Dr Rajeev K Varshney updated on the key points on ropical Legumes Projects ; Development and release of farmer-preferred varieties in the target crop x geography, Strengthening of the legume breeding capacity of the partner CGIAR and NARS partners, Program Improvement Plan (PIP) based on the results of the Breeding Program Assessment Tool (BPAT). The establishment of sustainable seed delivery systems that service the needs of small-holders.

1. Tropical Legumes Projects
(2007- 2020)
Principal Investigators: Rajeev Varshney (2013- 2020)
CLL Gowda (2007- 2013)
Project Coordinators: Chris Ojiewo (2017- 2020)
Emmanuel Monyo (2012- 2016)
Tsedeke Abate (2007- 2012)

2. Project duration and budget
Implemented in III Phases
2007-2011
$ 20.6 M
2012-2014
$21.4 M
2015-2020
$24.6
With total investment of US
Implemented by three CGIAR Centers
together with
National Agricultural Research Systems Partners
ICRISAT salary support in TLIII
Region Staff budget (M)
ESA region 11 2.617
WCA region 5 0.559
Asia region 17 0.894
4.070 per annum

3. Project scope
 Development and release of farmer-preferred varieties in the target crop
x geography
 Strengthening of the legume breeding capacity of the partner CGIAR and
NARS partners
 Program Improvement Plan (PIP) based on the results of the Breeding Program
Assessment Tool (BPAT)
 The establishment of sustainable seed delivery systems that service the
needs of small-holders

4. Project scale

5. 101 varieties 28 varieties 111 varieties 31 varieties
GROUNDNUT CHICKPEA COMMON BEAN COWPEA
Earliness; P-Use
efficiency
Resistance to
fungal diseases
(Ascochyta blight,
fusarium wilt)
Drought
Heat tolerance (Temperatures
above 30 during day ; 20C at night
result in yield losses)
Bruchids,
Pod borers,
Aphids
Market preferences
Pest/diseases
Fast
cooking
Palatability
Quality: high
oleic, oil
content
Fodder
(haulm)
quality
Early and
late leaf
spot
disease
Climate
resilience
Resistance to
parasitic
weeds (striga,
alectra)
23 varieties 10 varieties
PIGEON PEA SOY BEAN
1. Develop & release farmer-preferred improved legume varieties
traits Tropical Legumes project worked on

6. Learn & apply new breeding tools/
approaches for greater Genetic Gain
Thanks to marker-assisted breeding Tools
(MAS, MARS, MABC, MAGIC populations)
Rapid
Generation
Turnover
Agree on ‘’must-have’’
& ‘’nice-to-have’’ traits
across agroecologies
Weigh in demand &
feasibility for resistance
to biotic/abiotic
stresses, nutrition,
market preferences,…
Know what to breed for to improve genetic
gains and adoption
Efficient data
management
The missing seed market:
Integrate women seed preferences in product profiling
Identify key areas and develop
improvement plans for CGIAR
& NARS crop improvement
programs
More lines to
screen per $
Higher selection intensity
Reduced length of breeding cycle L
ΔG=ihσA/L
i: selection intensity; L length
breeding cycle; h: heritability
2. Strengthen legume breeding capacity for faster, cost-effective
delivery of well-targeted products

7. Next Generation scientists trained
52
10 42

8. 154 Multi stakeholder platforms eg PABRA
From lab to field, seed players agree on seed roadmap to
accelerate seed delivery to smallholder farmers
Address adoption & scaling barriers
Support diverse farmer-centered seed systems Create seed demand, raise variety awareness
1,872 seed producers engaged
168 private seed companies, 125 public seed
companies, 3732 individual seed entrepreneurs, 2578
farmer organizations; 38 NGOs
Stakeholder engagement along seed value chain
Affordable seed certification to stimulate SME seed
business & more variety releases
Quality Declared Seed (QDS) in Tanzania; Truthfully
labelled seeds (TLS) in India
Bundle of other services to make seed different to
grain and add value eg seed coating, crop
insurance; Tanzania: Apron star coating increase
bean yield +20-50%
Test innovative seed marketing for greater
access & stimulate demand like small seed
packs
Field days/
seedfairs
Demo sites
TV/radio
programmes about
new varieties
1,749 10,549 869
Ensure seed systems are gender-sensitive so that women benefit from
legume improved seeds & new market opportunities
TL III promoted innovative ways
to address gender inequality in
legume value chains (e.g.
access to improved seeds,
support women seed
entrepreneurs…)
In Ethiopia, ACOS seed company
offer childcare for their women
workers. Improve well-being and
productivity of chickpea and bean
value chains.
1,553
fPVS
Build sustainable & inclusive seed systems

9. Key Achievements
304
Improved
varieties
4.4 M ha
Area
planted
397,050t
Certified
seeds
4.9 M t
Grain
Produced
22 M
farmers
reached
U$2.6 B
Value
of grain

10. IMPACT
ASSESSMENT
: Productivity
Growth with
Adoption of
Chickpea
Varieties
Promoted in
Ethiopia
under TLII &
TLIII (2007-
2017)
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
1999/00
2000/01
2001/02
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
2010/11
2011/12
2012/13
2013/14
2014/15
2015/16
2016/17
Yield (t/ha) Area (ha) Production (t)
Source: CSA (2007-2017)
Chickpeaareaandproduction(‘000)
Chickpeaproductivity(t/ha)
TLII/TLIII Intervention Period

11. Nigeria study on 1,476 farmers in Bauchi, Jigawa,
Katsina, Kano and Kebbi states revealed:
 An overall adoption rate of 44% (60% for female an 42% for
male)
 For farmers exposed to improved varieties the adoption rate
was 57% (71% for female and 56% for male)
 Significant yield increase of 222.44 kg/ha (391 kg/ha for female
and 200.5 kg/ha for male)
 Significant income increase of $135/ha ($168/ha for female and
$93/ha for male)
Groundnut Improved Varieties Adoption and
Impact in Nigeria

12. Tropical Legumes data ‘cubification’
Key highlights in 2020
• PowerBI allows us to
display many types of
data in complementary
ways including maps,
charts, and tables
• Displays are linked so
that applying a single
filter updates the entire
dashboard

13. We have successfully matched the groundnut
fingerprinting data with more than 700
households from the Tanzanian socioeconomic
survey data.
All fingerprinting information is now available in
the Cube and can be explored alongside the
other measures for these households.
Matched: DNA fingerprinting
and survey data
Key highlights in 2020

21.  35+ Bulletins
 120+ Articles
 6+ Books/Extension guides
 4 Book chapters
 24+ Conf./Proceedings/
Abstracts etc.
Full info available on Hub

23. Accelerated Varietal
Improvement and
Seed Delivery of
Legumes and
Cereals in Africa
(AVISA)

24. Thank You