Status report on global Neem usage - Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal

MALAWI
4. NEEM IN DEVELOPMENT-COOPERATION PROJECTS
In the lower laying parts of the southern districts in Malawi neem tree were planted to wide
extent e.g. in the Lower Shire Valley but also along the southern lake shore. Neem is widely
distributed from the district Chikawawa to the border with Mozambique at Nsanje.
The Forestry Research Institute of Malawi (FRIM) at Zomba has carried out some studies
on neem to evaluate the use of the tree for agroforestry and afforestration programmes. The
Forestry Department had planted thousands of neem trees in afforestration programmes.
Today about 300 000 stems could be found in woodlots standing very close (1,5 x 2,5 m) but
also along the roads, as living fences and to some extent in village areas as shade trees.
Malawi-German Plant Protection Project (MGPPP-GTZ)
Timeframe: Started in 1987 with the biological control of cassava mealybug and larger
grainborer, second phase 1993 -1996 to implement IPM programme on vegetables and is
running currently the 3 phase which aims to upgrade knowledge and attitudes of extension
staff and the skills of the farmer. A minor component of the project is the promotion of neem.
Literature:
ZÉLÉDON, B. (1998): Potential use of Neem in Southern-Malawi, 38 pp. Report for GTZ.
MAURITANIA
Mauritania consists mainly of desert; only limited areas are suitable for vegetable production,
mainly around Nouakchott and along the Senegal River. The number of trees between
Boghe – Kaedi – Magata (approx. 220 km) is about 13000, according to GTZ counts. In
contrast to earlier estimations there aren’t more than 50 000 stems in Mauritania.
Amazingly for such a comparatively small country, Mauritania has also hosted two GTZ projects
with a major focus on neem. One is the supraregional project
"Integrated Biological Control of Locusts" which had a field station in Mauritania.
Time Frame: 1989 - 1999
Short description of the project: State-run TC research projects throughout Mauritania with a
view to identifying alternative control options for the desert locust.
Project objective: To control the desert locust of Schizocerca gregaria or Locusta migratoria.
with neem products and other non-synthetic pesticides (e.g. with Melia volkensii,
Metarhizium flavoniidae). The project merged with the multi donor FAO EMPRES programme
on locust control in Sahel and the Arabian penninsula
Key project activities: Field investigations; field ecology, behavioural studies, application of
test products and their evaluation; ecotoxicology
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