Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa: the Case of Wheat

Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops (SARD-

SC) in Africa: the Case of Wheat

Solomon Assefa, (ICARDA)FARA Science Week

Accra July 15-20, 2013

ICARDA

An Overview

SARD-SC Wheat Project

Wheat statistics for RMCs (2010-2011)Country Area

000 haProduction

000 tYieldt/ha

Imports000 t

Self-suffi.%

GDP/cUSD

Eritrea 25 15 0.6 200 7 700

Ethiopia 1500 2700 1.8 900 75 1000

Kenya 139 340 2.5 580 37 1700

Tanzania 65 95 1.5 650 13 1500

Mali 5.1 15.1 3.0 105 13 1300

Mauritania 2 4.4 2.2 370 1 2200

Niger 6 9 1.5 61 1.5 800

Nigeria 95 100 1.1 4100 2 2600

Sudan 170 480 2.8 1800 22 3000

Lesotho 20 16 0.8 75 18 1400

Zambia 33 172 5.2 50 77 1600

Zimbabwe 5 18 3.6 250 7 500

Total 2065.1 3964.5 9141

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

21.6

58.9

Production Total demand

Widening Gap: per capita production and demand for wheat in Africa (kg/year)

Africa

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

6.9

36.9

Production Total demand

SS Africa

Wheat in Africa

1. Growing gap in wheat supply:- Consumption: around 50 million t- Production: around 22 million t - Per capita : 10-100 kg/year, increasing

2. Rising & volatile wheat prices- import cost: over $ 12 billion

3. Political will to increase production to insure food security (AU-CAADP)

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

Alignment with AfDB Agriculture Sector Strategy

Increased concerns for food security (crisis of

2008)

Addressing 4 of the 6 CAADP strategic

commodities &

pillar 4 : research and development

Low-income African countries

Expertise and experience of CGIAR Centers in

Africa

& alignment with CRPs

Context & rationale:

MULTINATIONAL – CGIAR PROJECT: “SUPPORT TO AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH FOR DEVELOPMENT

OF STRATEGIC CROPS IN AFRICA (SARD-SC)”

SARD-SC Wheat (Sub) project 

Enhancing wheat productivity and production for increased food security, economic growth and poverty

alleviation in Africa

The SARD-SC Wheat is part of an AfDB-funded 5-year project: “Multinational CGIAR Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Commodities in Africa (SARD-SC project)” covering 4 commodities: cassava, maize, rice, wheat.

Objectives: Increase on-farm wheat productivity and production for food

security;

Optimize the management of scarce natural resources;

Enhance the capacity of the NARES to conduct needed research for development .

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

SARD-SC: The Wheat project Major challenges

• Environmental conditions

• Technology

• Marketing

• Policies

THE TARGET REGIONS OF THE SARD-SC WHEAT PROJECT

 COUNTRIES: 12

Eritrea , Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe

REGIONS/AGROECOLOGIES: 3East Africa Highlands: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania,

Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe

 East Africa Lowlands: Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea

West Africa Lowlands: Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, Niger

SARD-SC: The Wheat (Sub)project:

APPROACH & METHODOLOGIES:HUBS & PARTNERS

East Africa Highlands: Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Tanzania Lesotho, Zambia, Zimbabwe

 East Africa Lowlands: Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea

West Africa Lowlands: Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, Niger

1. Three R4D “hubs” for technology testing, validation dissemination and training are being established in 3 major producing countries & will serve as spring board for technology transfer to partner countries

SARD-SC : The Wheat (Sub)project

APPROACH & METHODOLOGIES….:

2. Collaborative research and training will also be implemented in partners countries on a more focussed scale to address the specific needs of each of these countries, and benefitting from activities/results generated at hubs, where appropriate.

SARD-SC WHEAT TARGET COUNTRIES:

LESOTHO

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

COMPONENTS: Component 1: Generation of wheat-based systems adapted agricultural knowledge and technologies.

-Component 2: Dissemination and sustainable adoption of wheat-based systems adapted agricultural knowledge and technologies

-Component 3: Strengthening the capacities of subproject stakeholders

-Component 4: Efficient project organization & management 

SARD-SC: The Wheat (Sub)project: 

Credit agencies

Manufacturers

Input suppliers

NGOs

Farmers

Government policies, Informal institutions, practices, behaviors and attitudes

NARS

Extension agencies

Education and training

organizations

Development agencies

SARD-SC Wheat Research teams

Design of SARD-SC Wheat innovation platform approach (adapted from WB)

Local and regional decision makers

Service providers

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

PROGRESS TO-DATE

SARD-SC Wheat Project

Inception Workshop for the SARD-SC WHEAT (SUB) Project

Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Date: 27-28 February 2013

Host institution: EIAR, Ethiopia

Participants: 50 participants (NARES-11 countries, AfDB,

ICARDA, CIMMYT, FARA, ASARECA)

Outcome: Confirmed full support and

commitment of all stakeholders Better understanding of country

challenges and opportunities for national wheat production

General concurrence on implementation approach SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

Venue: Abuja, Nigeria

Date: 20-23 March 2013

Host institution: Lake Chad Research Institute, ARCN, Nigeria

Participants: 35 participants from Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, ICARDA and FARA

Outcome: Better understanding of M&E framework and

baseline surveys, focused on the Nigeria hub Concurrence on the suitability and adoption of the

Innovation Platform framework for project implementation

Discussion of opportunities for across-crop integration

Development of 5-year POWB for the West Africa Lowlands region (wheat), with more detailed activities for 2013-2014.

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

Joint SARD-SC “Wheat-Maize-Rice” Launching Workshop (West Africa Lowlands Hub)

Venue: Khartoum, Sudan

Date: 13-15 April 2013

Host institution: ARC, Sudan

Participants: 26 participants from Sudan, Ethiopia(lowlands), ICARDA, and CIMMYT. Outcome:

Better understanding of project scope and implementation procedures

Concurrence on the suitability and adoption of the Innovation Platform framework for project implementation

Presentation and discussion of preliminary 1st-year results

Development of 5-year POWB for the West Africa Lowlands region (wheat), with more detailed activities for 2013-2014

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

SARD-SC-Wheat East Africa Lowlands Launching Workshop

Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Date: 17-19 April 2013

Host institution: EIAR, Ethiopia

Participants: 50 participants from Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, ICARDA & CIMMYT.

Outcome: Better understanding of project scope and

implementation procedures Concurrence on the suitability and adoption of the

Innovation Platform framework for project implementation

Development of 5-year POWB for the East Africa Highlands region (wheat), with more detailed activities for 2013-2014

Exchange of information on what/when/which nurseries will be sent from ICARDA for timely planting in participating countries

Joint SARD-SC Rice-Wheat East Africa Highlands Launching Workshop

Component 1: Generation of technologies & innovations

1. In Nigeria, • About 1600 entries of wheat breeding

materials from national and international (Nigeria, CIMMYT and ICARDA ) sources were tested in yield trials and observation nurseries across 7 northern states.

• 5 agronomy and plant nutrition experiments were also conducted at different testing sites.

2. In each of Mali, Mauritania and Niger, 150 entries were tested in observation nurseries and large demonstration plots.

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

Component 1:Generation of technologies & innovations…

Breeding Nurseries/trials CountriesNo. of entries Tested Selected

SSA-1st Heat SBW Observation Nursery(A)

Nigeria (2), Niger, Mali, Mauritania 150 31

SSA-1st Heat SBW Observation Nursery(B)

Nigeria (2), Niger, Mali, Mauritania 48 14

SSA-SR:YR SBW Observation Nursery Nigeria 180 44

SSA-SBW Demonstration Plots Nigeria (2), Niger, Mali, Mauritania 27 8

3rd Elite SBW Yield Trial Nigeria (2), Niger, Mali, Mauritania 24 6

1st Elite HT SBW Yield Trial Nigeria (6), Niger, Mali, Mauritania 24 7

Selected wheat germplasm nurseries and trials grown at West Africa Lowlands Region (Nigeria hub)

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

Component 1: Generation of technologies & innovations

1. In Sudan, • Over 1100 wheat entries tested in yield trials and observation nurseries across the country, with an emphasis on heat tolerance and disease resistance,

• Seven experiments have been conducted on crop management, plant nutrition and mechanization.

2. In Ethiopia, about 500 entries were tested in yield trials and observation nurseries at lowland irrigated sites

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

Component 1: Generation of technologies & innovations…

Breeding Nurseries/trials Countries No. Entries

SSA-1st Heat SBW Observation Nursery(A) Sudan, Ethiopia 150

SSA-1st Heat SBW Observation Nursery(B) Sudan, Ethiopia 48

SSA-SR:YR SBW Observation Nursery Sudan, Ethiopia 180

SSA-SBW Demonstration Plots Sudan, Ethiopia 7

3rd Elite SBW Yield Trial Sudan, Ethiopia 24

1st Elite HT SBW Yield Trial Sudan, Ethiopia 24

Selected wheat germplasm nurseries and trials grown in East Africa Lowlands Region (Sudan hub)

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

SARD-SC Wheat Project

SOONOT-5, Reyna 28

Potential candidate varieties ith identified for release in Nigeria

SARD-SC Wheat Project

Potential heat tolerant candidate varieties identified in Sudan

SARD-SC Wheat Project

NEJEMA-14 ADEL-6

Two heat tolerant varieties adapted and released in Ethiopia

1. Proven technologies (varieties and crop management) have been demonstrated on-farm in different wheat growing areas: 

•  Sudan   : 44 demonstration plots• Nigeria : 35 large demonstration plots. • Ethiopia: Demonstration plots at 6 sites, in the Afar region.

2. Breeder and pre-basic seed for newly-released and release-candidate varieties  produced on 3 ha in Ethiopia, 8 ha in Nigeria and 11.5 ha in Sudan.  

3.  A preliminary survey for socioeconomics studies developed  for Sudan and implementation started in some states.

Component 2: Dissemination & adoption of technologies & innovations

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

SARD-SC Wheat Project

Field days & demonstrations at the innovation platforms,

SARD-SC Wheat Project

Field days & demonstrations at the innovation platforms,

• A farmer field school (FFS) on wheat crop establishment and management organized in Nigeria for the benefit of 80 wheat growers and other stakeholders

• Farmers participatory variety selections organized in both Nigeria and Sudan with participation of over 150 persons in each case, including farmers, researchers, extension officers, policy makers, and media. 

• Over 135 farmers and extension agents were trained on wheat production techniques in the Afar region of Ethiopia.

• One senior researcher from Nigeria has completed a  3-month (March-May 2013) training program at CIMMYT Mexico on “basic wheat improvement”. 

Component 3: Capacity strengthening of project stakeholders

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

SARD-SC Wheat Project

SARD-SC Wheat Project

SARD-SC Wheat ProjectAn opportunity to increase wheat production for food security in Africa through transformational

impact

Nigeria Sudan

SARD-SC Wheat Commodity

Sudan Ethiopia

FOR AFRICA FEED AFRICA