Four Seasons of Learning and Engaging Smallholder Farmers - icrisat

Introduction
Groundnut productivity is limited by a number of abiotic and biotic stresses (such as drought, foliar
diseases, rosette, and aflatoxin contamination) in the semi-arid zones of Wes Africa. The gap between
potential and realized yield is large in subsistence farming. To improve productivity at the farm level
and bridge the yield gap requires varieties that have farmer- and market-preferred traits, including
those that enhance and stabilize productivity, increase profitability of the crop and thereby the income
of smallholder groundnut farmers. This project builds on the achievements made by ICRISAT and
partners in groundnut improvement in the last 30 years. Only one rain-fed crop season starting in June
and ending in October is possible in the major groundnut areas in the three countries. The project’s
variety development strategy takes advantage of existing improved germplasm in the short term,
through participatory variety selection. At the same time, new segregating populations are developed
and selected for tolerance/resistance to the biotic and abiotic constraints. This is complimented by
a seed delivery strategy that will emphasize decentralized, pro-poor seed production and delivery
systems.
Targets
The major targets are as follows:
• 2-3 farmer- and market-preferred groundnut varieties identified for cultivation in focal regions in
each partner country;
• 2-3 varieties identified entered in formal testing system in each country, if required by the national
seed policy for official release;
• At least 5000 farmers made aware of the improved groundnut varieties in each country;
• Nucleus and Breeder seed of farmer-preferred varieties as required produced each year to support
Seed System activities (Objective 8) in focal regions in each partner country;
• Each year 80-100 new breeding lines with farmer- and market-preferred traits made available by
ICRISAT to NARS for local evaluation;
• Breeding activities (and associated phenotyping facilities) initiated in at least one research station in
the focal region in each country;
• Two students trained at MSc level in conventional and modern breeding techniques and technicians
trained hands-on in groundnut breeding and integrated crop management;
• One efficient groundnut improvement program with appropriate phenotyping facilities (field and
laboratory screening) for drought and foliar diseases established in each partner country; and
• Farmer-friendly literature in vernacular languages (Bambara, Hausa) on improved varieties and
integrated crop management technologies available.
Methodology
Participatory variety selection (PVS)
PVS using the mother and baby trial approach has been used to increase farmers’ exposure to new
groundnut varieties and assess farmers’ trait preferences for varieties. The demand for varieties
by farmers and the processing industry is a result of plant, seed and other desirable traits that are
embodied in the variety. Knowledge of the range of plant, seed and processing traits is valuable for crop
improvement programs and good market signals for processors. The demand for improved groundnut
varieties will increase if varieties are designed to include producer- and consumer-preferred traits.
Therefore, improving the performance of varieties accounting for all significant traits will contribute to
the productivity and profitability of groundnut production in West Africa. The objective of this activity
is therefore to identify farmers-preferred traits and varieties through PVS.
Progress of Phase 1
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