Implementing Technological and Organizational Innovations with
Small-scale Cassava and Yam Farmers to Produce Clean Seed
using Low-Cost Technologies
Outcome
Objective Social issues
• Small farmers (men and women) integrated to
To implement an efficient low-cost technology to produce biotechnology activities under rural conditions.
cassava and yam planting material at the farm level and thus • High-quality cassava and yam planting material produced
increase crop yields and reduce costs, as part of a business for use in local farming system.
plan for small farmer associations on Colombia’s northwestern • Higher crop yields and, as a result, increased profit for
coast. farmers.
• A regional business plan in place to distribute seed, using
low-cost biotechnology methods.
Participants and their roles Technical issues
• Two technical meetings held, one with representatives of
PBA Foundation (The Foundation for the small farmer associations and the other with CORPOICA
Participatory and Sustainable Development of researchers.
• Reduction of time invested and lower costs involved in
Small Farmers): Responsible for participatory research for
producing planting material.
rural innovation and for developing organizational and
• One low-cost rural laboratory established and two bioreactor
business plans.
systems implemented at CORPOICA’s laboratories.
CORPOICA (Colombian Corporation for Agricultural
and Livestock Research): Responsible for integrated crop
management systems and basic seed supply.
CG Center associated to the alliance and its role
CIAT (International Center for Tropical
Agriculture). Responsible for providing technical support
for scaling-up seed systems, using low-cost methods and
equipments, and for training small farmer associations and
CORPOICA researchers in the implementation of rural
laboratories and bioreactors system. 3
4
Figure 3. Knowledge sharing—farmers sharing their experiences
and
expertise.
1
Figure 4. Woman farmer performing tissue culture in rural
conditions.
How can the alliance be strengthened and
extended?
• By extrapolating this experience to other regions.
• By replicating the technology in other neglected crops.
• By implementing a business plan that will generate income
and make the process sustainable.
• By ensuring continuous feedback between farmers, NARS,
NGOs, and CG centers to continuously adapt and streamline
low-cost technologies.
2
Contacts:
Figure 1. Agrobiodiversity Fair, where yam and cassava clones were •PBA Foundation:
selected for inclusion in the process. Santiago Perry (E-mail:sperry@corporacionpba.org)
Figure 2. Training carried out at CIAT with farmers and CORPOICA •CORPOICA:
researchers. Andrés Laignelet (E-mail:alaignelet@cable.net.co)
• CIAT:
Joe Tohme (E-mail:j.tohme@cgiar.org)