cwmp project

1. Sustainable Weed
Management Technologies
for Cassava Systems in
Nigeria (Cassava Weed
Management Project):
Where Do We Stand?
Cassava Weed Management Project Workshop (March 14-15, 2019), IITA, Ibadan
Alfred Dixon

2. Presentation Outline
01 Cassava and weeds in Nigeria
02 Project goal and components
03 Work done between 2014 and 2018
04 Where do we stand?
05 What next?

3. Cassava and Weeds
in Nigeria
• World’s largest cassava producer
(52 million tonnes/year)
• Cultivation dominated by
smallholder farmers (4.5 million)
• Life cycle encourages perennial
weeds
• Poor/no weed control reduce
potential yields by 40–80%
• Weeding is highly labor intensive

4. (A) Cassava field overtaken by Tithonia 3
weeks after first weeding
(B) Cassava field infested by Panicum

5. To help smallholder cassava
growers achieve sustainable
increases in their
productivity and incomes
through the development and
adoption of improved weed
control methods
Project goal
Project goal and components

6. Mechanical
weeding:
Short handle hoe
Motorized weeder
Brush cutter
Long handle hoe
Herbicide
screening:
Pre –
emergence
herbicides
Post –
emergence
herbicides
Agronomic
practices:
Tillage
Cassava variety
Plant density
Fertilization
Intercrop
On-farm trials, demonstrations:
Raising awareness for weed
control
Raising awareness for safety
of sprayers
Training of trainers
Training of spray service
providers
Component 1
Component 2
Component 3 & 4
Project
Components
Component 5
Project
Management
Integration
Starting with 41
in 2014
Work done between 2014 and 2018

7. The greatest disservice is to have this
innovation and do nothing to pass it
across to farmers
Integrating good cassava agronomic practices with safe and effective
herbicides has resulted in inreased productivity and profitability
Where do we stand?

8. Scale out to reach millions in a sustainable way
• Scaling Up Triangle:
• Strong political will: buy-in of
government, local authorities
and NARES = Government
ownership
• Science and technology
• Market systems (input and
output Markets) and policy
incentives
Working with Champions, Catalysts
and other Influencers to convert
our findings into policies
What Next?

9. IITA is a member of the CGIAR System Organization.
www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Technology will go nowhere without the Market
• Well-defined and
competitive value
proposition
• Defined impact pathway
and relevant partnerships
• Market linkages
• Building strong and
Strategic partnerships

10. Digital extension and advisory services
 The Big Idea
Reaching the millions, if not billions!!

11. IITA is a member of the CGIAR organization | www.iita.org | www.cgiar.org
Acknowledgements
Abia Agricultural Development Programme
Executing Agency
Funds from
Implementing partners
Oyo State Agricultural Programme
Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme
Kolping Nigeria
Justice Peace Development Movement Oyo Diocese
Justice Peace Development Movement Abeokuta Diocese
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development, Nigeria
Benue Agricultural and Rural Development Authority
Chemical companies [Bayer CropScience,
Syngenta, FMC, Valent, BASF, SARO
AgroScience, Monsanto, DuPont, UPL]
Regulatory agencies [NAFDAC, NESREA, SON]
Steering Committee Members
Cassava Farmers

12. Thanks for your attention
Africa’s Agricultural Prosperity Depends on Our
Collective Action.