DTMA highlights for 2012/13

Abstract

Launched in 2007, the Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa (DTMA) project aims to mitigate drought and other constraints to maize production in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It targets to increase yields by 20 to 30%, benefiting 30-40 million people in 13 countries of SSA – Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (in southern Africa); Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda (eastern Africa); and Benin, Ghana, Mali and Nigeria (West Africa). Together, these countries account for nearly 75% of all area planted to maize in SSA. The project brings together men and women farmers, research institutions, extension specialists, seed producers, farmer community organizations, and non-government organizations. It is jointly implemented by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in close collaboration with national agricultural research systems (NARS) in participating nations. Each sub-region conducts its own annual review and planning meetings according to its objective conditions. The overall annual review and planning meeting for the project is held towards the end of September each year. Highlights presented in this publication are the result of the annual review and planning meeting held on 22-26 September 2013. The reports are presented in two broad categories. The first part deals with the overview of work carried out between October 2012 and September 2013 and jointly prepared by CIMMYT/IITA scientists. Progress in variety development and socioeconomics work is presented separately for each sub-region whereas reports for seed production and delivery are presented in one report for eastern and southern Africa and another for West Africa. Cross-cutting topics, including the overall project highlights, maize lethal necrosis, gender, and communication are also presented in the first category of reports. The second category of reports are prepared by the NARS scientists and presented for each country. Each report here summarizes the major activities carried out across the three objectives – breeding, seed production and delivery, and socioeconomics – for the reporting period.