Four Seasons of Learning and Engaging Smallholder Farmers - icrisat

for all zones, and especially stressed ones. N fixation, moderate use of P, manures (green and organic) might
all be themes to be pursued (in conjunction with the use of drought-tolerant varieties). More comprehensive
links with the BMGF-N2Africa should be sought quickly and across multiple countries.
Pests and diseases
Other production constraints in drought-prone zones are associated with pests and diseases. BSM,
Macrophomina, CBB, BCMV and aphids (etc.) are all important disease and pest constraints facing
drought-prone zones. Lessening their effects can help stabilize and increase production. TL II in Phase
2 will link up with the ongoing integrated pest and disease management research under PABRA to
integrate good practices in managing these constraints. Molecular markers for CBB and Zabrotes will
be extended to the routine breeding program. This will permit focusing even more intensely on the
difficult abiotic stresses that are a much bigger challenge. The prospects of effective implementation of
marker assisted selection for drought per se will continue to depend on obtaining relevant and reliable
phenotypic data. In this regard, TL II will have made a significant contribution to TL I , by strengthening
the field component of drought work.
Seed Production and Delivery Systems
Similarly, the advance in exploiting novel seed systems is putting clichés about “legume seed systems
don’t work” on their head. Two models – the small pack strategy and the seed loan system – were
especially successful and should be tested in other settings. While all targets have been met, demand
is sharply rising for the drought-tolerant varieties. More organizations and a more diversified set of
partners need to be brought into this arena of high quality seed production. The concerns are to:
increase overall quantity, ensure more stabilized production and diversify risks (including risks of seed
being usurped for relief efforts or political campaigns).
In the first phase of TL II, bean seed systems have been characterized by a multitude of partners. The truly
‘best bet’ modes of operating now need to be promoted (those which are sustainable, producing high
volumes—and which can reach all in drought-prone zones). The number of seed production models
will be reduced and focus put on ‘best bet’ decentralized production modes. This also applies to the
methods used for demand creation and awareness raising - to professionalize such demand creation
and outreach. Small pack approach is a true win-win–win —for the public sector, private sector—and
for farmers. It has to quickly move beyond “test experiments” to large scale institutionalization. The
challenges will be the unavailability of certified seeds which can be packed. Without certified/NARS
seed supply, the small packs approach may be difficult to use at large scale!!
The private sector and an expanded network of agro-dealers and other outlets need to be engaged.
Focused research might best be conducted of sizes and cross-crop combinations. Legume seed
production will likely be sustainable most readily if this is implemented across crops—where new and
desired varieties are rolled out on a continuing basis. Cross-crop marketing and awareness-raising can
only benefit service providers as well as farmers. There is, therefore, the need to promote cross-legume
research, production, marketing and awareness-raising.
Legumes in many countries are principally associated with women (that is, until the profits roll in). In
Phase 1, the TL II bean seed system tried to increase chances of women farmers’ participation especially in
training and field days/seed fairs. The promotion of the use of small packs and local seed systems tended
to benefit women more than men especially in Kenya. A lot more still needs to be done in Phase 2 to
strengthen gender as a true core value and and implement the gender strategy of TL II.
Progress of Phase 1
149