Future Thrusts
Much has been achieved in Phase I of the project. Past investments in the project have paid off rich dividends in the region; policy makers and farmers are better informed about the crop's role in sustainable agriculture, balanced diet, and poverty alleviation. Women farmers have been empowered and human resources developed. The project is now well anchored. But it is just the beginning. Much more remains to be done, in or-der to attain the project's goal. Priority areas for future research include : Participatory Evaluation The project plans to test and further refine the technologies developed during Phase I. To do this, it will use a much stronger participatory approach to on-farm research: farmers will be the protagonists in planning and executing technology evaluation. The web of partnerships that includes national programs, universities, women's groups, the private sector, and NGOs will be bigger and more close-knit. Sustainable Production Systems A major threat to food security in the region is low soil fertility. Specialized support in the area of soil fertility will be available to the project from the ICRISAT core-supported soil fertility specialist based in the region. The project will work with such existing research initiatives as the Collaboration on Agricultural/Resource Modeling and Applications in Semi-Arid Kenya (CARMASAK). Together, the contribution of pigeonpea to soil fertility will be determined, and management options developed to maximize these benefits. -------------------------------------------------------------- Variety Kenya Malawi Tanzania Uganda Sudan Mozambique -------------------------------------------------------------- Short-duration varieties KAT 60/8 * - - - Y - - ICPL 87091 * - Y Y Y Y - ICPL 87105 - Y - - - - ICPL 87109 - Y - - Y - ICPL 86005 - Y Y - Y - ICPL 90028 - - - - Y - Medium-duration varieties ICP 6927 Y - - - - - ICP 12734 Y - - - - - ICEAP 00068 Y - - - - - QP 38 - Y - - - - Royes - Y - - - - Long-duration varieties ICP 9145 ** - Y Y - - - ICEAP 00020 Y Y Y - - Y ICEAP 00040 Y Y Y - - Y ICEAP 00053 Y Y Y - - Y -------------------------------------------------------------- * Released in Kenya ** Released in Malawi Sustainable Seed Supply Systems The project scientists have gained experience in promoting pigeonpea seed multiplication through women's groups in Kenya. However, this strategy needs to be stabilized and widened. The project will help prime the seed delivery process so as to make it sustainable. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Technologies Controlling insect pests through chemical pesticides is a costly method. During Phase I, effective non-chemical control methods for bruchids were developed in Uganda. In Phase II, these technologies will be tested on-station in other countries of the region and in a participatory way, transferred to farmers. Pod hairiness and hardness were found to confer resistance against bruchid infestation in the field. In Phase II, the Uganda national program will lead the germplasm screening activity to identify genotypes with these traits. High-yielding Varieties As ICRISAT holds in trust the global collection of pigeonpea germplasm, it is uniquely placed to supply germplasm to NARS. The project will act as conduit for a large number of germplasm accessions and varieties to flow to the region. The accessions will be assembled and evaluated. High-yielding varieties with farmer-acceptable grain size and color will be selected and sent to appropriate areas for adaptation. The project will collaborate with the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) to test varieties for their suitability in agroforestry systems. Improved Marketing NARS and project scientists are interested in expanding market demand for pigeonpea in order to encourage greater production and improve returns to producers. On the demand side, the outlook for pigeonpea in markets within the region is promising. Export markets for pigeonpea are also expanding. Improvements in marketing efficiency are thus a pre-requisite to increases in farm-level productivity. Pigeonpea Production Statistics The SEA region is the second most important pigeonpea-growing area in the world after the Indian Subcontinent, and the potential for increasing both production and productivity is high. Yet accurate statistics are lacking. The project will support efforts to improve the compilation of statistics on the crop's area, yield, and production as well as on trade, prices, and consumption in at least four target countries.
National Research Capacity A primary objective of the project is to develop human resources. In the region, the number of trained personnel is still low. In Phase II, training efforts will be mounted in the field of participatory on-farm technology verification and transfer through specialized non-degree courses and the appointment of Visiting Scientists. Technology Adoption and Impact Assessment Gender-sensitive assessment of both potential (ex ante) and actual (ex post) impact are important for focusing national research efforts and encouraging rapid dissemination of technology. NARS staff will be trained to monitor and analyze adoption patterns and constraints. Collaborative research grants will fund special studies to diagnose adoption constraints. |
||||
 |
