Presentation by Dr. Peter Njau (KARI, Kenya) at Wheat for Food Security in Africa conference, Oct 9, 2012, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

1. Wheat Research and Development in Kenya :
Current Status and Trends in Productivity
Mukisira E., Gethi M., Wanyera R. and Njau P.
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI)
E mail njaupnn@yahoo.com
09/10/012

2. Introduction
•Kenya is among the 47
countries that constitute the
sub-Saharan Africa
•About 850 million people are
undernourished, according to
the Food and Agriculture
Organization.
•Sub-Saharan Africa has the
highest proportion of
undernourished people in the
world (200 million).
•In January 2008, the World
Economic Forum predicted that
food insecurity would be among
the top potential threats to the
world economy.

3. Introduction
 Factors that contribute to food insecurity
in SSA
– low agricultural productivity
– limited rural development
– government policy disincentives
– impact of poor health on the agricultural
workforce
– rising global commodity prices
– climate change

4. Introduction
 Agricultural productivity
– During the Green Revolution food production
in Asia and Latin America increased
 No uptake in SSA
– Diverse agroecological zones
– Traditional farming systems
– Mode of cultivation

5. Introduction
 One remarkable way in which crop
productivity has increased is through
breeding
– High yields
– Fast maturing
– Semidwarf growth habits
– Disease resistance
– Adapted to the local conditions

6. WHEAT RESEARCH IN KENYA
 Wheat is 2nd most important cereal crop after maize
 Only bread wheat is cultivated, currently
 Current area- 150,000 ha/year
 20% of large scale farmers produce 80%
 80% of small scale farmers produce 20%
• Production – 350,000 MT
• Demand > 900,000 MT
• Imports > 50%

7. Wheat growing regions

8. Wheat Production, Consumption and
Import Trend
2005 2006 2007 2008
Year 2009 2010 2011
Area (Ha) 159,477 150,488 104,176 130,273 131,594 160043 165,445
Yield/ton/ha 2.3 2.3 2.5 2.6 2.4 2.5 2.5
Production 365,696 358,061 354,249 336,688 315,826 400,107.5 413,612.5
(tons)
Consumption 893,120 903,120 927,956 942,803.3 957,888. 973,214. 988,785
(tons)
Imports(tons) 621,839 545,059 573,707 606,115 642,063 573,107 575,173

9. Introduction
– Wheat produced in
three main
conditions
 High rainfall areas
like Mau Narok and
Timau
 Acid soil areas like
Uasin Gishu and
Trans Nzoia
 Low rainfall areas
like lower Narok and
Laikipia

10. Introduction
 Constraints
– Drought
– Diseases and pests
 Rusts stem rust and yellow rust
 Russian wheat aphids and BYDV
– Acid soil
– Lodging and sprouting
– Quality

11. Drought
 80% of Kenya is
Arid or semi arid
– Characterised by
 Low rainfall which
is unreliable
 Terminal drought
 Low yield of less
than 2 tons per ha
 Flash floods


12. Diseases

13. Acid soil condition and other soil related
constraints

14. Objectives
• Develop wheat varieties that are widely adapted,
high yielding tolerant/resistant to both abiotic and
biotic stresses and with acceptable end use qualities
– Three main themes
 Wheat improvement for
high rainfall environment
– Diseases
– Aphids
– Lodging and sprouting
 Acid soil conditions
– Low yield
 Low rainfall
– Drought and low yield

15. Variety Development
Commercial Name Attitude(masl) Yield potential Maturity
Pedigree t0ns/Ha Period(days)
Kenya Wren 1800-2400 8.5 120-130
THELIN # 2/TUKURU
Robin 1800-2700 8.1 110-120
BABAX/LR42//BABAX*2/3/TUKURU
Kenya Tai 1800-2100 6.5 100-110
ND643/2*WBLL1
Kenya Sunbird 1800-2100 6.5 100-110
ND643/2*WBLL1
Eagle10 1800-2100 6.5 100-110
EMB 16/CBRD//CBRD
Kenya Korongo 2100-2400 8.5 120-130
BABAX/LR42//BABAX*2/4/SNI/TRAP#1/
3/KAUZ*2/TRAP//KAUZ
Kenya Kingbird 1800-2400 6.0 90-110
TAM200/TUI/6/PVN//CAR422/ANA/5/BO
W/CROW//BUC/PVN/3/YR/4/TRAP#1
Kenya Hawk12 2100-2400 8.0 120-130
URES/JUN//KAUZ/3/BABAX/4/TILHI

16. Quality Aspects
Quality evaluation Biotechnology

17. Pests and disease

18. Small holder equipments

19. Fabrication of Zero tillage wheat
planter for small scale farmers
Zero tillage wheat planter
Wheat planted by zero tillage planter in the field planting

20. Dissemination of technologies
Through field days Training

21. Wheat seed system
Seed harvesting Wheat seed crop
Seed for new varieties being multiplied
200 tons of Robin to be distributed this year
Farmer groups growing and sharing seed of new varieties

22. Way forward
 The new approach
– APVC
 Cottage industries
 Role of livestock industries
 Natural resource management and climate
change
 Collaboration and networking-
Partnerships strengthened
 Training

24. THANK YOU