IFPRI Policy Seminar "African Agricultural Research and Development Progress, Challenges, Opportunities"

COMMENTARY
EUGENE R. TERRY
SENIOR TECHNICAL ADVISER, TRANSFARM AFRICA
APRIL 7 2011
AFRICAN AGRICULTURAL R&D –PROGRESS FOR SOME CHALLENGES FOR MANY

HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY FOR EXISTING AND IMMINENT CHALLENGES IN AFRICAN AR4D
SOME OVERARCHING MESSAGES
TO MEET REALITIES OF EMERGING CHALLENGES - REQUIRED - A TRANSFORMED AR4D ARCHITECTURE
FOR RESEARCH OUTPUTS TO BE TRANSLATED TODEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES FOR IMPACT – REQUIRED – MECHANISMS AND PATHWAYS
BUT -
EVEN THE BEST RESEARCH IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO REDUCE POVERTY
FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND LIVELIHOODS PROMOTION – REQUIRED - INTEGRATION OF SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION AND MULTI-STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
FOR EVERY SCIENTIST WORKING DIRECTLY ON DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS - REQUIRED A FURTHER EIGHT (8) SKILLED PROFESSIONALSTO SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION
Refs -TAR4D GCARD 2010 (Lele, Pretty, Terry, Trigo); Food Policy Report 2011 ASTI Beintema, Stads; 100 Top questions for global agriculture, Pretty et al 2010 (Terry co-author); Capacity Dev. And Investment in Ag. R&D in Africa, Blackie et al 2010

IMPACT OF STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS IN AR4D CAPACITY – LOSERS AND WINNERS
AN IMPACT REALITY CHECK :
THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF HUMAN RESOURCE CAPACITY FOR TIMELY AND APPROPRIATE RESPONSES TO CAADP FRAMEWORK OPPPORTUNITIES
THE - CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES IN THE CAADP FRAMEWORK CYCLE
COUNTRY COMPACTS – TWENTY THREE (23) COUNTRIES
COUNTRY NATIONAL AGRICULTURE SECTOR INVESTMENT PLANS (AT LEAST TEN (10) BY JUNE 2010)
REGIONAL AGRICULTURE SECTOR INVESTMENT PLANS (ECOWAS/COMESA)

AN EXAMPLE OF AN OPPORTUNITY (ALMOST) LOST - TANZANIA
THE EXAMPLE - A BUSINESS PROPOSITION
INTRODUCTION OF HIGH QUALITY SEED OF IMPROVED POTATOES FOR COMMERCIALIZATION IN KENYA AND TANZANIA - FOR SMALLHOLDER LIVELIHOOD AND POVERTY REDUCTION
CROP GROWN BY APP. 125,000 SMALLHOLDERS IN TANZANIA
CURRENT YIELDS 3-5T/HA
USE OF QUALITY SEED OF IMPROVED VARIETIES WILL PRODUCE INCREASED YIELDS – 15-25T/HA
SIGNIFICANT POTENTIALS AND DIFFICULT OBSTACLES
CURRENTLY NO KNOWN COMMERCIAL SEED POTATO PRODUCERS IN TANZANIA
NO POTATO PLANT BREEDING PROGRAM/PLANT BREEDER AND STAFF DEDICATED TO POTATO IMPROVEMENT FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS

THE OPPORTUNITY FULLY EXPOLITED IN KENYA
IN KENYA BY CONTRAST
THERE IS A VIABLE NATIONAL COMMERCIAL POTATO PRODUCTION PROGRAM
THERE IS A COMMERCIAL SEED PRODUCTION INDUSTRY - MINITUBERS IN AEROPONIC PRODUCTION UNITS - GTIL
THERE EXISTS TECHNICAL HUMAN RESOURCES FOR VARIETAL TESTING, CERTIFICATION AND RELEASE –KARI/KEPHIS
KENYA WAS THEREFORE AN ATTRACTIVE AND A LOGICAL LOCATION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL POTATO CENTER (CIP) PROGRAM FOR EAST AFRICA - GURANTEED ACCESS TO QUALITY SEED OF CIP IMPROVED VARIETIES IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
CIP HAS BEEN UNABLE TO ESTABLISH A SIMILAR PROGRAM IN TANZANIA

BECAUSE BARRIERS EXIST INTANZANIA WHICH REQUIRE SPECIFIC AR4D CAPACITY TO REMOVE - NO SUCH BARRIERS IN KENYA
BARRIERS
IMPORTATION – PHYTOSANITARY CLEARANCE
ACCESS TO MINITUBERS – AEROPONICALLY GROWN (FROM KENYA)
VARIETY RELEASE PROCEDURES
ON-FARM TRIALS
DISTINCTIVENESS/UNIFORMITY/STABILITY TRIALS
PERFORMANCE TRIALS
SEED CERTIFICATION
COMPILATION OF TRIAL RESULTS DOSSIER
APPROVAL BY COMMITTEES
FINANCIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM PUBLIC SECTOR RESOURCES
ABSENT THE TRANSFARM AFRICA (TFA) PROJECT - DESIGNED PARTLY TO REMOVE BARRIERS TO SEED TRADE IN EAST AFRICA – THE OPPORTUNITY WILL BE LOST

MINITUBERS FROM AEROPONICS - SOURCE – USAID “3G” PROJECT -2ND YEAR ANNUAL REPORT - 2010

AEROPONICS FOR POTATO MINITUBERS - SOURCE – USAID “3G” PROJECT – 2ND YEAR ANNUAL REPORT -2010

IFPRI Policy Seminar "African Agricultural Research and Development Progress, Challenges, Opportunities"

by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) on Apr 12, 2011

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IFPRI Policy Seminar "African Agricultural Research and Development Progress, Challenges, Opportunities" Presentation Transcript