www.iita.org

LEGUMES FOR LIVELIHOOD PROJECT

IITA cowpea Seed production and delivery: Africa

A.Y. Kamara, H.A. Ajeigbe, I. Baoua, S. Boahen, D. Chikoye, O. Coulibaly, D. Dias, Z. Kouyate, V. Manyong, J. Mligo, J. Mshelia, L. Omoigui, K. Sibuga

www.iita.org

General Objectives

•  To bring about significant increases in the productivity and production of cowpea

•  To improve farmers’ income, nutrition quality, and livelihoods in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

•  To ensure that improved cowpea varieties occupy 30 percent of the total area planted by resource poor farmers in the coming 10 years

www.iita.org

Participating countries

• Mali • Mozambique • Nigeria • Niger Republic •  Tanzania

www.iita.org

Major Outputs

•  Seed sub-sector studies in the five countries

•  Facilitation of foundation seed production

•  Facilitation of certified seed production

•  Promote and strengthen seed/input marketing

•  Awareness creation to popularize improved stress-tolerant cowpea varieties

•  Capacity building to strengthen stakeholders

www.iita.org

Outcome of seed sector studies in the five countries

•  Clearly formal seed production systems as they exist are not yet providing sufficient quality seed of legume to meet the demands of farmers

•  For farmers to benefit from new technologies, the public sector needs to work in closer partnership with the private sector to improve seed systems ensuring also that small farmers are brought into the process.

www.iita.org

Seed Strategy: Support community seed production

www.iita.org

•  Increase use of superior quality seeds by smallholder farmers

•  Improve the availability of better quality seeds at affordable costs to farmers

Establishment of community-based seed schemes

Objectives

www.iita.org

Approach: Form coalition of partners in each of the 5 countries to address the cowpea seed problem

•  Research: IITA, National Agricultural Research Institutions

•  Extension: National Agricultural Extension Systems. •  Diverse NGOs (World Vision, SNV, Africare, SG2000) •  Input dealers: Particularly private seed enterprises (Seed

companies, co-operatives) •  Policy makers: Local Government Authorities, Seed

regulatory bodies (e.g Nigerian Seed Council) •  Farmers organisations •  Communication outfits:

www.iita.org

Quantity of foundation seeds produced (Mt)

Country Variety Total Seed produced (2007/2008)

Production (2008/09)

Nigeria IT03K-338-1, IT97K-499-35, IT90K-277-2, IT89KD-391, IT98K-205-8

6.3 6.5

Niger IT97K-499-38, IT98K-205-8, IT90K-372-1-2

5.0 0.77

Mali IT89KD-374, IT89KD-245, IT93K-876-30

3.66

Tanzania Tumaini, Vuli 1, Vuli 2

3.5 4.9

Mozambique IT-18, IT-16, INIA-36 3.5 6.7

www.iita.org

IT93K-876-30 (15/09/09)

CZ11-94-5C IER/IITA

www.iita.org

www.iita.org

Country Year No. Schemes Quantity seed (MT)

Nigeria 2007 84 61

2008 117 45

2009 96 -

Niger 2007 6 2.2

2008 80 6.6

2009 41 -

Mali 2008 21 0.68

2009 21 -

Mozambique 2008 58 7.5

2009 63 26

Tanzania 2009 101 2.3

Community-based seed schemes

www.iita.org

Community Seed Production

www.iita.org

Country Year No. fields certified

Nigeria 2007 41

2008 111 Niger 2008 65 Mali 2008 21 Mozambique 2008 35

Number of fields certified

www.iita.org

Enhance seed certification

www.iita.org

Country Year On-farm demonstration

Nigeria 2007 94 2008 255 2009 111

Niger Republic 2007 180 2008 49 2009 21

Mali 2008 44 2009 58

Mozambique 2008 110 2009 1065

On-farm demonstration to popularize varieties

www.iita.org

Creating awareness through on-farm demonstrations

•  In Nigeria, a total of 94 in 2007, 255 in 2008, 111 in 2009 on-farm demonstration plots were established

•  In Niger Republic, 180 in 2007, 49 in 2008, 21 in 2009 demonstration plots were established

•  In Mali, 44 on-farm demonstration plots were established in 2008, and 45 in 2009.

•  In Mozambique, a total of 110 in 2008 and 1065 in 2009 demonstration plots were established

•  In Tanzania 75 demonstration plots established

www.iita.org

Cowpea evaluation criteria (Farmers) Production   Early maturity   Good for relay cropping   High yield   Pest resistance   Striga tolerant

Utilisation   Large grain size   Colour (brown for market)   Good fodder value   High market value   Cooking time   Taste   Post harvest pest resistance

www.iita.org

Participatory evaluation - cowpeas 3=best or highest, 2=average, 1=worst or lowest Evaluation criteria 288 391 568-1

8 131-1 B Brown K Brown

Production criteria Early maturity 2.4 3.0 2.9 2.8 1.1 1.7 Good for relay cropping 3.0 3.0 1.2 1.1 3.0 3.0 High yield 2.6 2.6 2.8 2.9 2.0 2.3 Pest resistance 1.8 1.6 1.9 1.4 1.8 1.7 Striga tolerant 2.0 1.0 1.8 1.9 1.1 1.1 Utilisation criteria Large seed size 2.6 3.0 1.8 1.6 2.9 3.0 Brown colour 1.4 2.9 2.8 3.0 3.0 3.0 Good fodder value 2.4 1.3 1.3 1.6 2.6 2.6 High market value 2.6 1.7 2.1 2.1 2.9 3.0 Cooking time/taste 2.8 2.4 2.7 2.6 2.3 2.3 Total score 23.6 22.4 21.2 21.0 22.6 23.7 Rank 2 4 5 6 3 1 Number of groups evaluating 5 7 9 8 8 9

% intending to plant 64% 30% 44% 49% 45% 100%

www.iita.org

Creating awareness through field days and mid-season farmer evaluations

•  Four mid-season evaluation/field days conducted in Nigeria in 2007 and 8 in 2008

•  Two field days conducted in Niger Republic in 2007 and 1 2008

•  Eight mid-season evaluation/field days organized in Mozambique in 2008 and 10 in 2009

•  One field day in Mali in 2008, 5 in 2009.

www.iita.org

Seed marketing

•  Up to 101 tons of cowpea sold in Nigeria,

•  15 tons sold in small packs in 2 kg packs in Nigeria by Jirku Seed Co-operaitve and Seed Project Company.

•  In Mozambique, 1, 3, and 25 kg bags popular. Over 12 tons sold by Ikuru seed Co-operative

www.iita.org

•  Train extension agents in crop management techniques

•  Train extension agents in the application of participatory methods for technology evaluation

•  Train farmers in sustainable crop production methods and seed production

•  Train farmers in the safe use and handling of agrochemicals

•  Train farmers in seed processing and marketing

Objectives Capacity building

www.iita.org

Country Extension Agents Farmers

Nigeria 55 2445

Niger Republic 56 313

Mali 10 90

Mozambique 22 1500

Tanzania 9 354

Capacity Building

www.iita.org

Capacity building

www.iita.org

Capacity building

• Mr. Habou Aboubacar from INRAN, Niger Republic registered at the University of Niamey for the M.Sc. Degree in Seed Science

• Mr Guilhermo Boina from Mozambique currently registered at Bunda College of Agriculture for M. Sc. Degree in Seed Technology

www.iita.org

Capacity Building

•  About 200 cowpea production guides distributed to farmers, extension agents, and other stakeholders in Nigeria in 2007

•  A new cowpea manual prepared for West Africa with over 2000 copies distributed in Nigeria and Niger.

•  It is being translated into French for distribution to farmers in other countries

www.iita.org

Improving infrastructure

•  In Niger Republic , a seed store has been refurbished at INRAN regional head quarters in Maradi to store breeder and foundation seeds.

•  In Mali, a seed store has been refurbished in Cizana Station

•  In Mozambique, one Air Conditioner was installed in a seed store at IIAM in Nampula

Niger

Mali

www.iita.org

Support for seed testing

•  Funds disbursed to buy equipment at the University of Sokoine, Tanzania

•  Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria: Seed testers and air-conditioners purchased

www.iita.org

Creating awareness through seed dissemination

•  In Nigeria, 2341 farmers received 3409 kg in 2007, 900 received 1000 kg in 2008 and 1500 received 1500 kg in 2009 in 1kg packs

•  In Niger Republic, 300 kg of cowpea seeds were distributed to 250 farmers in 2008

•  In Mali, 2000 kg of two improved varieties were distributed to 300 farmers in 2008.

•  Cowpea seeds in 1 kg packs were distributed to 355 farmers in Mozambique in 2008

www.iita.org

50%

19%

10%

4%

4%

4%

4%

1%

Amount sold for seed

Amount consumed as food

Amount sold for food

Amount retained for own use as seed

Amount given away as food

Amount given away for seed

Total quantity remaining in store

Credit retrieval

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Seed disposals during 2008 in Nigeria

www.iita.org

Lessons learned •  To deliver cowpea varieties and production technologies

require diverse partners drawing from individual strengths

•  Capacity of partners vary from country to country and even within countries

•  It is not enough to develop and deliver seeds of cowpea. Complementary crop management practices contribute to yield improvement

•  Low adoption is not only a problem of varietal characteristics. We need to examine the pathways to adoption

www.iita.org

Challenges

•  Severe drought in the Sahelian countries •  Diseases and Alectra in ESA •  Rules and Regulations governing Foundation

Seed production in some countries limit seed production e.g. in Tanzania only the Agricultural Seed Agency (ASA) is mandated to produce Foundation Seed

•  Low capacity and slow response in some partner institutions

www.iita.org

Thank You