Location: Zambia

Traditional chiefs in eastern Zambia learn about sustainable intensification

Written by on April 28, 2014. Posted in Features.

By Walter Mupangwa and Christian Thierfelder/CIMMYT

The quiet Khokwe village in the Chanje Central Block in Chipata district, Zambia, was buzzing with activity on 2 April when six traditional chiefs visited the Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Systems for the Eastern Province of Zambia-Africa Rising (SIMLEZA-Africa Rising) project.

Traditional leaders in African societies hold deep-rooted power in the communities, make important decisions on land use and distribution and guide villagers in times of change and uncertainty. Smallholder farmers in the Eastern Province face high labor costs and low labor availability and are confronted with the negative effects of climate variability, which require climate-resilient, low-cost alternatives to improve farm productivity. Conservation agriculture (CA)- based management practices, combined with drought-tolerant maize varieties, as suggested by SIMLEZA-Africa Rising, can reduce production costs and improve resource-use efficiency, productivity and profitability. Farmers from communities surrounding Khokwe warmly welcomed the six chiefs drawn from Chewa- and Tumbuka-speaking tribes of eastern Zambia.

CIMMYT’s Walter Mupangwa explains how the animal-drawn direct seeder works while Duncan Tembo of Agro-Chemicals shows the chiefs the different herbicides and pesticides available to farmers.

Nyao traditional dancers known as “Gule Wankulu” and Ngoni dancers also joined the farmers in welcoming and entertaining the chiefs, who were accompanied by two representatives from the Ministry of Chiefs Affairs, village headmen, councilors and officers from the District Agricultural Coordinator’s Office (DACO). They were invited by the SIMLEZA-Africa Rising project team with representatives from CIMMYT, community agricultural committees, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL), the National Agricultural Information Service (NAIS), Total LandCare (TLC) and the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI). SIMLEZA-Africa Rising is funded by USAID-Feed the Future. The chiefs visited trial sites in Khokwe, including a maize regional on-farm trial.

Farmers are directly involved in selecting the best maize varieties from the 20 that are being tested, which was emphasized in explaining participatory varietal selection. Most crops appeared stressed by drought, as the area had not received any rain for one month. ‘’These varieties are really drought-tolerant,’’ remarked Chief Magodi as participants left the maize regional on-farm trial to visit a maize mother-baby trial, where 12 drought-tolerant maize varieties are being tested. At the CA trial, the chiefs studied maize crops planted under zero tillage in rotation or intercropped with cowpeas.

The chiefs observed that maize in the ridge and furrow system was severely moisture-stressed while maize on the CA plots was still green and growing well. ‘’I never knew that there are such activities happening in our district,’’ exclaimed Chief Misholo from the Chiparamba block in Chipata district, adding that the visit was an “eye-opener” for him.

Chiefs wearing yellow and white SIMLEZA-Africa Rising T-shirts and caps visit a conservation agriculture field during a tour of SIMLEZA-Africa Rising project. Photos: Walter Mupangwa

CIMMYT’s Walter Mupangwa highlighted environmentally-friendly products used on CA fields and the procedures farmers should follow when using herbicides. for weed control. Next to the CA field, new animal traction seeding equipment was showcased, including the animal traction direct seeder, Magoye ripper tines and a hand-held no-till planter. An agro-dealer from ATS Agro-Chemicals, part of the SIMLEZA-Africa Rising innovation network, displayed the herbicides and pesticides available for smallholder farmers in the region. Farmers were keen on interacting with the traditional leaders on farming-related issues. Main discussion points included the need to improve market links and information flow for soybean and maize crops.

Chief Mban’gombe encouraged farmers to diversify the crops they grow in the face of low prices for maize. The chiefs strongly advocated for SIMLEZA-Africa Rising to set up trials in their areas to help disseminate technology to more farming households within their jurisdiction. The chiefs’ visit is a major breakthrough for the SIMLEZA-Africa Rising project. The support of traditional leaders is a main driver of change toward more sustainable intensification.

Zambia maize technicians learn about new breeding tools

Written by on April 28, 2014. Posted in News.

By Peter Setimela/CIMMYT

Regular training sessions are a key component of capacity building for partners CIMMYT works with in breeding and seed systems. On 24-27 March, 28 maize technicians, including 10 women, participated in a week-long training program at the Natural Resources Development College (NRDC) in Lusaka, Zambia. A joint seed systems, breeding and seed business development team from the CIMMYT-Southern Africa Regional Office in Harare and staff from the Zambia Research Institute (ZARI) conducted the training.

CIMMYT breeder Cosmos Magorokosho explains pollination to participants at the Zambian Agricultural Research Institute in Lusaka. Photo: Peter Setimela

The participants were drawn from selected seed companies and various government units in the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). The course was supported by two CIMMYT projects, Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) and Sustainable Intensification of Maize- Legume Systems for the Eastern Province of Zambia (SIMLEZA), in collaboration with ZARI. The training gave the participants insights into key processes in germplasm development using conventional and molecular tools, variety testing and release, seed production and seed business development. Emphasis was given to new phenotyping tools, the importance of trial uniformity and good agronomic management. Course organizers include Kambamba Mwansa, Zambian maize coordinator, and Franscico Miti from ZARI, the MoA and CIMMYT’s Peter Setimela, Cosmos Magorokosho, Kennedy Lweya, Zaman-Allah Mainassara and Obert Randi.

Partners recognize achievements in insect-resistant maize delivery

Written by on April 21, 2014. Posted in News.

By Wandera Ojanji/CIMMYT

The Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project received praise for significant progress on field and post-harvest insect pest research at its conclusion last month.

“Several new maize hybrids and open pollinated varieties with substantial insect resistance have been produced that will greatly benefit maize growers in eastern and southern Africa,” said Mike Robinson, program officer for the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA) at the IRMA End-of-Project Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, from 24-26 February. Robinson congratulated CIMMYT and project partners and wished the participating organizations continued success. The purpose of the conference was to share experiences, achievements and lessons from IRMA III and discuss future prospects in the release, dissemination and use of insect-resistant maize in eastern and southern Africa.

It drew more than 80 participants from CIMMYT, national agricultural research systems, national universities, donors and the seed industry. The Developing Maize Resistant to Stem Borer and Storage Insect Pests for Eastern and Southern Africa project, known as IRMA III Conventional Project 2009-2013, was managed by CIMMYT and funded by SFSA. Building on progress and breakthroughs of IRMA I and II, IRMA III contributed to food security by developing and availing field and post-harvest insect-resistant maize varieties in Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Collectively, these countries produce about 26 million tons and consume 32 million tons of maize annually. Relatively low maize productivity in the countries – about 1.3 tons per hectare (t/ha) compared to 4.9 t/ha worldwide – can be attributed in part to stem borers, according to Stephen Mugo, CIMMYT principal scientist and IRMA project leader. Stem borers destroy as much as 15 percent of maize crops, while maize weevils and the larger grain borer destroy 20 to 30 percent of harvested maize. Hugo De Groote, CIMMYT economist, estimated the losses from stem borers at 13.5 percent, or 4 million tons, and those from storage pests at 11.2 percent, or 3.5 million tons, with the total value of these losses estimated at just over US$1 billion in the region. “Addressing the challenges that farmers face in producing and storing maize is vital to the future food security of the region,” Robinson said. “Minimizing such losses in an economically sustainable way will significantly contribute to nutrition and food security.”

IRMA III addressed these challenges through identification and commercial release of major insect-resistant maize cultivars; identification of new germplasm sources of resistance to stem borer and post-harvest insect pests among landraces, open pollinated varieties (OPVs) and CIMMYT lines (CMLs); and development of new insect-resistant germplasm. Kenya released 13 stem borer-resistant (SBR) conventional maize varieties (three OPVs and 10 hybrids) and four storage pest-resistant (SPR) hybrids. Kenya has also nominated nearly 10 stem borer- and four postharvest- resistant hybrids to national performance trials.

Three insect-resistant varieties —two hybrids (KH 414-1 SBR and KH 414-4 SBR) and one OPV (Pamuka) – were commercialized in Kenya by Monsanto, Wakala Seeds and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute Seed Unit. De Groote estimated the annual value of project benefits at between US$ 19 million and US$ 388 million. He put the benefit-cost ratio at 94 in the optimistic scenario, meaning that for each dollar the project spent, farmers would gain 95, indicating very good returns.

“These results justify the important role that breeding for resistance could play in reducing maize losses, and the high potential returns to such programs in the future,” De Groote stated. Looking to the future, Mugo emphasized the need to ensure farmers have access to the insect-resistant varieties. “We must, from now on, engage in variety dissemination and commercialization of the new SBR and SPR varieties,” Mugo said. “We need a more targeted breeding program that incorporates drought, nitrogen use efficiency and maize lethal necrotic disease tolerance.”

Good postharvest management key to attaining food security

Written by on April 1, 2014. Posted in News.

By Wandera Ojanji /CIMMYT

Food security in Zambia is negatively affected by postharvest losses, said Chileshe Mulenga, permanent secretary of the country’s Eastern Province, at a training workshop for agricultural extension officers and agro-dealers on hermetic post-harvest technologies in Chipata, Zambia, on 29 January. “It is disheartening that, despite the successful efforts to increase crop production, low household food security and hunger still affect some of our people, due to a lack of effective storage,” Mulenga explained. “We must do everything possible to change this, as food security is a matter of national and regional security.”

Moffat Khosa (right) and an artisan demonstrate how to properly seal a metal silo using a rubber band. Photos: Wandera Ojanji/CIMMYT

Protecting harvested grain rather than using new land and chemical fertilizers to increase production also has economic and environment benefits, he said. “This project and training is therefore very important to us in Zambia because it focuses on the comparatively neglected storage aspect,” Mulenga said. “It is the first one of its kind and I wish it could have come at a much earlier time than now.”

The Effective Grain Storage for Sustainable Livelihoods of African Farmers Project (EGSP) Phase-II organized the workshop in collaboration with the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture. Building on the successes of the previous phase (2008-2011), EGSP-II (2012-2016) is improving food security and reducing the vulnerability of resource-poor farmers – particularly women farmers – in Eastern and Southern Africa through the dissemination of metal silos and super grain bags. The project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

The goal of the training event was to impart knowledge and skills to extension staff and agro-dealers on managing metal silos and super grain bags, said Tadele Tefera, CIMMYT entomologist and coordinator of EGSP-II. It also raised awareness about the importance of correct post-harvest management of grain, helping extension workers and agro-dealers gain insights into different factors affecting post-harvest management.

Finally, participants learned about traditional and improved post-harvest technologies and their importance for reducing grain losses, and agro-dealers gained a greater appreciation regarding investment opportunities in the market or the technologies. “As agro-dealers, you already know that it is agriculture which is driving the economy of Eastern Province and all your businesses,” Mulenga said. “Your businesses can only grow as the farmers also grow. I therefore implore you, agro-dealers and extension staff, to use the knowledge and skills gained form this training to make these technologies available to farmers.”

Participants attend a hermetic post-harvest technologies training in Zambia.

The event drew more than 60 participants, including government extension officers, agro-dealers and artisans from Katete and Chipata Districts. Training facilitators included Tefera; Addis Tishome, CIMMYT entomologist; Jones Govereh, CIMMYT policy economist; Ivor Mukuka, EGSP national coordinator from the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute; and Moffat Khosa, of the Zambian Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Mechanization.

Topics included grain storage technologies and practices; on-farm use and handling of metal silos; innovative agriculture extension systems, approaches and methodologies; and opportunity entrepreneurship and business sustainability. Kennedy Kanenga, provincial coordinator of Eastern Province, reminded the extension officers that their main job is to facilitate dissemination of information and appropriate technologies for improved agriculture.

He urged the project partners to take advantage of existing entry points to promote the adoption of the technology through agriculture camp committees, organized groups, lead farmers and institutions. He called for the formation of farmer field schools, holding field days and participation in agricultural shows to increase awareness and adoption of the technologies.

“With these strategies, we expect the adoption rates to improve,” he said. “We would like to see a situation where our farmers are keeping their grains in the metal silos for more than just a season and avoid a situation similar to the 2010-11 season when we had a bumper harvest but lost much of the grain during storage.”

Why farmers still grow maize land races: variety choices in eastern Zambia

Written by on March 31, 2014. Posted in Features.

By Jens A. Andersson and Peter Setimela/CIMMYT

CIMMYT researchers in eastern Zambia have discovered that farmers continue to grow land races alongside new, higher-yielding varieties as a risk-avoidance strategy. The Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Systems for the Eastern Province of Zambia (SIMLEZA)- Africa Rising project, funded by the USAID Feed the Future Initiative, hosted a field tour for researchers and journalists at the end of January.

They visited on-station experiments at the Msekera research station and trials on farmer fields, including conservation agriculture, cowpea, maize and soy variety trials. The Katete District, bordering Mozambique, looks very different from last year’s field tour. In 2013, the trial plots featured green maize ready to tassel; this year, the plots have maize plants measuring 30cm. Maize in the trial plots was planted only a month ago due to the rainy season’s late start. Outside of the trial plots is maize as it commonly looks in Eastern Zambia; it varies in color, from dark green to yellow, and has an uneven crop stand.

SIMLEZA-Africa Rising staff, farmers and journalists visit a CA agronomy trial with hybrid maize in front of a field with dry-planted local maize in the Katete District, Eastern Zambia. Photo: Jens A. Andersson

Different planting dates and the levels and timing of fertilizer application are the major reasons for this variability. Among this variation one also observes very tall and already tasseling maize. These are low-yielding landraces that were dry-planted in October. Farmers will be able to harvest them in the next few weeks. Why would Zambian smallholder farmers plant low-yielding landraces when high-yielding, open-pollinated varieties (OPV) and hybrid varieties are available? The answer is usually sought at the household level; smallholder farmers are taken to prefer landraces for their taste and storability.

Yet, those reasons are only part of the answer. In Zambia, most farmers do grow and eat OPVs and hybrids. Certified seed is widely available from agrodealers and is distributed through the government’s Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP), which provides smallholders with a package of 100 kilograms (kg) of basal fertilizer, 100 kg of top dressing fertilizer and 10 kg of hybrid maize seed for a nominal price. In addition, the Zambian government has instituted a good market for maize. Its Food Reserve Agency (FRA) offers high prices and buys locally and has turned maize into a lucrative cash crop.

Zambian farmers have responded to these institutional changes; they dedicate larger plots to the cultivation of hybrid maize. The SIMLEZA-Africa Rising project builds on these changes; in addition to improving agronomic practices for maize and legume cultivation in Eastern Zambia, it introduces and demonstrates new maize varieties, including drought-tolerant maize hybrids. The project expands farmers’ options for increased maize production. Three new varieties were recently released while collaboration from seed companies ensures that farmers can access them for fair prices.

A recent survey by the project found that once farmers are aware of SIMLEZA maize varieties, nearly half cultivate them. Why do farmers in this part of rural Zambia continue to grow landraces next to high-yielding ones, instead of switching to high-yielding varieties altogether? For farmers in Kawalala village, it is about agronomic and institutional risks. Dry-planting is a gamble, as limited first rains may result in crop failure and necessitate replanting. Zambian farmers are therefore reluctant to use expensive seeds and fertilizer when dry-planting; they often only apply basal fertilizer after the maize has germinated. “We only plant certified seed with good rains; otherwise, you lose money,” explained farmer Gertrude Banda.

But the highly uneven maize crop stand in Kawalala is not merely a difference between early-planted, tallgrowing landraces and late-planted hybrids. Farmers also delayed planting hybrids on account of late payments by the FRA for last season’s crop; they lacked the cash to buy seeds and fertilizers in time. Others had to wait for the FISP input packages that were distributed late – even now, as their maize turns yellow, some farmers are still waiting for their FISP top dressing fertilizer.

With institutional risks such as late payment and input delivery, it is clear that there remains a niche for local maize varieties. But this niche may soon be filled by OPVs that cost less and produce greater yield, such as the MV409 variety, introduced by SIMLEZA-Africa Rising. OPVs do not require farmers to purchase new seed annually. New hybrid varieties may take time to be adopted by the majority of farmers, but farmers in Kawalala involved in the project are convinced that they will increasingly be grown.

Silo project celebrates successful first year, calls for policy reforms

Written by on November 8, 2013. Posted in News.

By Wandera Ojanji/CIMMYT

The wide adoption of metal silos for grain storage by smallholder farmers in eastern and southern Africa requires the identification of policy gaps, incentives and disincentives and institutional partnerships, according to CIMMYT policy economist Jones Govereh.

Metal silos are effective long-term storage facilities, protecting grain from pests such as grain borers and maize weevils. While lauding the decision of some governments to reduce the corporate tax on farming from 30 percent to 25 percent in 2010, Govereh called on them to include galvanized metal sheets imported solely for grain storage silos under the tax exemptions in place for other agricultural imports. “Farmers are not going to realize the benefits of storage investments without proper policies in place,” Govereh said. “Governments in the region need marketing and storage policies that support a liberalized marketing environment and avoid a maize marketing monopoly, which distorts investments in storage technologies. We also need policies that facilitate better coordination of public-private operations to avoid overlaps and conflicts.”

Govereh spoke during the regional annual review and planning meeting of the Effective Grain Storage for Sustainable Livelihoods of African Farmers (EGSP) Phase-II Project held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 20-21 August. Building on the successes of the previous phase (2008-2011), EGSP-II (2012-2016) is improving food security and reducing the vulnerability of resourcepoor farmers – particularly women farmers – in eastern and southern Africa through the dissemination of metal silos. The project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The annual review had three main objectives: to evaluate progress, achievements and challenges; to exchange ideas, information and research outputs among CIMMYT, SDC and other key partners; and to plan for the future.

The meeting was attended by implementing partners in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, CIMMYT project staff and SDC representatives. The meeting allowed participants to share ideas and information on implementation, raise awareness on promotion and dissemination of effective grain storage technologies and consult stakeholders on effective post-harvest technologies, policy environment and market issues. The project also held exchange visits to Kenya and Malawi for key partners. Participants shared experiences on project implementation, learned about the project’s impact on smallholder farmers’ livelihoods and discussed challenges. Tadele Tefera, CIMMYT entomologist and project coordinator, praised national teams and partners for achieving research and dissemination targets for the year.

Hugo De Groote, CIMMYT economist, said metal silos have a major impact on farmers’ livelihoods. Those who have not adopted the technology sell most of their maize at harvest (when prices are at their lowest because the supply is at its peak) while adopters sell much of their grain in the fifth month at higher prices, he said. Adopters stored their maize for two months longer than non-adopters and were food secure for one month longer. Vongai Kandiwa, CIMMYT gender and development specialist, noted the importance of mainstreaming gender in the project to minimize the risk of creating, maintaining or exacerbating gender gaps.

Stakeholders also reported several challenges, including an inadequate number of skilled and competent artisans with entrepreneurship skills; lack of fabrication materials; expensive materials; low awareness and knowledge of the technology; and inadequate extension services.To overcome these challenges, stakeholders agreed to boost awareness through promotional events, engage in capacity building of collaborators and strengthen the artisan network. Olaf Erenstein, director of CIMMYT’s Socioeconomics Program, thanked the implementing partners and other stakeholders for their dedication and commitment and SDC for its continued support.

From Kenya to southern Africa: Effective grain storage crosses borders

Written by on October 21, 2013. Posted in News.

By Wandera Ojanji

Delegates stand with a modified metal silo at a workshop at the Baraka Agricultural College in Molo, Nakuru County, Kenya. Photos: Wandera Ojanji/CIMMYT

Officials from Malawi and Zambia learned about the benefits of effective grain storage for the livelihoods of smallholder farmers during a visit to Kenya from 7 to 12 October. Malawi and Zambia are target countries of CIMMYT’s Effective Grain Storage for Sustainable Livelihoods of African Farmers (EGSP) Phase II Project. EGSP-II (2012-2016) builds on the previous phase (2008-2011) to improve the food security and reduce the vulnerability of resource-poor farmers – particularly women – in eastern and southern Africa through the dissemination of effective grain storage technology. The project is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and will help smallholder farmers in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe acquire more than 16,000 metal silos, which reduce grain losses from storage pests.

The visiting delegation included officials from ministries of agriculture, the Chitedze Research Station in Malawi, the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute and silo artisans from the two EGSP countries. They were accompanied by implementing counterparts in Kenya from the Catholic Dioceses of Embu and Nakuru and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute.

The tour started in Embu County in eastern Kenya with a visit to the homestead of Gladys Nthiga, a farmer who recently acquired two metals silos with a capacity of 450 kg each. She had not used the silos before but was excited to find technology to protect her harvests from maize weevils and the larger grain borer. “Despite treating my grains with pesticides, I was still losing about nearly half a ton of maize every year,” said Nthiga, whose annual maize harvest averages 1.8 tons. “If what I have been told about the technology is true, then my problems with these pests are over.” Peter Njiiru, the principal of Kierie Secondary School in Embu County, said he purchased a metal silo in June for maize storage and planned to add three more.

The delegation then visited Nakuru County. Grace Githui, the county liaison officer, noted that Nakuru is a primary maize-producing area and experiences high post-harvest losses due to smallholder farmers’ ineffective storage options. “We are very grateful to CIMMYT for introducing the metal silo technology in this area,” Githui said. “The silos’ effectiveness has been demonstrated against weevils and the larger grain borer, the two pests that are responsible for much of the county’s post-harvest losses. The silos provide enormous benefits to the farmers who have adopted them. We are urging widespread adoption and investing heavily to create awareness among farmers.” Maize is a major component of the diet in Kenyan schools.

Paddy Likhayo, an entomologist with KARI, explains to the delegation the on-station demonstration trials at the Nakuru Agricultural Technology Development Center. Photo: Wandera Ojanji/CIMMYT

Jane Obwocha, the deputy principal of Uhuru High School in Nakuru, noted the school avoids purchasing maize in bulk due to heavy losses during storage, a factor she attributed to poor storage facilities. “The metal silo is indeed a timely and critical intervention in maize storage as most schools, just like ours, lack effective storage facilities,” Obwocha said. The delegation also met with members of BOLESA, a group for women living with HIV/AIDS and former commercial sex workers under rehabilitation. The members, drawn from Boror, Lelechwet and Salgaa villages in Nakuru, are using a 900 kg-capacity metal silo acquired last year to store their maize. At Baraka Agricultural College, the delegation saw a new metal silo prototype that facilitates removing the grain stored.

The college has also started creating awareness about the technology and promotes it to farmers from Kenya and other parts of eastern Africa. The visiting delegates were impressed by the adoption of metal silos by farmers, grain dealers, vulnerable people, schools and colleges to protect their grain and avoid purchasing expensive storage chemicals. The visit also helped the delegates identify issues to address for successful project implementation.

NSIMA: Seeding hope for smallholder farmers through partnerships

Written by on August 21, 2013. Posted in News.

DSC_6274_loading-maize-seed-for-transportation To achieve food security, smallholder farmers in Southern Africa require access to improved seed and inputs for higher yields. “Seed is one of the key movers in agricultural development,” says John MacRobert, New Seed Initiative for Maize in Southern Africa (NSIMA) leader, indicating the importance of going beyond developing improved seed varieties to encompass their dissemination, promotion, and adoption in developing strategies around seed development. These issues, together with NSIMA’s to date progress (the project is in its third phase) and strategies for the next phase, were discussed at a meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, during 7-9 August 2013. About 50 participants from institutions collaborating on the project led by CIMMYT and funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) were present; among them were representatives from national agricultural research institutes, seed companies, and institutions of higher learning from Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

“Some of the challenges of the maize crop can be addressed by research,” said Moses Mwale, Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) director, during the opening ceremony. “The rest can be addressed by other players in the maize sector,” he added, emphasizing the importance of collaboration within the maize seed value chain. Challenges such as variable distribution of rainfall, low soil fertility, and heat and drought stress can be addressed by improved varieties from CIMMYT-led projects including the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) and Improved Maize for African Soils (IMAS). Other climate-change related issues in small-scale farming could be confronted via conservation agriculture. For example, cover crops and crop residue left on the soil help to retain moisture and thus mitigate the impact of droughts.

DSC_6239_Seed-Cos-Edgar-Rupende-addressing-participants But do smallholder farmers have access to the new seeds, technologies, and information? The answer is often no. “Integrating stress tolerant maize and legumes, such as pigeon peas, beans, and cowpeas, leads to sustainable production systems. We need effective seed road maps to enhance access and availability of improved maize and legume seeds,” CIMMYT regional director for Southern Africa Mulugetta Mekuria said, giving an example of one such gap in the system.

Seed companies and community-based organizations producing seed play a very significant role in fixing these issues. Nelson Munyaka from the SDC Seeds and Markets Project spoke of the success of Zaka Superseeds, a nascent seed company that transformed from a community seed enterprise. MacRobert agreed: “In Benin and Congo, where we do not have seed companies, the community seed producers could learn from Zaka’s experience and grow into full-fledged seed businesses with the proper structures.” DTMA project leader Tsedeke Abate added that mainstreaming drought tolerant maize varieties in the product portfolio of seed enterprises could have a significant impact.

Policy makers in the seed value chain must be engaged as well. “Many projects do not seem to believe in smallholder ability,” said consultant Michael Jenrich. The policies that govern the seed trade tend to vary among the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. An SDC-funded initiative to implement harmonized seed laws in all SADC countries to facilitate easier intra-regional seed movement is currently under way. “So far, 10 countries have signed the memorandum of understanding,” said K C Kawonga, SADC Seed Centre interim coordinator. Such laws would enhance seed trade and contribute to food security by ensuring farmers’ access to improved seed, especially during times of disaster.

DSC_6338_plaque-for-Malawi “Private sector players steer away from smallholders viewing them as high risk because of their poor infrastructure, lack of credit, and land tenure, while governments may not view them as a viable investment,” Jenrich summarized the lack of interest in smallholders’ problems. Zaka Superseeds proves them wrong; cooperating with smallholders can, in fact, be beneficial for seed companies, as they can work more closely with the community consuming their seed. Zaka, for example, is removing a product from its selection after consultations with the community during which they found out the discussed maize variety has a long maturity period and is thus undesirable.

The meeting ended on a high note with the announcement of the 2012 DTMA Breeding and Dissemination Awards winners. Malawi won first prize for both categories; the breeding award runners-up were Zambia and Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe also took second position in drought tolerant technologies dissemination.

Conservation agriculture: The Green Revolution for Africa?

Written by on June 25, 2013. Posted in Features.

The Global Conservation Agriculture Program (GCAP) works closely with partners all over the world toward an ultimate vision of widespread use of sustainable systems by smallholder farmers, based on the principles of conservation agriculture (CA). Our key partner in Africa is the African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT). We asked their Executive Secretary, Saidi Mkomwa, about the current status and future of CA in Africa.

ACT was established in 1998. Has Africa seen a big change in CA adoption since then?

Mkomwa: The adoption rate isn’t very big, but we think it’s good. It took Brazil 17 years to get the first one million hectares under CA; it’s been a shorter time in Africa and we have almost reached one million hectares already. It is happening at a slower rate than we would want, but it’s getting there. We have seen partial adoption of CA principles across the continent. For example, during one of our exchange visits to Zambia, we met a woman – we nicknamed her Barefoot Woman – who had no shoes but she was rich and she was proud to be a farmer. She wasn’t practicing all three principles, only reduced tillage combined with some mechanization, but it’s a start.

Why do you think that CA is key in improving food security in Africa?

Mkomwa: The Green Revolution that has been so helpful in Asia has passed by and Africa has not benefited from it. We think it’s primarily because of the continent’s poor infrastructure: getting fertilizers to people is a problem because transportation is difficult; farmers don’t have cash and there are no banks to borrow from. But even when farmers can efficiently utilize fertilizers and improved seeds, their work is hampered by degraded soil, inadequate soil moisture, and inadequate access to water. For Africa to benefit, the soil has to improve. We believe that the Green Revolution in Africa has to start with smallholder rainfed farmers and CA is a possible intervention, more affordable than, for example, building irrigation schemes.

We have been promoting CA a lot by looking at the yields. A lot of people will ask how much the yield increase is. I’ll say that we should also be looking at the annual productivity of the land, annual productivity of labor. You can have a modest yield of 3 tons per hectare, but if you can have two crops in there instead of one, we’re looking at 6 tons per hectare per year in the end. This is affordable intensification. And it’s not only that: CA also increases the soil moisture retention, thus increasing annual productivity of the land and – through the use of crop residues – decreasing the dependency on external inputs, such as fertilizers, which farmers fail to acquire.

What are the biggest challenges you’re facing in your work?

Mkomwa: One is that people don’t know about CA. We organize a lot of awareness creation activities, from conferences to exchange visits. What makes this worse, though, is that many of our colleges are still training their graduates to work in conventional systems. We are telling people not to plough and the professors are training the next generation of extension staff to plough. We have established a community of practice of researchers and academia through which we try to sensitize the professors themselves so that they can change their curricula. Changing people’s mindset is another challenge. They have been farming a certain way all their lives and, all of a sudden, we come and tell them to do something different.

However, the challenges differ depending on the farming system and farmers’ resources. You cannot be prescriptive; you have to work with the farmers to create a solution relevant to them. In an agropastoralist system, you have to integrate livestock, although we have seen promoters of CA seeing livestock as a threat. In reality, livestock integration benefits the farming system; it can increase the value of our cereals: instead of taking grains to the market, you take milk or eggs. In West Africa, you literally can’t talk about leaving crop residues on the field as soil cover. People will think you’re crazy, since some of the crop residues have a higher value as livestock feed. Again, you have to look into alternatives, such as shrubs and trees.

Are there any downsides to CA?

Mkomwa: So far we have not encountered any. CA should create a win-win-win situation: provide more food for farmers, reverse environmental degradation, and arrest climate change for future generations.

Does the climate change argument help convince African farmers to adopt CA?

Mkomwa: It is one of the biggest promoters of CA. Farmers practicing CA have proven to their neighbors that they’re able to get some crop when conventional agriculture gets zero. Then we don’t need to say anything. The resilience of CA fields is much higher. The message is straightforward.

If I was an African smallholder farmer, how would you convince me to adopt CA?

Mkomwa: You’ve been farming for the last 40 years, can you tell me how far has this farming taken you? The reflection on how conventional farming has managed to feed farmers’ families is important: it has failed to feed them and they have to look at alternatives. And we’re offering one. But if you’re an African farmer, we should take you to your nearest neighbor who is doing well so that you can talk to them. If we talk to you as scientists or development workers, you might think we’re adding salt to the benefits. That’s the challenge we’re facing: having enough model farmers.

How is CIMMYT helping your work?

Mkomwa: CIMMYT is an important partner in capacity building and research. We don’t have a research system in place and GCAP is thus a great asset to our work. CIMMYT is also leading the ‘Farm power and conservation agriculture for sustainable intensification’ (FACASI) project. We are part of this project and as we see mechanization as one of the bottlenecks hindering CA adoption in Africa, it is a very valuable partnership. Furthermore, we are jointly organizing – with CIMMYT, FAO, and NEPAD – the upcoming Africa Congress on Conservation Agriculture (18-21 March 2014, Lusaka, Zambia). With farmers at the center of the Congress, we hope to hear about their problems and progress. We need them to move forward as we believe that an increase in CA adoption would have a great impact on food security on both national and continental level.

Curbing maize post-harvest losses continues

Written by on June 22, 2013. Posted in News.

zambia2 “Reducing post-harvest losses is key to increasing availability of food as it is not only important to increase domestic food production but also to protect what is produced by minimizing losses,” stated Zechariah Luhanga, Permanent Secretary, Provincial Administration at the Office of the President, Eastern Province, at the Provincial Stakeholders Workshop on Effective Grain Storage for Sustainable Livelihoods of African Farmers Project (EGSP-II) held in Chipata, Zambia, on 29 May 2013. “We as the key stakeholders and participants in the agricultural sector can enhance food security and improve incomes of resource poor farmers and artisans by promoting improved storage technologies such as metal silos and hermetic bags in Zambia.”

The workshop had five main objectives: (1) to provide a forum for exchange of ideas, information, and research outputs on EGSP-II among stakeholders in Chipata; (2) to raise awareness on post-harvest losses and dissemination of effective grain storage technologies among provincial stakeholders; (3) to consult provincial stakeholders on effective postharvest technologies, policy environment, and market issues for the purpose of refining, updating, and implementing EGSP-II; (4) to engage in policy dialogue on matters related to storage and find means of enhancing adoption of the technology; and (5) to acquaint key stakeholders in the province with the post-harvest technology and ways to enhance its adoption among farmers.

Maize suffers heavy post-harvest losses estimated at 20-30%. “The main underlying factor is that most of the small-scale farmers do not have access to improved storage facilities,” explains Tadele Tefera, CIMMYT entomologist and EGSP-II coordinator. Ivor Mukuka, EGSP national coordinator for Zambia, noted that since the larger grain borer was first found in Zambia in 1993, there have been sporadic outbreaks causing substantial losses in maize. “For instance, rapid loss assessments in Lundazi and Chama districts revealed losses ranging from 5-74%. Other studies indicate storage losses of between 45-90% based on farmers’ estimation,” he added.

Luhanga reminded participants that grain post-harvest management development requires active participation of all stakeholders, including government, research systems, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector in bringing the technologies to farmers’ doorsteps. “You need to make sure to set priority activities so that they address the challenges faced by smallholder farmers regarding maize grain post-harvest management, but also expand their opportunities in the maize sector,” Luhanga urged more than 50 stakeholders present in the meeting.

Besides post-harvest loss reduction, the metal silo technology provides huge business opportunities to artisans. “Engaging in metal silo fabrication and marketing can create jobs and rural enterprise development,” said Egbet Munganama, principal agricultural engineer at the Department of Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Zambia. According to Jones Govereh, EGSP policy analyst, artisans can earn over US$ 3,000 per year if they fabricates just five silos a month on average. “This is an attractive income for micro-entrepreneurs but commercially oriented entrepreneurs can earn much more,” he explained.

“Improved maize storage technologies have a great potential impact on food security as most households lose much of their maize due to poor storage facilities,” concluded CIMMYT principal economist Hugo De Groote, considering that maize is the major food crop in Zambia.

Tadele thanked the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) for funding EGSP-II, a project aiming to reduce post-harvest losses, enhance food security, and improve incomes of resource-poor farmers in Zambia.

Extension personnel urged to lead by example in promoting metal silos

Written by on June 13, 2013. Posted in News.

Metal-Silos5 Agricultural extension service staff members in Zambia have been challenged to be the first adopters of metal silos to help promote the technology for effective grain storage. “I implore you, extension workers, to be the first adopters and users of the metal silo technology. As citizens that live side by side with farmers, go and be the first to practice what you will be preaching. You must lead by example,” stated Bert Mushala, the Permanent Secretary, Provincial Administration, Office of the President, Eastern Province, in a speech read on his behalf by his assistant Beenzu Chichuka at the official opening of the Improved Postharvest Management Training Workshop for Extension and Media Personnel held during 27- 28 May 2013 in Chipata, Zambia. “Farmers learn by seeing. Therefore, before they start using the metal silos, they want to see the chief executives, the business executives, extension workers, journalists, and other opinion leaders in the forefront, zealously storing maize in the metal silos,” he added.

The purpose of the training was to build technical capacity on hermetic grain storage technologies, such as metal silos and super grain bags, among extension and media staff in the project implementation districts of Chipata and Katete. The workshop intended to create awareness on the importance of grain post-harvest management, help gain insights into different factors affecting post-harvest management, and provide a better understanding of traditional and improved post-harvest technologies and their use in grain loss reduction, summarized Tadele Tefera, CIMMYT entomologist and the Effective Grain Storage for Sustainable Livelihoods of African Farmers Project (EGSP II) coordinator. Ivor Mukuka, EGSP national coordinator for Zambia and ZARI chief agricultural research officer, noted that this was part of the process of sharing information on EGSP as a means of promoting effective grain storage and thus helping smallholder farmers safely keep their grains for longer and sell when the time and price are right.

Reiterating the importance of the technology, Mushala noted that self-sufficiency in food grains in the country does not depend only on increased production and productivity, but also on minimizing losses both in the field and during storage. Over the years, supporting organizations and other partners, including the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, have poured colossal amounts of resources into the production component of the sector. “The resultant improved yield gains, especially in maize, have largely been wasted through post-harvest losses,” regretted Mushala, adding that “this project is therefore unique and outstanding to us in Zambia as it focuses on the comparatively neglected storage aspects. It is the first one of its kind and could not have come at a better time.”

Mushala then reminded the journalists that they had an enormous task of educating the masses on the new form of storage as many citizens, even in urban areas, are engaged in agriculture. “Go and empower the masses with this information so that together, we can reduce on-farm storage losses to zero,” Mushala urged the participants. Eastern Province Agriculture coordinator Obvious Kabinda called for commitment: “You must have confidence and belief in the technology if you are to successfully promote it to others.”

The messages did not get lost on the participants. “I have gained good knowledge of the technology and, like other trainees, will be using it to ensure that farmers are aware of its existence, have access to it, and are able to adopt the metal silos,” said Michelo Lubinda, a producer with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS), confirming the usefulness of the workshop.

Tefera thanked the Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) and the Ministry of Agriculture for their commitment in implementing the project in Zambia, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) for funding the project.

The training was organized by CIMMYT, ZARI, and the Department of Mechanization, Ministry of Agriculture, and facilitated by Tefera, Mukuka, CIMMYT agricultural economist Hugo De Groote, EGSP policy economist Jones Govereh, and senior mechanization specialist Moffat Khosa and principal agricultural engineer Egbet Munganama from the Department of Mechanization Ministry of Agriculture, Zambia.

DTMA traveling workshop combines peer learning and evaluation

Written by on June 10, 2013. Posted in News.

DSC_5209-Group-photo-at-trial-field-in-Mozambique Covering 2,400 km, a multinational team toured Drought Tolerant Maize in Africa (DTMA) trial and demonstration plots in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe from 21–30 April in a traveling workshop that combined peer learning and project monitoring and evaluation. The team of 17 was made up of breeders from the national programs, DTMA scientists, and DTMA Advisory Board Chair Dave Westphal. Participants had the opportunity to compare notes, gain new knowledge based on the experiences of colleagues in other countries, and gauge themselves against their peers based on practical, real-life results. “Having a diverse group like this is very educational,” said DTMA Seed Systems Objective Leader John MacRobert.

DTMA addresses a real need in the region: “Drought is part and parcel of our farming systems,” said Zamseed veteran breeder Verma Bhoola when he hosted the team at the company’s farm. “Over 90% of maize grown in Zambia is rainfed, so prone to drought,” he said, emphasizing the importance of breeding for drought tolerance not only in Zambia but also in the rest of Africa, where most maize farming depends on rain patterns that are increasingly unpredictable as a result of climate change. “Twenty-five percent of maize production in Africa is threatened by frequent drought, while 40% is affected by occasional drought,” said DTMA project leader Tsedeke Abate during a feedback session at the end of the workshop.

The project is making significant strides. “We are on track in terms of overall production of drought-tolerant maize seed,” said Abate. More than 100 varieties have been released in 13 countries. “Zimbabwe is leading in seed production, with over 7,000 metric tons of drought-tolerant seeds produced by the end of 2012,” he said.

The tour ended with awards for the top-performing teams in breeding and dissemination. Malawi won top honors in both categories, for the trial plots at the research station and a well-managed demonstration plot in Mkanda Village, on the outskirts of Lilongwe, run by the Vibrant Mkanda Women’s Group. “This really demonstrates what DTMA is doing in partnership with the seed companies and national programs,” said Westphal. DTMA aims to produce and market 70,000 tons of seed annually by 2016.

Swiss Ambassador visits CIMMYT-Harare

Written by on May 22, 2013. Posted in News.

Physiologist Jill Cairns talks about climate change with the Swiss Ambassador. — Physiologist Jill Cairns talks about climate
change with the Swiss Ambassador.

The Ambassador of Switzerland to Angola, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, Luciano Lavizzari, accompanied by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) Food Security program officer for Zimbabwe Mkhululi Ngwenya, visited the CIMMYT Regional office for Southern Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe, on 23 April 2013. The CIMMYT-Harare staff provided a tour around the facilities and briefed them on CIMMYT’s work on food security geared towards finding solutions to challenges faced by farmers.

In the beginning of the visit, CIMMYT physiologist Jill Cairns discussed the issue of climate change. “As a result of climate change, the seasons are going to be much shorter,” explained Cairns, adding that in a region with the lowest maize yields globally, a lot more effort is required to deploy germplasm and farming systems adapted to respond to constraints in the region. Cairns discussed the work done by CIMMYT scientists in countering stresses such as low nitrogen, drought, and heat stress along the maize breeding pipeline from population development, pedigree breeding, to regional and on-farm trials in over 100 diverse locations. She also covered the phenotyping tools used in the research work and highlighted research gains in maize yields, many of which result from highly drought-tolerant maize lines and improved efficiencies of maize breeding pipeline in Eastern and Southern Africa.

John MacRobert, seed systems specialist, highlighted the importance of harmonizing seed systems in the region. “Some countries, like Zimbabwe, have very well developed seed sectors, while others are largely informal,” MacRobert said, stressing the negative consequences this may have on farmers. He then explained the importance of on-farm trials in incorporating farmer preferences such as grain texture in breeding work, using the example of SDC-funded New Seed Initiative for Maize in Southern Africa (NSIMA), a project whose acronym is fashioned after a popular maize staple dish in Zambia and Malawi known as nsima: “NSIMA targets a subset of smallholder farmers who consume the maize that they grow.” MacRobert also highlighted collaboration with other SDC projects whose seed systems encourage community-based seed companies targeting smallholder farmers.

Next on the agenda was conservation agriculture covered by agronomist Christian Thierfelder. “It is crucial to link improved varieties with the best management practices to ensure the sustainability of the cropping system,” stressed Thierfelder who then went on to demonstrate a range of sowing equipment from a stick to animal traction planters used in conservation agriculture.

Seed systems specialist Peter Setimela explains the importance of regional on-farm trials to the Swiss Ambassador Luciano Lavizzari (middle) and SDC Food Security program officer for Zimbabwe Mkhululi Ngwenya.

Socioeconomist Girma T. Kassie turned attention to the consequences of lack of funding for smallholder farmers. For example, lack of funding programs to help the smallholder farmers acquire equipment limits uptake of improved planting practices. “Research on the impact of improved technologies aimed at improving livelihoods of smallholder farmers can help identify the gaps in technology transfer,” he added. Afterwards, the visitors toured CIMMYT trials where they observed the discussed technologies in the field.

CIMMYT has had a long-standing relationship with Switzerland through SDC, which currently funds several CIMMYT projects geared towards improving food security of smallholder farmers in East and Southern Africa. The projects, focusing on post-harvest losses reduction, conservation agriculture, and improved seed systems, include the Effective Grain Storage Project (EGSP), Seeds and Markets Project (SAMP), Harmonized Seed Security Project (HaSSP), and NSIMA. In addition, the SDC funds the ‘SDC-Junior Professional Officer’ supporting agronomist Stephanie Cheesman at the Global Conservation Agriculture Program team. CIMMYT highly appreciates the continued support from the Swiss government through SDC.

Successful partners’ day at CIMMYT-Harare showcasing research work

Written by on April 29, 2013. Posted in News.

The value of CIMMYT’s research work is enhanced through partnerships supporting the development and dissemination of new maize production technologies. To encourage this collaboration, the CIMMYT Southern Africa regional office in Harare, Zimbabwe, holds an annual event during which stakeholders from the ministries of agriculture, academic institutions, seed companies, and donor representatives tour field trials and get acquainted with the station’s research outputs.

On 05 April 2013, the Australian ambassador Matthew Neuhaus together with donor representatives from the European Union, AusAID, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation joined stakeholders from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for a successful partners’ day. Over 200 visitors explored CIMMYT fields, observed various products on the maize breeding pipeline such as trials on drought tolerance, nitrogen use efficiency, and demonstrations on conservation agriculture. Visitors also learned about small-scale farm mechanization for conservation agriculture and management of post-harvest losses through the use of metal silos.

During the field tour, it was evident that CIMMYT is incorporating legumes into maize production systems. This not only includes cover crop that contributes to nitrogen fixing but also grain legumes to improve diversity in the farming households’ nutrition. “CIMMYT is keen to see farmers gain more yield per unit area as opposed to having them increase the acreage under maize,” explained Mulugetta Mekuria, regional liaison officer for southern Africa. “When the maize yield is increased on a small portion of the land, the family can then use the rest of the land to grow high value crops such as pigeon peas that are being successfully exported to India from Mozambique and Tanzania,” he added.

Nutrition was a topic of other parts of the partners’ day as well. Farmers in most of the African continent prefer white maize but where diets are predominantly based on maize, especially with weaned infants, nutritional deficiencies may arise. Two exciting options for overcoming such nutritional deficiencies are quality protein maize (QPM) and vitamin A maize (also called orange maize). The QPM varieties have increased amounts of the essential amino acids lysine and tryptophan thereby enhancing the protein quality of maize and contribute to reducing malnutrition that is often seen in children under five years of age who are commonly weaned on maize porridge. “The mothers may not be able to ensure their children’s nutrition needs with the food they currently have,” said seed systems specialist John MacRobert, as he explained the benefits of QPM varieties. The orange maize has improved levels of pro-vitamin A and may help in alleviating vitamin A deficiency. Two varieties have been released in Zambia and two are in pre-release in Zimbabwe. During the tour, seed company representatives were encouraged to identify pre-release materials in which they may be interested.

The tour elicited a lot of interest from the participants who engaged the scientists in discussions, asked questions, and commented on the benefits of new technologies. Kgotso Madisa, an extension officer from Botswana’s Ministry of Agriculture, highlighted the value of nitrogen use efficient maize for farmers who cannot afford to apply the recommended fertilizer doses. “Most of our smallholder farmers are resource poor, these varieties would be of benefit to them,” said Madisa with reference to the hybrids developed under the Improved Maize for African Soils (IMAS) project.

Arsénio Mutatisse from Mozambique’s Higher Polytechnic Institute of Manica confessed that he had been skeptical about conservation agriculture before the event. However, after hearing agronomist Christian Thierfelder explain how to implement conservation agriculture successfully and after observing the trial, Mutatisse said he was convinced about its benefits. “This event was really helpful for us to see how the varieties perform in trials as we work closely with CIMMYT to ensure they get to the farmers,” said Helene Dinova Nsolani, leader of a group of community seed producers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The partners’ day was made possible through the help of CIMMYT’s national staff and intern students working at the station. Thanks to training provided by the regional office, the students have all the necessary knowledge and were thus instrumental in explaining the technologies on display. “We do capacity building to ensure that whenever we move on, we have people to continue with the breeding work,” explained maize breeder Cosmos Magorokosho.

The field day was followed by a feedback session and a technical seminar on the maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease that has emerged recently in East Africa. During the seminar presented by Magorokosho and MacRobert, principal director of the Department of Agriculture Research Services Danisile Hikwa expressed her appreciation to CIMMYT for its efforts to develop MLN resistant varieties.

Provitamin A biofortified orange maize reaches farmers in Zambia

Written by on April 15, 2013. Posted in News.

provitaminaA_HarvestPlus With over 50% of Zambian children under five vitamin A deficient, Zambia faces a major public health problem. This has resulted in several government intervention programs including vitamin A supplementation and sugar fortification, efforts which will soon be complemented by the release of three orange maize hybrids with higher levels of provitamin A carotenoids (compounds converted to vitamin A when consumed) developed by CIMMYT in collaboration with the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) and funded by HarvestPlus.

The release, dissemination, and promotion plans of these new hybrids were discussed during 18-21 March 2013 when the HarvestPlus maize project held its 10th planning and review meeting in Lusaka, Zambia. The meeting was co-organized by CIMMYT and HarvestPlus and attended by experts from various disciplines including nutritionists, biochemists, biologists, social scientists, public health specialists, and crop development experts from Zambia and other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. CIMMYT was represented by scientists Kevin Pixley and Thanda Dhliwayo.

The first days of the meeting focused on knowledge sharing, identification of gaps in the development and dissemination of provitamin A maize, and lessons learned from the Zambian experience as the project plans to expand to other countries in the region. On 20 March participants visited a ZamSeed seed production site where one of the hybrids is being multiplied, an orange maize demonstration plot, and a provitamin A maize testing site at SeedCo Zambia. Later, they visited the Sibuyunji Agricultural Camp in the Sibuyunji District where farmers shared their thoughts on provitamin A orange maize. “We are very happy to have orange maize as an option to avert vitamin A deficiency in our children,” said a farmer growing one of the orange maize varieties. Taking advantage of the farmer-expert interactions, the day ended with a question-and-answer session between the farmers and the multidisciplinary expert team. The questions ranged from agronomy and orange maize production to its nutritional benefits.

The last day of the meeting was devoted to country presentations and the project’s expansion plans. It was also announced that after 10 years of dedicated culminating in the release of the 3 varieties in Zambia, Kevin Pixley would be unable to continue as HarvestPlus maize crop leader due to his appointment as CIMMYT Genetic Resources Director. Thanda Dhliwayo (CIMMYT) and Abebe Menkir (IITA) will co-lead the maize crop activities for HarvestPlus effective immediately.