Four Seasons of Learning and Engaging Smallholder Farmers - icrisat

Strengthening capacity of national agricultural research systems scientists
Degree-related and short time training activities were carried out during the first phase of TL II. Students
from the five countries were trained or their training was supported (as in Mali and Niger below) by the
project. The project trained two students from Mozambique at MSc level in plant breeding at Bunda
College of Agriculture Malawi. The project paid fully for the students’ training in a different country than
theirs. In addition, some technical staff received training in the field on screening for drought tolerance
in crops. Farmers also participated in one day workshops where the protocol for PVS was discussed and
agreed (Table 10).
Training of graduate students in plant breeding
Mali:- Siaka Dembele – Screening for virus resistance in cowpea
Niger:- Abdou Souleymane – Screening cowpea for aphid resistance
These two students are under the AGRA MSc program. Both are registered at the University of Ibadan
and are conducting their research in cowpea breeding at IITA with funds from TL II.
Nigeria:
1. Auwalu Umar – Genetics of duration of cooking time. This student is to complete his study in June
2011
2. Habibu Aliyu – Aphid resistance in cowpea. This student is to complete his study in August 2011.
Mozambique:- Two students from Mozambique were trained in plant breeding at MSc level at Bunda
College, Malawi. They are:
1. John Bulassi Kaunda MSc (Breeding) returned to IIAM working on cowpeas in Lichinga, Niassa
Province
2. Henriques Victor Collial MSc (Breeding) returned to IIAM Nampula working on both Cowpea and
Soybean.
Tanzania:- One MSc. Student, Mr. Didas Kimaro completed his research project in September, 2010.
All the university fees and direct costs for student, including funds for his research have been paid by
the TL II project.
Table 5-13: Number of farmers and technicians trained per country
Country
Number
Mali 100
Niger 369
Nigeria 3,500
Mozambique 1,659
Tanzania 469
Total 6,097
5.2.2.15 Workshops
Stakeholders meetings held each year at the Sub-regional level of WCA and ESA for cowpea and
soybean. For WCA the meetings held in Niamey in 2008, Maradi in 2009 and Kano in 2010. All
collaborators from the NARS, ADPs and NGOs such as SNV and Alheri Seeds in Niger were invited and
participated actively in the meetings where activities in the previous year was reviewed and plans for
coming season were fine tuned. There were also short duration (one day each) meetings with farmers’
groups where reports of experiences in the fields during previous cropping season were discussed.
Farmers who wished to participate in the PVS were also identified at such meetings.
Progress of Phase 1
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