Person:
De Groote, H.

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De Groote
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De Groote, H.

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  • 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