Final version of Tropical Legumes II Project Report for Phase 1 - 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 quicken the advancement
of 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: Support for irrigation at Cinzana station
Niger: Support for irrigation at INRAN Maradi
Nigeria: Upgrade of irrigation at Minjibir
Mozambique: Irrigation set up in Gurue in 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
plots;
• 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.
Recommendations for adoption of improved technologies
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.
The best approach to spread the improved technologies to users
• The involvement of farmers, farmers groups and other stakeholders such as extension agents and
NGOs help in getting developed technologies to where they would make necessary impacts.
NGO’s, entrepreneurs and local Government officials were found helpful in pushing technologies to
rural areas where most cowpea farmers are located;
• Increased participation in field days and farmers’ visits to others’ fields expose the farmers better
to the available technologies. Such visits have positive influence on farmers and their willingness to
take up new technologies which they see;
• Crop variety release process could be cumbersome in many countries. The project helped to facilitate
the process by supporting meetings of variety release committees in the different countries; and
• Fostering stronger collaborations with sub-regional seeds initiatives such as WASA in West Africa.
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Engaging Smallholder Farmers | Tropical Legumes II Project