Person: Erenstein, O.
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Erenstein
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Erenstein, O.
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- A strategic framework for adoption and impact studies in the CGIAR Research Program on Wheat (WHEAT)(CGIAR Research Program on Wheat, 2019) Krishna, V.; Karimov, A.; Yigezu, A.Y.; Erenstein, O.The CGIAR centers in collaboration with the national agricultural research systems (NARS) across the global South have developed a number of agricultural innovations that helped lower the cost of producing their major food staples and increase food security among the poor (Evenson and Gollin, 2003; Evenson, 2001). Economists and other social scientists have long sought to establish the developmental outcomes of these technological interventions in agriculture under various agro-ecological, socio-economic, demographic and institutional contexts. Documenting technology adoption and establishing the associated impacts are essentially important for agricultural research for two reasons. First, they provide a simple measure of performance of agricultural research for development (R4D) programs (Glover et al., 2016). Second, the lessons obtained from adoption-impact assessment studies can be used for subsequent improvements in agricultural R4D (Walker and Alwang, 2015; Douthwaite et al., 2003). Although a large number of studies have demonstrated that growth in agricultural productivity and reduction in rural poverty is inextricably intertwined with investments in agricultural research and extension (Pray et al., 2017; Thornton et al., 2017; Evenson and Gollin, 2003), agriculture R4D remains to be an under-invested domain in many developing countries (Raitzer and Maredia, 2012; Hurley et al., 2014). Decades of decline in the real price of food had generated a false optimism on adequacy of food production, which in turn affected the relative importance of R4D spending in agriculture. In the wheat agri-food systems, R4D interventions are proven to have significant livelihood implications and stimulated in depth stakeholder dialogue. Wheat is cultivated widely by marginal and resource-poor smallholder farmers and is a major source of calories and protein for both urban and rural consumers in the developing world (Shiferaw et al., 2013). In the recent past, wheat productivity has been growing in a sluggish pace, lagging behind the world population growth. There are a multitude of contributing factors for this phenomenon. Some of the challenges faced especially by smallholder farmers in cultivation of wheat are novel (e.g., virulent strains of wheat rust [Mottaleb et al., 2018; Hovmøller et al., 2010]), while some others (e.g., declining potassium in the soil and terminal heat [Ortiz et al., 2008; Ladha et al., 2003]) are increasing in their intensity. While there has been no slowdown in the rate of release of rust resistant, drought tolerant and more productive varieties, a large portion of wheat area in many countries is still cultivated with older improved varieties (Atlin et al., 2017; Krishna et al., 2016; Yigezu et al., 2016) and local ones. The slowdown of public and private investments in breeding research have made the situation worse putting pressure on both national and international wheat productivity improvement programs. Given that the challenges faced by the agri-food systems are dynamic, one of the major global challenges in the years to come would be transferring the relevant agricultural innovations quickly and consistently into the hands of the world’s poor farmers, such as those living in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. The CGIAR Research Program on Wheat (WHEAT) aims to “ensure that publicly funded international agricultural research helps most effectively to dramatically boost farmlevel wheat productivity, while renewing and fortifying the crop’s resistance to globally important diseases and pests, enhancing its adaptation to warmer climates, and reducing its water, fertilizer, labor and fuel requirements” (WHEAT, 2016). Through different research programs carried under WHEAT, about 17.5 million more farm households are expected to adopt improved wheat varieties and associated crop management practices by year 2022 and that wheat yields will increase on average by 1.4 percent each year. About 5.7 million people, half of which are women, would be assisted to escape poverty and to meeting the minimum daily carbohydrate requirements in the same timeline. These objectives will be achieved through germplasm improvement and sustainable intensification of wheat production systems, while ensuring significant improvements in water and nutrient use efficiency and a reduction of farming-related carbondioxide emission in the wheat farming systems during the period of program implementation. The socio-economic research component of CRP WHEAT is expected to facilitate attainment of the aforementioned goals. To this effect, past trends on technology diffusion in wheat production systems are continuously documented, which would aid priority setting and foresight. Socioeconomic research could also help create a conducive policy and institutional environment across all the nodes of wheat value chains for rapid diffusion and transfer of innovations among farm households belonging to different socioeconomic strata. Finally, comprehensive assessments on the level of adoption and impacts of the different technologies and managerial practices will be generated to provide credible evidence on how much of the planned outputs and outcomes are realized in the field. Against this backdrop, this document presents a strategy framework to facilitate assessment of diffusion and impacts of technology interventions in wheat systems. The framework will be revised every 3 years or so, by including the latest literature on adoption and impacts of technology interventions in wheat agri-food systems and by incorporating lessons learnt from implementing the strategy in the field.
Publication - A strategic framework for adoption and impact studies in the CGIAR Research Program on Maize (CRP MAIZE)(CGIAR Research Program on Maize, 2019) Krishna, V.; Feleke, S.; Marenya, P.P.; Abdoulaye, T.; Erenstein, O.Maize is one of the most important food crops in the world. In 2016, global acreage of maize was 188 million ha, of which 36% (68 million ha) were in developing and low-income countries (FAOSTAT, 2018). Together with rice and wheat, it provides at least 30% of the food calories to more than 4.5 billion people in the developing world (Shiferaw et al., 2011). The role of maize to ensure rural food security is even higher in some of the least developed countries of sub Saharan Africa. For example, over 55% of the daily calorie intake of Zambian households is derived from maize alone (Khonje et al., 2015). However, maize is not only a food crop for humans. Demand of maize has increased as feed and fodder for livestock production, driven largely by the rapid economic growth in Asia and Latin America (Hellin et al., 2015). It also has significant industrial importance as a raw material for bioethanol production, also in developing countries, alongside other crops. Meeting this increasing food-feed-energy demand is one of the major challenges of maize production sectors across the developing world, which are constrained by natural resource depletion and degradation, input scarcity, climate change, and persisting poverty among the producers. Shortfalls in maize supplies and resulting increases in the food prices have grave consequences for developing countries as food will be less affordable for millions of poor consumers (Shiferaw et al., 2011). Although the maize area expansion is unprecedented in many parts of the global South, area expansion will not be a sustainable solution to meet the market demand. Increases in cultivated area often comes with an environmental cost of land degradation and biodiversity loss. There have been many compelling success stories with respect to productivity enhancement of maize, with the increased adoption of new seeds and associated technologies. This research-for-development (R4D) interventions could possibly have significant livelihood implications for both maize farmers and consumers. The CGIAR Research Program on Maize (CRP MAIZE or simply MAIZE) is part of a concerted effort of to implement a new, results-oriented strategy in maize agri-food systems, exploiting the potential of international agricultural R4D fully to enhance global food security and environmental sustainability. Two CGIAR centers – the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) – have lead this CRP since late 2011. The shared challenge of the Program is to “double productivity and significantly increase the incomes and livelihood opportunities from more productive, resilient and sustainable maize-based farming systems on essentially the same land area – while contending with climate change and increasing costs of fertilizer, water, and labor” (CRP MAIZE, 2016). Through MAIZE-driven R4D, targeted crop productivity growth of 20% by 2020 and 50% by 2050 in 60 major maize producing countries should contribute to food/feed access and stable prices for over 900 million poor maize consumers. Sustainable intensification of maize production and stabilization of the total maize area at about 120 million hectares in developing countries is the second objective of MAIZE. The other impact targets are to (a) reduce the frequency of production shortfalls and price volatility in areas and countries where the probability of crop failure in maize-based farming systems is high, (b) diversify maize based farming systems and enhance their productivity and sustainability, dealing specifically with the systems with the highest poverty concentrations, (c) ensure that higher rates of maize yield growth are sustained in the face of climate change, worsening water scarcity, and rising fertilizer prices, and (d) increase opportunities for diverse market participation. Research programs and projects built around these objectives are expected to target two groups of farmers that occupy approximately 64% of all maize area in the Global South and are home to 1.2 billion of the poor and 126 million malnourished children.
Publication - Country Report – DT Maize Adoption Monitoring Survey- Angola. Socio-Economics Program Country report(CIMMYT, 2014) Kiakanua, M.; Chindongo, P.I.; Morais, O.; Vuvu Kua Nzambi; Kassie, G.; Lunduka, Rodney; Erenstein, O.Angola has an economy heavily dominated by crude oil export. On the other hand agriculture, which is dominated by smallholder farming, directly contributes only 6-10% of Angola’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, it is estimated that 70% of the country’s population is involved in agricultural activities. This makes the agricultural sector very important as it supports livelihood of the majority of the population. Among the many crops grown by smallholder farmers in Angola, maize is the most important agricultural commodity although production often falls below requirements due to various factors, of which erratic and below normal rains recorded across much of the country stand out as the most important factors. The adoption of drought tolerant (DT) maize varieties is one opportunity currently available for the farmers to avoid the potential threats of the erratic rains and frequent dry spell during the rain season. Under severe drought stress, drought tolerant hybrids have a 40% yield advantage compared to commercially available hybrids in farmers’ fields. These new DT varieties possess genes that can reduce yield loss during the flowering and grain-filling periods under drought conditions. They are also tolerant to low-Nitrogen helping farmers reduce the instability of maize yields. This study provides information on maize production in six provinces of Angola, including improved maize varieties grown, preferred traits by farmer households, and factors that can enhance adoption of improved DT maize varieties. The mean total farm size was about 2.4 hectares per household. Sample households in Kwanza Norte, Lunda Norte and Malange provinces own farm sizes less than the sample average and hence allocate less than 0.50 hectares of land to maize. About 32.3% of the sample households applied fertilizer on their plots for crop production. Only 14.2% of the sample households reported to have access to irrigation. Both management practices are less used in “Planalto de Malange” provinces. The maize grain yield harvested in 2011/12 agricultural season was comparable to that in 2012/13. The average grain yield harvested per household in 2011/12 and 2012/13 seasons was 405 kg and 420 kg, respectively. About 65% of households did not have enough maize from the 2011/12 harvest season. On average, each household runs short of maize for the household for two months. Adoption and use of improved maize varieties was found to be very low (13.8%) in the study areas. About 38% of the sample households reported to have been using recycled seed. The inquiry about the exposure to drought revealed that 93% of the sample households reported to have experienced drought twice or less over the last 10 years. Local maize varieties are the most commonly planted in the study areas. Hybrids maize varieties are known only by farm households of Bié, Huambo and Kwanza Sul provinces. Recycled seeds are the main source of maize varieties followed by local market purchased varieties. Only 33% of households received information on new maize varieties from various sources mainly in Bié, Huambo and Kwanza Sul. Government extension services were reported as nearly the sole information source in “Palnalto de Malange” provinces. Key factors that positively influenced adoption of new improved hybrid maize varieties included age of the head of household, literacy level of the head of household, members of household engaged in agricultural activities, total maize area planted and frequence of drought experienced . Whereas number of household members engaged in agricultural activities and drought experience have positive influence on intensity of adoption of improved maize varieties. 35% of the sample households indicated that they were aware of DT maize varieties. No farm household reported awareness of DT maize in Kwanza Norte, Lunda Norte and Malange. Farmers consider some of the varieties they are growing as drought tolerant. 5.3% of 72 farmers reported that they were first exposed to DT maize in 1963. DT maize varieties currently being grown in the study areas are Catete, Branco Redondo, Amarelo, Vermelho, ZM521 and SAM3. DT maize varieties grown in Bié province were Vermelho (14.1%), ZM521 (7.1%), SAM3 (5.9%) and Amarelo (5.2%). DT maize varieties identified in Huambo were Vermelho (12.5%), Branco Redondo (6.3%) and Amarelo (6.3%). Those identified in Kwanza Sul were Catete (25.9%), Amarelo (8.6%) and Branco Redondo (3.4%). Early maturity (43% households) was the most frequently mentioned characteristic of drought tolerant maize as perceived by farmers followed by ability to tolerate dry spells. Farm households learned about DT maize varieties mainly through self experience (57%), from fellow farmers (33%), and government extension services (32%). Lack of access to seed (92.5%, n=600) mainly in Planalto de Malange was mentioned as the key reason for not trying to grow DT maize varieties. Other reasons mentioned were high levels of fertilizer required to grow the maize and the expected low yield as perceived by farmers. Interestingly, despite this lack of awareness, all sample households were willing to try DT maize varieties. The results from a linear regression showed that as the number of exposures to drought over the last 10 years increases, households with more income were less willing to pay for OPV DT maize varieties. Farmers in Bié and Huambo provinces are less willing to pay for OPV DT maize seeds compared to Kwanza Sul. This is contrary to farmers in Kwanza Norte, Lunda Norte and Malange who solely depend on government extension services.
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