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

18Table 2. Capacity Building of NARS of WCA, 1994–2004.Course Title Year Duration ParticipantsTechnicians’ training course (4 courses) 1994–2001 5 months 52Seed Production 1995 2 weeks 27Striga control and technology transfer 1995 2 weeks 8Preparation of extension materials 1996 1 week 15Advanced Statistical Computing 1996 2 weeks 17Farmer participatory methods for on-farm testing 1998 2 weeks 11Impact assessment workshop 1998 2 weeks 6Workshop on maize quality, processing and utilization 1998 2 weeks 13Breeding for stress tolerance in maize 1999 1 week 13Striga resistance breeding and marker assisted selection in cereals 1999 1 week 10Advanced statistical computing for breeders and agronomists 2000 2 weeks 14Impact assessment of maize stress management technologies 2000 2 weeks 9Travel workshop 2001 1 week 15Biotechnology workshop in maize 2002 1 week 11Workshop on QPM development and seed delivery system 2003 2 weeks 32Laboratory training workshop on Tryptophan analysis 2004 1 week 14Total 267Table 3. Participants of the WECAMAN Monitoring Tours, 1989–2000.Year Countries visited Participants1989 Ghana, Burkina Faso 71991 Nigeria, Cameroon 71994 Côte d’Ivoire, Mali 111996 Ghana, Burkina Faso 91998 Bénin, Togo 142000 Nigeria, Cameroon 15Total 62enhanced research capacity and capability of the 11 NARS throughtraining courses and workshops (Table 2); scientifi c monitoring tours(Table 3) and several consultation visits which have served as fora forinteraction among the participating national scientists with respect tomaize research, extension, and production; Visiting Scientist Program;release of improved varieties and agronomic practices (Table 4);information and maize germplasm exchange among scientists (Table4) and improved interpersonal, inter-institutional, and intercountryrelationships, along with enhanced trust and confi dence among themaize scientists of WCA.