Demand-Driven Technologies for Sustainable Maize ... - IITA

3A review of NARES–IARC–Donor collaboration todevelop demand-driven technologies for improvedmaize production in West and Central AfricaM.A.B. Fakorede 1 , B. Badu-Apraku 2 , A. Menkir 2 , S.O. Ajala 2 and A.F. Lum 21Department of Plant Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria2IITA, Ibadan, NigeriaAbstractMaize researchers in West and Central Africa (WCA) establishedthe West and Central Africa Collaborative Maize Research Network(WECAMAN) in 1987 to tackle maize production constraints tooformidable for individual national programs to overcome. The NationalAgricultural Research Systems (NARS) that were relatively strongfor specifi c research areas were funded by the Network to generateimproved technologies, which were evaluated in on-farm trials andadopted or adapted in other member countries of the Network. TheNetwork allocated funds for research and other activities to membercountries through competitive grants. USAID has been the majorfunding agency of WECAMAN since inception. In recent years,additional funding support came from IFAD and UNDP through theAfrica Maize Stress Project, the Nippon Foundation QPM Project, andthe HarvestPlus Challenge Program. The NARS of WCA providedresearch and development infrastructure, staff salaries, and logistics forresearch. International agricultural research centers, specifi cally, IITAand CIMMYT, have been providing the required source germplasm.IITA has been the executing agency of the Network since inception andhas also provided advanced laboratory and other necessary researchsupport facilities and experienced scientists for expert consultation, asnecessary. The Network made major breakthroughs during the periodunder review by generating and transferring to farmers improvedmaize production technologies. Maize production increased in thetraditional maize belts and was extended to new areas. Averageproductivity of maize increased by about 30% while total grainproduction in the region increased by nearly 400% during the twodecades of WECAMAN’s existence. Other benefi ts derived from theNetwork were improved research capacity of the NARS and capabilityof the research technicians and scientists, better research–extension–farmer linkage, improved research management and communication