students as they sought remedies and diagnosis of various farming problems. According to James Wanjohi, the Director of Extension Services at the Ministry of Agriculture, the trade fair allows the organizers to target a big group of farmers within a short period. Although it is attended by rural farmers from across the country, enquiries from urban and peri-urban farmers have increased. Wanjohi notes that plant clinics will soon be expanded, particularly to irrigation schemes in Central and Western Kenya: “When you have a clinic at an irrigation scheme, you will be able to serve many farmers, especially in horticulture. We will have a single point where farmers can learn from example on the quality required
for horticulture and at the same time know pests and diseases affecting these crops and means and ways of preventing them.” Elizabeth Njoroge, a plant doctor and extension worker based in Kikuyu, managed the clinic at the trade fair. She noted that the issues raised by urban farmers centred on crops largely grown in greenhouses, such as strawberries, lettuce, capsicum and tomatoes, while rural farmers mainly sought advice on improving their maize, mango and potato crops. By the end of the trade fair, the stand had served many farmers, each with their unique farming challenges. For more information, please contact Florence Chege: f.chege@cabi.org Participant using a microscope at plant clinic demonstration
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
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Tanzania: Plantwise Programme inaugurated
Tanzania Plantwise programme launch
Senior government representatives from different departments attended the launch of the Plantwise Programme of Tanzania, held in Dar es Salaam earlier in 2012. Partners and relevant stakeholders also participated. At the workshop, a plan of operation for plant clinic implementation in 2012 was developed, defining activities, timing, locations and responsibilities. The Tanzanian plant health system was assessed and extension systems reviewed. Ten plant clinics have been established and are being run by 20 trained plant doctors in northern, eastern and central Tanzania. New clinics can be started with a basic
set of equipment including a table, chair, two stools, umbrella, eight photo sheets, agrochemical information, clinic record forms and a knife. Plantwise has been well received in Tanzania, with goodwill from the top echelons of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives (MAFSC) and commitment from regional government, whose staff are trained as plant doctors. A partnership statement has been signed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives. For more information, please contact Martin Kimani: m.kimani@cabi.org
Knowledge Bank: Plantwise goes online
Visitors to the website are advised to sign up for crop pest and plant health alerts, which are emailed directly to them.
Launched in June 2012, the Knowledge Bank is a key part of the Plantwise initiative.
Visit www.plantwise.org/knowledge bank for an interactive session with the imagebased crop pests diagnostic tool, plant health news and new crop pests alerts. For more information, please contact Marylucy Oronje: m.oronje@cabi.org
It is an online open-access resource, which contains a wide range of information on crop pests, from international scientific literature to simple fact sheets that farmers can use to solve pest problems. The Knowledge Bank connects agricultural researchers, extension agents and farmers in developing countries to reliable and appropriate plant health information, wherever they may be.
Uganda: Plantwise launched as demand grows Plantwise was officially launched by Komayombi Bulegeya, Commissioner Crop Protection in the Ministry of Agriculture, at Nkokonjeru plant clinic, Buikwe district on 16 April 2012. The colourful ceremony was attended by over 150 delegates including representatives from Buikwe district, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the National Agricultural Advisory Services, Makerere University, NGOs running plant clinics, input suppliers and farmers. Two area members of parliament graced the occasion and pledged to support plant clinics in their area and nationally. The occasion was jointly organised with the Ministry of Agriculture, Crop Protection department which coordinates plant clinics in Uganda. Through brief presentations, partners shared experiences in running plant clinics and created awareness about their benefits. The highlight of the occasion was the official cutting of the ribbon by Komayombi Bulegeya, symbolizing that the doors were now open to farmers to seek advice from plant clinics. The event was widely reported in the media. The occasion reaffirmed CABI’s commitment to developing plant clinics; since April the number of plant clinics has increased from 23 in 11 districts – mainly in eastern and central Uganda – to 35 in 12 districts. Plantwise is set to grow further, as demonstrated by official requests for clinics from eight local governments, including some from districts in other regions of the country. Plantwise is responding to these requests by training plant doctors who will run the clinics, as well as providing technical support through mentoring and provision of basic clinic resources. For more information, please contact Jane Frances Asaba: j.asaba@cabi. org
In September 2012, the Knowledge Bank was highly commended in the annual Association for Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP) Award for Publishing Innovation. Uganda Plantwise programme launch
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KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
CABI in Africa 2011/12
Removing the barriers to invasive species management in Africa The UNEP-GEF project “Removing barriers to invasive species management in Africa” was initiated in December 2005. Prevention and mitigation of the effects of invasive alien species (IAS) is particularly challenging in Africa, impeding sustainable development as well as threatening biodiversity. The project aimed to reduce and even remove barriers to the management of IAS through effective implementation of CBD Article 8(h) in four pilot countries – Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda and Zambia – using a multisectoral ecosystem approach. In each country, an environment was promoted in which IAS strategies could become mainstream, stakeholder awareness of IAS issues raised and access to necessary information provided, prevention and control programmes – including ecosystem management at pilot sites where IAS threaten biodiversity – established, and
capacity for sustainable IAS management built. The lessons learned were disseminated so they could be replicated in other countries in Africa.
The other activity which remains to be completed is the final report. This is to be published as a “coffee-table” book, written by Gordon Boy and Arne Witt, and consisting of nine chapters with titles such
For more information, please contact Arne Witt: a.witt@cabi.org
Drying beads for drier seeds
drying and storage technology that can dramatically improve seed quality and longevity for smallholders. The technology involves seed drying beads based on molecular sieves, which make it feasible to dry and store seeds efficiently at low RH. In moisture-proof containers, drying beads absorb water from the seeds at ambient temperatures. Seed quality is preserved for planting next season without the need for cold storage.
and marketing has been carried out in two focus countries, Kenya and Tanzania. Demonstration trials have been established and information about the technology shared. This new technology is attracting wide interest among stakeholders.
Making it easier for smallholders to access high quality seeds of improved crop varieties is fundamental to increasing productivity and income. In times past, farmers have employed traditional seed production and storage methods. In tropical regions, this results in rapid deterioration of seed quality, even if initial seed quality is high. The problem is that high ambient relative humidity (RH) combined with high temperatures, causes seeds in storage to lose viability rapidly. The result is limited agricultural productivity. In collaboration with the University of California and partners from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda, CABI is undertaking work to test a novel seed
Plant doctor shares knowledge in US symposium CABI nominated Rose Njeri Kamau to be
A terminal evaluation was undertaken by two externally appointed consultants, who reported that most of the of project’s objectives had been met, although sustainability with regard to continued IAS activities in the four project countries had not been achieved as might have been expected. However, CABI is continuing to work with the countries to build this sustainability.
A workshop to publicize the availability of drying beads, to attract more local co-operators and to explore additional applications in germplasm conservation and the horticultural value chain was attended by farmers, researchers, universities, seed companies, NGOs, international and regional organizations, and regulatory representatives from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. A socioeconomic and technical analysis of horticultural seed production, distribution a member of the panel at the “Access to Knowledge: The Challenging of Supporting Smallholder Farmers” event, part of the 2012 Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium, held in the US towards the end of the year. A district horticultural development officer in Nakuru North, Kenya, Rose is actively involved in setting up and running Plantwise plant clinics and is the plant clinic coordinator for the district. This enabled her to articulate issues related to providing plant
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
Parthenium infestation in northern Ethiopia
as “Pre-empting alien invasions”, “Scaling up”, “Ways and means”, “Actions and advances”, and “Taking stock”. The book includes a large number of photographs and, it is hoped, will give a good overview of the project while contributing to the enhanced management of invasive plants in Africa and elsewhere.
For more information, please contact Noah Phiri: n.phiri@cabi.org
Drying seeds using drying beads
health information to farmers, which formed an important subject for discussion. Rose stated that attending the symposium created a platform for participants to convince the various collaborators to join hands in addressing women’s issues; notably literacy, access to and control of knowledge, resources, income and time. For more information, please contact Florence Chege: f.chege@cabi.org
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NERICA aids post-conflict areas Ensuring people have food is a primary concern in post-conflict areas. Such food is largely provided in the form of handouts. There is often an urgent need to establish sustainable systems for local production. Most rice in Africa is imported and demand is steadily increasing. Both Uganda and South Sudan offer suitable conditions for growing rice. If efficient production of the New Rice for Africa (NERICA) – which has good drought tolerance, some resistance to pests and diseases, and a short growing period – could be established, then locally grown rice could replace the imported product. The NERICA adoption and upscaling
project, funded by ASARECA, is increasing food security and competitiveness through developing more sustainable production in the post-conflict areas of northern Uganda and southern Sudan. As well as smallholder farmers, other groups involved in the production, marketing and distribution of rice, including public and private sector service and information providers, seed suppliers, distributers, millers and traders, are taking part in the project through the innovation platforms.
It is encouraging that farmers are adopting NERICA technologies, including production practices, which are also being used with other types of rice. Good quality NERICA seed has been planted in the project areas, and NERICA production and utilization technologies have been promoted through a variety of communication channels, including posters and seed production manuals. For more information, please contact Noah Phiri: n.phiri@cabi.org
Cochineal to solve a prickly problem in Kenya A number of cacti of the genus Opuntia have been introduced to Kenya as ornaments, living fences, livestock fodder or for their edible fruits, but they can spread rapidly forming impenetrable thickets, displacing native plants, especially pasture species, and preventing the movement of wildlife and livestock. The best way to control these cacti appears to be biological control – the use of host-specific natural enemies such as pathogens, mites and insects to control invasive plants – has been widely practised for many decades. The most effective agents for the control of invasive cactus species elsewhere are the cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) and cochineal of the genus Dactylopius. The cactus moth however, is not specific to any particular Opuntia species, and as many East African communities use the fruit of some cacti, particularly Opuntia ficus indica, releasing the cactus moth would not be a solution here. However, a number of biotypes within the species Dactylopius opuntiae are specific, and so would be suitable for release in East Africa. The cochineal is both extremely damaging to Opuntia stricta and easy to rear in large quantities for release in the field. Following approval by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS) and
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How paired host-choice tests were undertaken in quarantine
the Kenya Standing Technical Committee on Imports and Exports (KSTCIE), the agent was imported into quarantine facilities at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) Muguga. Host range trials have been completed and these confirm that the agent is host specific, posing no threat to any native species in Kenya. KSTCIE has therefore approved trial releases.
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
This project is being supported by a grant from Ol Jogi Ltd. Along with farmers and communities in the area, they are hoping this will be the solution to their prickly problem. For more information, please contact Arne Witt: a.witt@cabi.org
CABI in Africa 2011/12
Welcome! New team members
Lilian Wanjiku Kiarie, Finance and Administration Assistant, Africa Prior to joining CABI, Lilian worked as a regional finance and administration assistant at the Danish Refugee Council (Horn of Africa). She holds a BA (Economics and Finance) from Kenyatta University and is a certified public accountant finalist.
Grace Omondi, Communication Specialist, ASHC project A media and communications professional with experience of multicultural teams from Africa, America and Europe, Grace has worked as a media and communication consultant, deputy TV production manager and senior TV graphics animator. She studied for a joint MA in international communication at Hanze University, The Netherlands and Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. She also has a BA in graphic design.
Peace Tusasirwe, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director for International Development Peace is experienced in administration, project management, customer care and events management, and has previously worked as a project administrative expert with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers. Peace has a BSc in computer science from Makerere University, Uganda.
MaryLucy Oronje, Content Development Assistant, Africa MaryLucy previously worked as a plant inspector at the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS). She holds a PhD in crop pollination ecology from Bielefeld University, Germany, as well as a Masters in agricultural resource management (crop protection option) and a BSc in agriculture (crop protection), both from the University of Nairobi.
James Watiti Wafula, Senior Communications Manager James is experienced in information repackaging, Communication and Advocacy strategy development, media liaison and networking in East and Southern Africa and wide publishing experience on information products. He has a Masters in professional communications from Sheffield Hallam University UK, a Post graduate Certificate in NGO leadership and Management and a BA in education from Kenyatta University.
Ama Botwewa Koomson, Office Manager, Accra, Ghana Prior to joining CABI Ama worked as a Human Capital Manager at BT Group International. She has also worked for NESTLE CWA where she was a French facilitator and also as an Administrative Secretary at BT Group International. Ama holds a Bachelors of Arts in French & Linguistics from the University of Ghana in Legon and a Diploma in Languages from the Centre Beninois des Langues Etrangeres (CEBELAE)
Student Congratulations Congratulations to Martin Macharia and Linda Amondi on completing their MSc in research methods at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. Martin was attached to
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CABI in the Africa Soil Health Consortium project, while Linda was with Plantwise. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
Improving information on soil health ASHC works in partnership to create down-to-earth messages on integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) The Africa Soil Health Consortium (ASHC), co-ordinated by CABI and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has made great progress in educating various stakeholders in the agricultural sector about integrated soil fertility management (ISFM). The ASHC uses a peer reviewbased approach to collate knowledge and information from other initiatives so that it can make recommendations on improving the distribution of high quality, effective information to farmers. Earlier in 2012, the ASHC in partnership with AGRA hosted intensive write-shops bringing together a group of researchers, extensionists, agro-input dealers, farmers and communication experts in Mali and Ghana to improve the information available
CABI ICRAF Complex, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, PO Box 633-00621, Nairobi, Kenya T: + 254 (0) 20 7224450 E: africa@cabi.org
on soil fertility management. The group created a variety of communication materials for farmers, agro-input dealers and extension workers. The ASHC has additionally developed films and audio files covering the main principles and practices of ISFM, to be used at conferences and workshops, as well as for educational purposes. ASHC partners have been working hard over the past few months to ensure that soil improvement messages are included in the new series of the popular East African television programme, Shamba Shape Up.
It has been written as a practical guide on the principles of ISFM to improve understanding of this valuable agricultural method for a number of audiences including extension workers, educational organizations and policy makers. The eventual goal of the ASHC is to leave behind better trained institutions, with the knowledge and skills to produce high quality extension materials on soil health. For more information, please contact George Oduor: g.oduor@cabi.org
And, the ASHC project recently launched a handbook titled Handbook for ‘Integrated Soil Fertility Management’
Botswana
Burundi
Cote d’lvoire
Gambia
Nigeria
Rwanda
Sierra Leone South Africa
Ghana
Kenya
Malawi
Mauritius
Tanzania
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe