15 Years of Pearl Millet Improvement in the SADC Region

Pearl millet improvement under the SADC/ ICRISAT Sorghum and Millet Improvement Program (SMIP)originally focused on two major objectives. The first was to lay the foundation for making improved varieties widely available to farmers in the region. This was to be achieved by supplying national breeding programs with enhanced germplasm and information they could use to stabilize yields in their specific environments. The second was to raise the level of expertise available for the breeding, production, and utilization of pearl millet, contributing to development of strong national programs with the capacity to generate and test elite germplasm. Significant progress has been made towards these objectives. The pearl millet germplasm from southern Africa have been collected, characterized, and conserved. The regional facility holds well over 7000 pearl millet germplasm accessions from around the wor ld, 3082 of which are of SADC origin. Sixteen pearl millet varieties originating from this project have been released in five SADC countries: Malawi (2), Namibia (4), Tanzania (2) , Zambia (4) , and Zimbabwe (4) . These varieties currently occupy 2-45% of the total pearl millet area in these countries. Functional millet breeding programs have been established in nine countries, among them Namibia where a successful seed development and delivery system was developed from scratch, Malawi, Namibia, and Tanzania are now in the process of redefining their breeding priorities through farmer-participatory methods. An IPM package for control of the armored bush cricket has been successfully implemented in Namibia and Zambia. Over 80 scientists and 200 technicians have been trained in crop improvement, agronomy, crop protection, seed production, and quality control; and this training has helped national programs upgrade their skills and experience. SMIP recognizes that a strong regional scientific capability and the technical advances made in the development and dissemination of improved varieties provide a solid foundation for increasing farm-level productivity and incomes. If the ful l potential of this foundation is to be realized and the ultimate goal of the program fulfilled, SMIP must now address three important issues: seed delivery systems, broader stakeholder input into technology development, and commercialization of pearl millet

Small-scale farmers venture into commercial seed production

There is virtually no seed of improved semi-arid crops (like pearl millet, sorghum, cowpeas. and groundnuts) sold on the market in southern Africa, in-spite of the importance of these crops to the livelihoods of people in semi-arid tropics in the region. To address this shortcoming, ICRISAT is collaborating with Commutech, a nongovernmental organization, and two private seed companies, the Seed Company of Zimbabwe (Seed Co.) and PANNAR, in a pilot project on on-farm commercial seed production by small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe. The project was initiated during the 1999/2000 season in Wards 9 and 13. Tsholotsho district, Matabeleland North, and Ward 21. Chivi district. Over 600 farmers operating in groups of 20 to 30 are participating with each allocating 1 to 3 ha for the production of seed of pearl millet variety PMV 3 and sorghum variety Macia

Strategy of SADCC/ICRISAT Regional Programme on the Improvement of Sorghum and Millets as Forages

Outlines the strategy of SADCC/ICRISAT regional programme on the improvement of sorghum and millets as forages. Looks into results of the cereal forage yield trial, forage sorghum introduction nursery, breeding programme and 1988-89 evaluation trials. Lists the main collaborators on a country wise basis

Simultaneous detection of groundnut rosette assistor virus (GRAV), groundnut rosette virus (GRV) and satellite RNA (satRNA) in groundnuts using multiplex RT-PCR

Groundnut rosette disease (GRD) is the most devastating disease of groundnuts in sub-Saharan Africa. The disease is caused by synergistic interactions between viruses and virus-like pathogens: groundnut rosette assistor virus (GRAV), groundnut rosette virus (GRV) and a satellite RNA (satRNA). The multi-pathogenic nature of GRD requires efficient diagnostic systems for plant breeding and pathology work. Currently, TAS-ELISA and RT-PCR are used to detect all three pathogens. This approach is time-consuming, expensive and not easily amenable to high throughput. A multiplex PCR-based approach was developed to detect all three pathogens at once, reducing diagnostics costs and time by two thirds. The technique is highly robust and amenable to high throughput, with sensitivity and specificity values of 88 % and 100 %, respectively. The positive predictive value for the technique is 100 %, and the negative predictive value is 90.6 %

Field days in Tanzania enhance regional spillover of models and technology developed in SMIP pilot countries

Regional networking and seed systems field days were organized in May 2000 and 2001 to: popularize the concept of the dissemination of improved sorghum seed through farmer groups; introduce the rural schools seed production concept to three other SADC countries; and facilitate the regional spillover of the initiative

Seven seasons of learning and engaging smallholder farmers in the drought-prone areas of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia through Tropical Legumes, 2007–2014

Tropical Legumes II (TL II) is a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored project implemented by three International Agricultural Research Centers – International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA). The project aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the drought-prone areas of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (SA) through improved productivity and production of six major grain legumes – chickpea, common bean, cowpea, groundnut, pigeonpea and soybean. The project activities were implemented in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe in SSA, and India and Bangladesh in SA. The project has been running for the past two phases: Phase I (2007 – 2011) and Phase II (2012 – 2014). The project is designed to help the smallholder farmers to overcome constraints, such as drought, pests, diseases and lack of improved seed varieties. TL II is expected to enhance the productivity by at least 20% through increased adoption covering 30% of legume area, strengthening national breeding programs and generating at least $1.3 billion in added value. This has resulted in significant achievements. The active breeding programs are now in place in all 15 countries. New seed varieties (163) have been released and are fast replacing the old ruling seed varieties. Thirty seven national partners were trained at MSc and PhD levels. As a result of the enhanced skills and knowledge of seed value chain actors, seed production significantly increased by 221 program adopted an inclusive approach for the poor, especially women, through promotion of various innovative approaches, such as small seed packs, seed loans and decentralized production schemes. Since 2007, dissemination of improved varieties has been adopted on at least 2 million hectares and more than$448 million has been generated from the project funding and nearly $976 million from the project and investment partners. Even when using the adoption rates data from adoption and expert opinion surveys, the aggregate gross benefits from TL II-related modern legume varieties is estimated at about$978 million, which is still far above the total TL II investment grossly compounded at $48 million. In effect, for each dollar invested, the project generated$9 with direct project investment or $20 with partnership’s investment and again$20 when using adoption rate based estimate. These successes and associated challenges will be discussed in detail in subsequent chapters of this book

On-Farm Evaluation of Pearl Millet Varieties in Malawi for Farmer Preferences, Grain Yield, and Food Quality Traits

Dunng the 3993194 season two rypes ofon.fann rnah (research-managed and fanner.ma~ged], were conducred in 66 janners' fields tn the Shtre Vallq to veniy crop perfonnance and to expose new uanerles to the farming community Both inair were lmplemenred by farmers Three new pearl miller varieties (SDMV 89004, SDMV 89005, and ICMV 88908j and rwo controls (N~genan Compostre-rail [NC rail], and farmers' local landrace vaneties [LLl'jj were e~,aluatedjorplanta nd gram traits preferred by farmers, yield porenrral, andfor thetr acceptablltty as food. Varrerv SDM 1'89004 had the hia-herr n-raln v.~elds I 95 r ha ' when research. managedand I 47 f ha ' whenjarmer.ma~ged Under research-management rhe three test vanerier and NC-tall 'aer,ion ned szmilarlv and were suoerior ro the LLV used, whereas, under jarmer.managed ma&, rhr rhrer terr wnerles produced s~milar~ieldthsa t were supenor to both NC.ral1 and the LLV Ofthe 164 farmers who evaluated the pearl millet on.fann trraLforplant and groin rraits, the malonty preferred iCMV 88908 as rhe~rfavonref,o llowed by SDMV 89004, and SDMV 89005 based on field obsen,ations All the tmriprtes uer? ranked berrer than the LLVfor <ram rrairs (grain size, dehulltng, grtnding ease) However, far food taste NC-tall was the most preferred, followed by SDMV 89W5, SDMV 89004, and ICMV 88908. These results, and those from previous years, tnd~care rhat farmers prefer the new vanetres because of their h~gh grain yeld, good grain traits, and acceptabiliry as jood (taste) These varietter wll therefore be recomvnended soon for release tn Mala

Development of a National Pearl Millet Breeding Program for Namibia

Pearl millet accounts for 24% of total calorie intake as compared with 23% for maize and 13% for wheat (SADC Food Security Bulletin 1991). It plays an important role in the diet of Namibians and is widely grown in 7 of Namibia's 13 political regions which cover an estimated 355 200 ha of land (pers. comm. Namibia Ministry of Agriculture 1994). Except for the diminishing rainfall as one moves from the eastern part of Namibia (Caprivi) to western Omusati, most of the country's pearl millet belt lies in the same belt as the millet-growing areas of Zimbabwe,.where improved SADC pearl millet materials have been developed and tested. With support from the Namibian government and extra financial support from CIDA, SMIP assisted in the establishment of a pearl millet breeding program, concentrating initially on exploiting local germplasm and a few introduced cultivars that are adapted to Namibia's conditions

Grain Legumes Strategies and Seed Roadmaps for Select Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

Tropical Legumes II (TL-II) is a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) sponsored project implemented by three International Agricultural Research Centers – ICRISAT, CIAT and IITA. TL-II aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the drought-prone areas of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia through improved productivity and production of six major grain legumes – chickpea, common bean, cowpea, groundnut, pigeonpea and soybean. The project activities are in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe in SSA and India and Bangladesh in South Asia. The project has formed a wide range of partnerships with the host national agricultural research systems, advanced research institutions, NGOs, and several other projects funded by the BMGF and other organizations to ensure the sustainability and scalability of the project outcomes. In the six years since inception in 2007/08, a total of 113 new legume varieties have been released in collaboration with NARS in the partner countries. The newly released groundnut, cowpea, common bean, chickpea, pigeonpea and soybean varieties are fast replacing old varieties in these areas of Africa and Asia resulting in significant increases in productivity and production at national level. Participatory variety selection trials have been expanded to new villages to up-scale dissemination of new varieties in all project countries. The project was able to undertake trials with more than 281,000 farmers directly during the past six years (2007/08–2012/13). Workable and efficient models for the production of different categories of seed have been identified. The seed production systems are country-specific. Women and women’s groups have been empowered to produce and market legume seed in many countries. A total of 222,531 tons of improved legume seed of all six crops have been produced and distributed since inception. The project strategy is to reach smallholder farmers with improved varieties through small seed packs (1, 2 and 5 kg) for wider technology dissemination. At the current smallholder land allocation to legumes of approximately 0.2 ha per household, the 5kg pack will guarantee farmers their seed legume requirement within one season. The seed so far produced is enough to serve 44.5 million smallholder farmers, providing the legume protein and nutrition requirement of 222.5 million individuals (5 persons per household). Cumulatively, as a result of improved seed availability and accessibility, farmers have adopted improved legume varieties in about 27% of the area under legumes in Mali, 38% in Niger, 57% in Malawi, 35% in Tanzania, 59% in selected districts of Uganda and 22% in Nigeria. The reduction in per unit cost of cultivation of improved varieties ranges from 21% in Malawi to 44% in Uganda, compared to local varieties

Linking promotion of improved sorghum and pearl millet varieties with community based seed multiplication: the rural livelihoods programme

Five NGOs (Oxfam Canada, Management Outreach Training Services for Rural and Urban Development [MOTSRUD], Dabane Trust, Zimbabwe Project Trust [ZPT], and Organization of Rural Associations for Progress [ORAP]) are collaborating on a pilot program on rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe. The program aims to improve nutrition levels and reduce vulnerability to drought in 15 target rural communities in drought-prone regions. SMIP was requested to participate because of its expertise on sorghum and pearl millet — crops that have a comparative advantage in drought-prone areas. SMIP's role is to provide improved varieties and training on small-scale seed production techniques to farmers, project managers, and extension workers involved in the program