Annual Report 2012 - African Agricultural Technology Foundation

18 AATF Annual Report 2012
on the labour market and drudgery for women who constitute 75 percent
of cassava farmers and processors.
The Hybrid Rice Project is a partnership funded by the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation (BMGF) that is developing hybrid rice with significant
yield advantage that will create sustainable hybrid rice agro-businesses
to support farming of the crop in east, west and southern Africa. AATF
will continue looking for these quick-win projects that have potential to
make faster difference to our farmers while complementing our current
long term ones.
The other ongoing projects and programmes recorded significant
progress during the year. Below is a summary of progress made – the
details are in the particular project reports.
The Maruca-Resistant Cowpea Project identified two lines that are
showing great promise towards realisation of a Maruca-Resistant cowpea.
These will be taken into multi-locational trials in Nigeria during 2013.
In addition, Ghana will plant its first confined field trial (CFT) in 2013
following approval by the National Biosafety Committee in November
2012.
The NEWEST Rice Project progressed its product development
activities and the transgenic rice seeds of selected events are ready for
CFTs in Uganda and Ghana during 2013.
The Aflatoxin Bio-control in Maize and Peanuts Project progressed its
efficacy testing in Kenya from on-station to on-farm trials giving farmers
first-hand experience with the product.
The Bacterial Wilt-Resistant Banana Project evaluated 65 transgenic
plants and non-transgenic mother plants for Banana Xanthomonas Wilt
(BXW) resistance in CFT in Uganda and 12 lines showed resistance to BXW
and are being evaluated for second ratoon plants. In addition, work started
in Kenya to generate transgenic events for banana varieties important for
the Kenyan market.
The Water Efficient Maize for Africa Project successfully completed its
Phase I and commenced on Phase II. It entered 29 promising conventional
drought-tolerant hybrids into the National Performance Trials (NPTs) in
Kenya and Uganda and one hybrid will be released to farmers in Kenya
during 2013. In addition, approval was given by the Kenya and Uganda
biosafety authorities to conduct Bt insect-pest resistance maize CFTs from
2013.
The Striga Control in Maize Project received a boost with the
registration of the Imazapyr Resistant (IR) herbicide in Tanzania during the
year, paving way for commercialisation of the IR maize seed in the country.
Deploying agricultural technologies for farmers