Four Seasons of Learning and Engaging Smallholder Farmers - icrisat

Infrastructure development at NARS
The project provided some assistance in improving irrigation facilities to participating national research
institutions. This support enabled the breeders to carry out off season cowpea planting which made it
possible to conduct phenotyping for drought tolerance, multiply seeds and also advance segregating
generations. Planting during the dry season increased the number of generations that could be obtained
each year thereby reducing the number of years needed for variety development and release.
The supports provided were:-
Mali:
Niger:
Nigeria:
Support for irrigation at Cinzana station
Support for irrigation at INRAN Maradi
Upgrade of irrigation at Minjibir
Mozambique: Irrigation set up in Gurue and Zambesia
Tanzania:
Fixing of water pump at ARI Ilonga station
Some outcomes
• At least two improved breeding lines were selected in each country with PVS. At may locations the
selected lines performed better than farmers’ varieties especially where drought occurred;
• Seeds of the selected lines have been multiplied and supplied to farmers for planting in demonstration
plot;
• Crosses have been made between germplasm lines with enhanced levels of drought tolerance with
improved breeding lines;
• A number of segregating populations are being advanced from where selections will be made for
new lines with better drought tolerance and other traits; and
• Students from Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania have been trained in plant breeding at MSc level.
Cowpea early adoption study in Nigeria
The study results revealed that, out of the total farmers that participated in the TL II project, in both
Borno and Kano States, 75% adopted improved cowpea varieties, with the IT97K-499-35 being the
most adopted followed by IT90K-277-2. Disaggregation of the improved cowpea adoption rates across
the states by gender revealed a high adoption rate by men at 77%, and women farmers at 23%. The
important factors that influenced the intensity of adoption of improved cowpea varieties among farmers
included: use of fertilizer, use of chemicals, membership of cooperative organization, educational level
of the respondents, farming experience and the frequency of extension visits all of which were positive.
Most of the improved cowpea varieties were stored using the double and triple bagging (Hermetic)
technology while the local varieties were stored using hermetic drum
The following recommendations should enhance the development of effective policies for technology
adoption:- i) emphasis be changed from demonstrating new technologies to one of facilitating farmers
to test new technologies in their own environments; ii). gender mainstreaming in future project activities
to facilitate participation by women which has the potential to influence their adoption of improved
technologies; iii) community seed production should be encouraged and promoted to facilitate easy
access to improved seeds; iv) policies should be designed to ensure that farmers have good access to
fertilizers through adequate supply, and efficient distribution and v) policy, which provides adequately
trained and equipped extension workers for disseminating extension messages to farmers should be
promoted.
Progress of Phase 1
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