Final version of Tropical Legumes II Project Report for Phase 1 - icrisat

hybridization techniques, design of experiments and statistical data analysis, disease screening and use
of the infector row technique benefited seven research technicians from Malawi (3), Tanzania (2), and
Mozambique (2). Three scientists one each from the partner countries attended the statistical data
analysis training conducted at ICRISAT Malawi.
On awareness creation, a total of 35 – 40 farmer field days were conducted annually in Malawi and 20
each in Tanzania and Mozambique. In Malawi about six thousand (6000)
Flyers on groundnuts management practices including options for the management of rosette and
aflatoxin were produced and distributed during field days in Kasungu, Nkhotakhota and Mchinji. Three
quarters of these were in Chichewa (the local language) – some of them specifically focussing on the
results of studies conducted on farmers’ fields as a way of bringing back to the farmers elements of the
evaluations that is required for further analysis. In this way farmers contribute directly to the ongoing
research. In Tanzania, 4000 booklets describing good agronomic practices and methods for good quality
seed production were produced and disseminated. Finally both Tanzania and Malawi printed flyers
(4500) on farmers and market preferred groundnuts varieties in three categories: description of released
varieties, description of promising materials under farmer evaluation and results of participatory variety
selection from previous seasons.
Lessons learned – groundnut improvement
1. Scientist-farmer partnership in agricultural research and development is crucial in bringing about
desired changes in the agricultural research and production scenario in the country;
2. Farmers’ advocacy of new varieties and technology is essential to bring about changes in existing
policies and large scale adoption;
3. Sustained seed support is essential for large area coverage by FPVs and resultant enhanced
productivity in groundnut; and
4. Policy makers, administrators, scientists, farmers and formal and informal seed sectors need to
come together to initiate a silent revolution in rain-fed agriculture.
Seed Production and Delivery Systems
The inability of existing seed systems to provide small-scale farmers with access to improved groundnut
seed is conditioned by a number of constraints. First, public-sector seed production has not been able to
meet the demand for new varieties. Priority for the initial quantities of Foundation Seed stocks is generally
given to more commercial crops, such as hybrid maize. The private sector also has shown little interest
in entering the legume seed industry, particularly groundnut, due to low profitability. Groundnut has a
very high seeding rate (approx. 100 kg per ha) and low seed multiplication ratio (approximately 1:10).
Since it is a self-pollinated crop, farmers normally resow varieties multiple times once they receive the
initial germplasm, thus making it difficult for the private sector to make profit marketing groundnut seed.
Many seed enterprises, especially legumes, have been supported by non-governmental organizations and
tend to be subsidized and inefficient. This combination of poor public-sector performance, lack of private
sector interest, and reluctance to invest, has led to a void in seed supply systems that need to be filled.
Seed production and delivery strategies
The project embarked on three main strategies for seed provision – addressing the needs for Breeder
Seed, Foundation Seed and Certified Seed.
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Engaging Smallholder Farmers | Tropical Legumes II Project