Person: De Groote, H.
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De Groote
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De Groote, H.
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- Participatory rural appraisal of farmers' maize selection criteria and production constraints in the moist mid-altitude Zone of Kenya(CIMMYT, 2002) Odendo, M.; De Groote, H.; Odongo, O.; Oucho, P.Maize is a staple food for most households in Kenya and is grown in almost all agroecological zones. The yield of maize has not kept up with the rate of population growth, leading to serious food insecurity. A major reason seems to be the low uptake of new maize production technologies. Therefore, this study analyzes the attributes farmers consider in choosing their varieties, the use of local and improved varieties in different areas and by different groups, and the constraints farmers face in maize production, in particular pests and diseases. This research was executed in the moist mid-altitude zone in Western Kenya, as part of a nation wide study. The study involved literature review and Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRAs), entailing focused group discussions with male and female farmers as well as key informants. In total, 143 villagers (of which 60 women) participated in 8 group discussions in five villages, sampled from three districts. The districts were selected purposely to represent diverse ecological and socio-economic environments: Busia District (for the striga prone area), Butere-Mumias (for the sugarcane and maize zone) and Homa Bay (for the striga and drought prone area). In each district, the villages were selected using multi-stage random sampling. The moist mid-altitude zone covers a belt around Lake Victoria, from 1110 meter at the shore to about 1500 meter high. Rainfall increases with altitude and averages between 700 and 1800 mm annually, in a bimodal pattern. Mean annual temperature is 22.1 °C, with an average minimum temperature of 13°C and an average maximum of 30 0c. Soils are mainly clay-loam and sandy-loam and not fertile, since there is very little volcanic or other young parent materials. The PRA results show that farmers have diverse selection critera for maize varieties and use them in a diverse combinations. The top three criteria are high yield, early maturity, and tolerance to Striga. Other important criteria are, in order of importance, the low cost of acquiring the seed, grain characteristics, low external input demand and resistance to field and storage pests. Criteria differ among sites and between groups, reflecting in a different use of varieties between sites and between groups. Farmers grow a wide range of varieties. In total, twenty different varieties were identified in the zone, of which 8 are local. In each district, farmers grow 9 or 10 varieties, of which 3-4 local. Local varieties are overall more popular than improved varieties. Only one, Shipindi, is grown in two districts. Three local varieties are grown by a majority of farmers in their district, but are not found in the other districts: Ke-Buganda in Busia, Samaria in ButereMumias, and Nyamula in Homa Bay. Shipindi and Nyuamula are popular yellow varieties, although their price is generally lower than for white maize varieties. The heterogeneity of the zone is also reflected in the range of improved varieties. They include late maturing hybrids such as H622 (grown by 28% of farmers present at the meetings) and H614 (21 %), the OPV Katumani (second in popularity with 26%), and medium length hybrids such as Pioneer 3253, H513 and H511. There is also a clear gender distinction: within a locality, more women usually grow the local varieities, and more men hybrids. The most important constraints to maize production, as reported by the farmers, are low soil fertility, cash or credit availability to purchase inputs, and poor extension service. The farmers explained that the cash constraint is a major problem, and its alleviation would lead to alleviation of many other constraints. The next group of constraints is the lack of farm implements and the related lack of labor. The first pest, striga, is mentioned next. Other stresses that are frequently mentioned include, unreliable rainfall, pests and diseases. Quality of seed are also frequently mentioned, although not the cost of seed. Diseases do not usually rank high on the farmers' perceived constraints list. As a result of cash and other constraints, farmers recycle varieties for long period of time, especially the local varieties but also the hybrids. They apply little or no fertilizers and no pesticides in maize fields. Striga, a parasitic weed typical for the zone, was generally perceived as the most important pest, followed by stem borers and weevils, a major storage insect pest. In Busia, stem borers were rankend first, and in Butere-Mumias, weevils were considered more important than stem borers. Losses due to stem borers were estimated at 20-30%. Farmers would be interested in buying varieties resistant to stem borers, but their price should not be more than 25% higher than that of existing varieties. Farmers are clearly interested in new varieties, and will adopt them as the recently introduced Pioneer 3253 shows. However, new varieties and crop management practices need to take into account not only farmers' preferences, but also their conditions. These conditions include erratic rainfall, low soil fertility and low input use, exacerbated by lack of credit and available labor, all within a framework of unclear agricultural policies. There are clearly opportunities for a wide range of varieties in the zone, and breeders should focus on hardy varieties that are not dependent on high input use, and with resistance to striga, stem borers and weevils. The government can help improve the conditions for maize producers by setting and implementing clear policies. Policies are needed to encourage new companies to develop new varieties, while at the same time setting high quality standards and providing the regulatory agencies with the means for quality control. The government needs to provide the means for agricultural extension, and set policies to promote the provision of extension and credit by NGOs and the private sector. Seed producers and distributors need to operate efficiently so that the price of new varieties does not increase by more than 25%, the maximum increase farmers are willing to accept.
Publication - Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA II) "Delivering products to Farmers": (2004-2008): fifth stakeholders meeting(KARI, 2005) Mugo, S.N.; Gichuki, S.T.; Poland, D.; Ouya, D.; De Groote, H.; Mulaa, M.The IRMA project is aimed at producing stem borer resistant and locally adapted maize for various Kenyan agro-ecological zones using conventional and biotechnology mediated methods, especially Bt technology. Transgenic maize containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a focal point of the project, prompting project organizers to emphasize public involvement and awareness through events such as the Stakeholders Meeting. The IRMA project was publicly launched on March 3, 2000 with the convening of the first Stakeholders Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. A stakeholder meeting is held every year leading to this fifth meeting held on 9 December 2004. The stakeholders have included: farmers' associations, women's groups, religious organizations, seed producers, regulatory agencies, NGOs, the media, consumer associations, food processors, project scientists from KARl, CIMMYT and participating and potentials donors. The specific objectives of the Stakeholders' Meeting have variously been to: 1. Introduce the IRMA project to stakeholders, 2. Create awareness on the economic importance of stem borers in Kenyan agriculture, 3. Create awareness on the control options for stem borers, 4. Solicit responses from stakeholders on the need and processes of developing insect resistant maize for Kenya 5. Inform the stakeholders on the progress as well as to review the progress, 6. Solicit feedback for the project scientists to direct their way forward 7. Visit the biosafety facilities that IRMA has developed at the KARl Biotechnology Center at NARL including the biosafety greenhouse complex and the biosafety levei II laboratory. In all these meetings, the stakeholders have expressed the need to use sound management strategies and to follow the national regulations strictly during introduction and testing of Bt genes in the country. The view shared by nearly all was that we could only evaluate Bt genes if they are in the country. Bt maize was viewed as having high chances of closing the wide and increasing food deficit in Kenya. During the more recent stakeholders meetings, participants expressed satisfaction with the progress of the project and suggested greater emphasis on training. The fifth stakeholders' meeting attracted 93 participants from 34 institutions that were categorized into eight groups. This was almost double the participation in 2003 by institutions as well as total number of participants.
Publication - Insect resistant maize for Africa (IRMA) project: creating awareness on biotechnology based technologies: report on a workshop(KARI, 2001) Mugo, S.N.; Poland, D.; Kimani, G.; De Groote, H.The Insect Resistant Maize for Africa. (IRMA) Project is a joint venture between the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), with financial support from the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development. It responds to the need to feed Africa's rapidly increasing population by reducing the damage incurred by the region's major insect pest of maize, stem borer. IRMA is being implemented initially in Kenya, but the results and experiences gained through the project will be made available to other willing African countries. The overarching goals of the project are to develop insect resistant maize varieties for the major Kenyan maize growing environments and to establish procedures to provide insect resistant maize to resource poor farmers in Kenya. During the implementation of the IRMA project, relevant technologies will be transferred to KARI and continuously evaluated. The specific objectives of the project are as follows: (1) Product Development: Develop insect resistant maize varieties for the major insect pests found in Kenyan maize production systems. (2) Product Disseminotion: Establish procedures for providing insect resistant maize to resource poor farmers in Kenya. (3) Impoct Assessment: Assess the impact of insect resistant maize varieties in Kenyan agricultural systems. (4) Technology Tronsfer: Transfer technologies to KARI and Kenyo to develop, evaluate, disseminate, and monitor insect resistant maize varieties. (5) Project Documentotion ond Communicotion: Plan, monitor, and document processes and achievements for dissemination to the Kenyan public and developing countries. Considerable effort has been given to the communication orea mainly in creating dialogue and raising public awareness about Bt and insect resistant maize, ond obout biotechnology in general. A stakeholders meeting was held and print and electronic materials hove been created in addition to nurturing of good press relotions to assure balanced coverage. Participation and documentation of IRMA-related presentations in seminars and conferences have further contributed to public awareness about the project and the technologies it uses. However, in recognition that the project is not working in isolation, it was recognized that there are other groups that are reaching out to the farmers, consumers and general public with information on biotechnology. It was olso recognized that biotechnology processes and products hold much promise in alleviating food shortages in our society and that information on biotechnology needs to be handled properly to avoid scares about its products ond mistrust to scientists and institutions from the general society. C1MMYT and KARI decided to hold a one-day workshop to take stock of 1) institutions involved in raising awareness on biotechnology and 2) the methods and tools being used. The workshop was also to explore the possibilities of collaborating to fill gaps and needs to be identified during the meeting. The one-day informal meeting wos convened to appraise us on the efforts institutions are making to create awareness in biotechnology.
Publication - Insect resistant maize for Africa (IRMA) project(KARI, 2000) Hoisington, D.A.; Mugo, S.N.; Poland, D.; De Groote, H.The Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) Project was publicly launched on March 3 2000 with the convening of a Stakeholders Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. About seventy six people, representing different stakeholder groups - including fanners' associations, womens' groups, religious organizations, seed producers, regulatory agencies, NGOs, the media, and others - were in attendance. Representatives of the project collaborators, CIMMYT and the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), as well as the primary donor, the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development, were also on hand. The project is aimed at producing maize that is both adapted to various Kenyan agroecological zones and is resistant to key insect pests, primarily stem borers. Both conventional and novel sources of resistance will be examined for their effectiveness against the borers, which incur losses ranging from 15 to 45 percent, depending on the region. Transgenic maize containing Bacillus thuringenesis (Bt) is a focal point of the project, prompting project organizers to emphasize public involvement and awareness through events such as the Stakeholders Meeting. The specific objectives of the Stakeholders Meeting were to. Introduce the IRMA project to stakeholders. Create awareness on the economic importance of stem borers in Kenyan agriculture. Create awareness on the control options for stem borers, including conventional and novel approaches like the Bt-gene technology. Solicit responses from stakeholders on the need and processes of developing insect resistant maize for Kenya. The session was chaired by the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, and Director of Agriculture Prof. Wilfred Mwangi, and was officially opened by the Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. Christopher M. Obure. Dr. Cyrus Ndiritu, Director of KARI and an outspoken proponent for biotechnology and genetic engineering for developing countries, provided some general remarks on the project, while CIMMYT IRMA Project Coordinator Dr. Stephen Mugo gave a more detailed account. A letter on CIMMYT's role in the project from Director General, Prof. Timothy Reeves was read by Dr. David Hoisington, and Dr. Klaus Leisinger gave a short speech on the role of the Novartis Foundation for Sustainable Development. Following the opening, the stakeholders readily engaged the expert panel in the question and answer period Because of their intense involvement, the session ran well over its allotted time and was extended to accommodate additional questions and comments. The stakeholders expressed the need to incorporate sound management strategies and to follow the national regulations strictly during introduction and testing of Bt genes in the country. The view shared by almost all was that we can only evaluate Bt genes if they are in the country. Importantly, Bt maize was viewed as having a high potential for closing the wide and increasing food deficit in Kenya. Media coverage of both the Stakeholders Meeting and the preceding Africa Biotechnology Stakeholders Forum (ABSF) workshop (sponsored by CIMMYT and the Rockefeller Foundation) was extensive and generally positive.
Publication - Breeding and disseminating quality protein maize (QPM) for Africa(Academic Journals, 2007) Krivanek, A.F.; De Groote, H.; Gunaratna, N.S.; Diallo, A.O.; Friesen, D.Quality protein maize (QPM) describes a range of maize cultivars with twice the content of limiting amino acids lysine and tryptophan compared with conventional maize, and has been developed to help reduce human malnutrition in areas where protein deficiency is prevalent and where maize is the major protein source in the diet, as in various parts of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in 17 countries of SSA, has developed a broad range of QPM cultivars responding to the needs of different countries and agroecological zones. Commercial QPM seed is currently available in all collaborating countries and, based on average 2003-2005 seed production, approximately 200,000 hectares of land are being planted to QPM cultivars.
Publication - Developing Bt maize for resource-poor farmers - Recent advances in the IRMA project(Academic Journals, 2005) Mugo, S.N.; De Groote, H.; Bergvinson, D.J.; Mulaa, M.; Songa, J.M.; Gichuki, S.T.This paper presents an overview of the advances in the IRMA project, which develops insect resistant maize varieties for resource-poor farmers, using both conventional breeding and genetic engineering. The project started in 1999 and is active in product development, impact assessment, and communication, all within the Kenya regulatory framework. So far, four application for introduction of tissue or commencement of field research were made to and approved by the National Biosafety Committee (NBC), and Bt maize leaves or seeds genes imported for testing against different stem borer species in bioassays on cut leaves in a biosafety laboratory, in potted plants in a Biosafety Greenhouse, and as whole plants in confined field trials in the Open Quarantine Station (OQS) at KARI Kiboko. All these biosafety facilities were specially built by the project for these evaluations. So far, good control has been realized against four of the five major stem borer species: Chilo partellus, Chilo orichalcociliellus, Eldana saccharina and Sesamia calamistis. Economic impact assessment demonstrated that stem borers are major constraints and cause substantial losses. Resistant maize varieties are likely to be adopted and to provide major returns to the investment if resistance against the economically most important species, Busseola fusca, can be found. Otherwise, returns would still be positive but small. Environmental impact research indicate that build-up of resistance against the Bt genes has not developed after that sufficient natural refugia exist in most areas, but suitable strategies acceptable to farmers need to be developed for some. Surveys, stakeholders meetings and other communications indicate that farmers, consumers and other stakeholders are cautiously optimistic about technology. Frequent interaction with the stakeholders and regulatory agencies assures a participative decision-making process and compliance with the strictest scientific and regulatory standards.
Publication - Consumer awareness and attitudes toward GM foods in Kenya(Academic Journals, 2005) Kimenju, S.C.; De Groote, H.; Karugia, J.; Mbogoh, S.; Poland, D.A survey of 604 consumers was conducted in Nairobi, Kenya, in November and December 2003, at three points of sale (supermarkets, kiosks, and posho mills) to determine consumer awareness and attitudes towards genetically modified (GM) foods. Above a third (38%) of the respondents were aware of GM crops, mostly from newspapers, television and radio. Others had learned about GM crops at school. Newspapers and television were more important to higher-income and more educated consumers. Consumers acknowledged the technology’s potential positive impacts, with more than 80% agreeing that it increases productivity. Sixty-eight percent said they would buy GM maize meal at the same price as their favorite brands, although many had concerns; half of the respondents feared that GM technology could lead to a loss of biodiversity and affect non-target insects; while more than one- third (37%) had concerns about the effects of GM food on human health. We conclude that GM technology has a role to play in food security in Kenya. However, consumers need more information about the technology, which can be provided through established sources of information. Finally, consumer attitudes should be studied regularly, and the survey population broadened to include rural consumers.
Publication - Diagnostic research to enable adoption of transgenic crop varieties by smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa(Academic Journals, 2003) Smale, M.; De Groote, H.Diagnostic research is important in helping to create an enabling environment for promising biotechnology products in smallholder agriculture, before rather than after release. The biotechnology products that now hold promise for poor people in Sub-Saharan Africa are those that tackle economically important, biotic or abiotic problems not easily addressed through conventional plant breeding or pest control, in crops that serve for food as well as cash, while posing little risk of endangering trade. Two biotechnology products we have selected for social science research in East Africa, Bt maize in Kenya and pest and disease resistance in the East African highland banana, meet these criteria. Preliminary research suggests that the expression of the trait is much more visible to farmers in maize than in bananas; for either crop, for different reasons, bottlenecks will be encountered in planting materials systems; and despite differing crop reproduction systems, transgenic varieties of either share the same environmental hazard of heightened genetic uniformity in the inserted trait relative to conventionally bred varieties. Aside from the performance of the technology, many factors that have incidence at national, regional, and farm levels will affect the likelihood that farmers will adopt transgenic varieties. Social science research can help pinpoint necessary complementary investments.
Publication - The seed industry for dryland crops in Eastern Kenya(CIMMYT, 2003) Muhammad, L.; Njoroge, K.; Bett, C.; Mwangi, W.M.; Verkuijl, H.; De Groote, H.The development and promotion of improved crop varieties as well as efficient seed production, distribution, and marketing systems have contributed significantly to increased agricultural production and food security in Kenya. However, these impacts have not been replicated in the semi-arid midlands due to climatic, soil, and institutional factors. Following the liberalization of agriculture in the late 1980s, there has been greater participation of the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and voluntary agencies in the area. This study examined the extent to which these developments affected farmers’ access to dryland crops. The study found that the low quantity of seed traded, high cost of production, and high seed supply prices constrained the development of local seed trade. It recommended developing and offering a range of varieties to farmers to increase demand, training to strengthen farmers’ capacity to manage seed onfarm, and reduction of high production and distribution costs through further research and institutional improvements. In addition, the “seed loans” model, which has been very effective in the area, should be strengthened.
Publication - Adoption of maize and wheat technologies in Eastern Africa: a synthesis of the findings of 22 case studies(CIMMYT, 2003) Doss, C.; Mwangi, W.M.; Verkuijl, H.; De Groote, H.This paper synthesizes the findings of 22 micro-level studies on technology adoption carried out by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) with national agricultural research systems in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda during 1996-1999. The authors found that technology adoption is taking place across Eastern Africa but considerable scope remains to improve the productivity of smallholder agriculture in higher potential regions with high levels of adoption. Extension was the variable most highly correlated with technology adoption, and extension services continue to play an important role in disseminating information on new varieties and how to manage them. Despite the usefulness of the micro-study results, especially for priority setting and impact assessment, future adoption studies can be improved by standardizing definitions across studies and using sampling techniques that allow results to be generalized across wider areas. Finally, the paper suggests that maize and wheat breeding research should be made more relevant to the preferences and circumstances of farmers, that the link between research and extension should be strengthened and include the private sector and non-governmental organizations, that policies should support the development and expansion of efficient markets for inputs and outputs, and that rural credit systems should be strengthened.
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