Issue 19

Newsletter of the Sasakawa Africa Association

Inside

Africa’s agricultural education challenge

page 4

Agribusiness skills trainingin Ghanapage 12

Transforming rice production in Africa

page 13

Labour-saving technologiesin Malawipage 14

Feeding the Future

July 2003

continued on page 2

continued on page 2

President Carter joins Dr Norman Borlaug as a

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Dr Borlaug was recognised in1970 for his work to bring anagricultural Green Revolution tomillions of poor farmers,especially in food-deficient Asia. In bestowing a diploma and gold

medal on President Carter,Norwegian Nobel CommitteeChairman Gunnar Berge calledhim one of the most deservinglaureates. “He was the politicianwho during his presidencyattempted to bring about a morepeaceful world,” Berge said. “Hewas, and continues to be, the

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the2002 Nobel Peace Prize to former US President

Jimmy Carter for “his decades of untiring effort tofind peaceful solutions to international conflicts, toadvance democracy and human rights, and topromote economic and social development.”

World Peacemaker:President Carter Awarded 2002 Nobel Peace Prize

mediator who seeks peacefulsolutions to internationalconflicts. He has shown, and stillshows, an outstandingcommitment to democracy andhuman rights. His humanitarianand social activities have been,and are still, far-reaching.”

Berge continued, “As if

The year 2002 brought severe drought to Ethiopia – acountry known for its cyclical droughts, which are oftenfollowed by famine. The government, headed by PrimeMinister Meles Zenawi, is recognised for itscommitment towards poverty reduction and foodsecurity. In 1995, two years after SG 2000 Ethiopia waslaunched, the government financed the nationalextension intensification programme (NEIP).

Water harvesting:Fighting drought in Ethiopia

Small-scale surface irrigation using shallow aquifers, riversand streams.

Of Ethiopia’s 69.1 million inhabitants, 85 percent are subsistencefarmers. SG 2000 was introduced to the country to demonstrate tosmallholder farmers and government officials how improvedtechnologies could greatly enhance food production in relatively

high moisture areas. Followingthe success of SG 2000’sdemonstration plots in1993/94, the governmentinitiated NEIP, which continuesin the central, western andsouthwestern highlands whererainfall is more reliable.“Millions of farmers are stillparticipating in the programme,”reports SG 2000 Project Co-ordinator Takele Gebre.

“However, farmers living in thedrier northern and easternareas are still subject torecurrent droughts and foodshortages, which have forcedthe country to rely increasinglyon food aid.” The failure of therains in 2002 led to anextremely serious droughtsimilar to that experienced inthe mid-70s and mid-80s.Thanks to the timely appeal bythe government to theinternational community andthe prompt worldwideresponse, the drought did notlead to serious famine.

It did, however, force theEthiopian government toembark on another campaignaimed at minimising the effectsof drought in drier areas. This

Regional District No. of No. of WaterState schemes participating source

farmers

Oromia Lume 3 3 Runoff

Ada’a 3 3 Runoff

Adama 5 5 Runoff

Mieso 3 3 Runoff

Arsi Negele 7 7 River

Siraro 3 3 Runoff

Amhara Minjarna Shenkora 3 3 Runoff

SNNPR* Alaba 3 3 Runoff

Total 8 30 30

* Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region2

mediation, human rights, anddisarmament were not enough,The Carter Center has, incooperation with otherorganisations, headed a number ofimportant health campaigns. Sofar the best results have beenachieved in the fight againstguinea worm infection. Today thenumber of cases has been reducedby over 95 percent. Havingovercome smallpox, the world isnow on the verge of exterminatinganother major epidemic disease.”

During his 20-minute Nobellecture, President Carteremphasised the responsibility of

World Peacemaker: continued

Water harvesting: continued

powerful nations to preserve peaceand alleviate suffering. “Most ofThe Carter Center’s work is inremote villages in the poorestnations of Africa, and there I havewitnessed the capacity of destitutepeople to persevere underheartbreaking conditions,” he said.“I have come to admire theirjudgment and wisdom, theircourage and faith, and theirawesome accomplishments whengiven a chance to use their innateabilities. But tragically, in theindustrialised world there is aterrible absence of understandingor concern about those who areenduring lives of despair and

A concrete dome has a capacity of up to 66,000 litres.

Runoff is stored in watertanks on the farm.

programme is directed atharvesting rainwater runoff,developing springs and sinkingshallow wells in order tointroduce supplementaryirrigation. Over 150,000rainwater harvesting ponds andunderground pits, which will bedug by farmers, are planned for2003. Several ponds andunderground runoff collectionpits have already been dug withthe technical assistance ofextension workers.

SG 2000 is currentlyparticipating in the programmeby assisting some 30 farmers inestablishing small waterharvesting and improvedirrigation plots, to effectivelyutilise water harvested fromrunoff. The schemes are beingestablished at strategic locationswhere farmers, extensionofficers and policy decisionmakers can visit them in order totransfer the improved

technologies to other parts of thecountry.

The SG 2000 project will involvea number of models. “Withcurrent practices, water isharvested from runoff and rivers,”explains Gebre. “In this project,water will also be harvested fromshallow ground wells.” Once thewater supply is sufficient for theintroduction of supplementaryirrigation, participating farmerswill be given credit facilities(repayable in the short andmedium term) to introduce dripirrigation techniques.

SG 2000 also plans to introducesupplementary irrigation usingwater from shallow undergroundwells. Two approaches areenvisaged. One will involvesinking wells, where rechargeableunderground water is available,and introducing drip irrigationtechnologies at household farmlevel. The other will involveschemes for use at the communitylevel.

SG 2000 is collaborating withprivate ground water explorationand development enterpriseGEOMATRIX, which is intro-ducing the use of rechargeableshallow ground water fordomestic, livestock and possiblysupplementary irrigation. Solarpumps will be used to lift thewater to reservoirs.

In executing this programme, SG 2000 is also collaborating

with the Ministry of RuralDevelopment, the Department ofExtension of the Ministry ofAgriculture, the Ministry of WaterResources, the EthiopianAgriculture Research Organisation(EARO), and the InternationalLivestock Research Institute(ILRI).

SG 2000 water harvestingactivities are underway inOromia, Amhara and Southernregions (see table). Thedemonstration sites are locatedin a total of eight woredas(administrative districts) andclose to US$ 40,000 will beinvested to establish these pilotdemonstrations.

hopelessness.”

A farmer himself, it is no surprisethat President Carter activelypromotes agriculture and foodsecurity, stating: “Agricultureplays an important role ininternational cooperation anddevelopment in Africa and aroundthe world. We must keepagriculture moving because itprovides a livelihood for themajority of people, enhancingpeace and prosperity.”

During the past 17 years, millionsof farmers associated with SAAand The Carter Center have shownthat it is possible to double and

triple yields in staple food cropswith improved technology. “It isimperative for nationalgovernments, international foreignassistance agencies, and theprivate sector to continue toincrease their attention andfinancial support to transformthese crop demonstrations intopermanent improvements in theagricultural landscape,” PresidentCarter says. “The globalcommunity must believe thatpeople can improve their liveswhen provided with the necessaryskills, knowledge, and access toresources.”

3

Editorial

OECD should establishsubsidy compensation fund

The effects of OECD membercountry subsidies on

developing countries’ economiesare positive and negative. They are positive in that they allowcountries to import foodcommodities at relatively lowprices, which benefits consumers –and especially poor consumers –since this helps to keep food costsdown. They are negative in thatthey hurt developing countryfarmers by undercutting prices ofdomestically produced crops, thus holding back the development of commercialmarkets and the adoption ofproductivity-enhancingtechnology. They also create tradebarriers that keep developingcountry agricultural exports out ofsubsidising nations.

Since OECD country subsidiescause economic damage todeveloping country agriculture,some level of compensation canbe justified. While one can hopefor significant progress in“leveling the playing field” duringthe WTO Doha round, it isunlikely that OECD countries that

heavily subsidise their farmerswill substantially change in theshort term.

Until such reductions occur, wepropose the establishment of anOECD Agricultural SubsidyCompensation Fund (ASCF). If, for example, OECD membergovernments were to payproportionally a 5 percentsurcharge on their nationalagricultural subsidies into theCompensation Fund, some US$ 18 billion would be generatedannually at current rates ofsubsidisation – roughly equal to 18 days of OECD farm subsidies.

How might these funds bedistributed? One possibility wouldbe according to a formula basedon the number and proportion ofhungry people in the world, andthe ability of different regions tomeet the UN MillenniumDevelopment Goal (MDG) ofreducing hunger by one half by2015. Thus, ASCF financialtransfers might be allocated asfollows:

• 40 percent, or US$ 7.2 billion

to Sub-Saharan Africa;

• 40 percent, or US$ 7.2 billionto Asia;

• 20 percent, or US$ 2.6 billionto Latin America & theCaribbean.

As OECD country subsidiesdecline, so would the contributionsto the compensation fund. ASCFpayments to recipient countrieswould be proportional to levels ofhunger and poverty and shouldalso be tied to meeting MDGmilestones for hunger and povertyreduction.

How might ASCF be used inAfrica? The following applicationsmight be considered:

• two billion dollars annually(two days of OECD subsidies)to support local school lunchprogrammes for 50 millionprimary school-aged children;

• one billion dollars annually(one day of OECD subsidies)for food aid programmes tosupport 25 million HIV/AIDSwidows and orphans;

• two billion dollars annually forcommunity-based infrastructureprogrammes (feeder roads,potable water, school and clinicconstruction);

• one billion dollars annually forpublic goods research andextension activities;

• one billion dollars annually tosupport emergency food reliefin disaster situations.

Such a range of ASCF-supported

About Sasakawa Global 2000Agricultural projects of Sasakawa Global 2000 are operated as jointventures of two organisations – Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA)and the Global 2000 programme of The Carter Center in Atlanta.SAA, whose president is Dr Norman E Borlaug, serves as the leadmanagement organisation for the SG 2000 projects in Africa. Workingthrough The Carter Center’s Global 2000 programme, former USPresident Jimmy Carter and his advisers provide policy advice tonational political leaders in support of programme objectives. Fundingfor SG 2000 projects comes from the Nippon Foundation of Japanwhose chairperson is Ayako Sono and president is Yohei Sasakawa.

The wealthy OECD countries collectively subsidise their farmers US$ 360 billiona year. These subsidies take various forms – from direct cash support payments

to farmers, to payments to take land out of production, to minimum guaranteedcommodity prices, to export subsidies. OECD countries differ considerably insubsidy policies, with countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada andArgentina providing very little in the way of subsidy support, to countries such asSwitzerland, Japan, the EU and USA providing substantial subsidies.

activities could greatly help to:

1) stimulate commercial demandfor domestically producedfoods;

2) accelerate adoption oftechnological innovations;

3) contribute to poverty reductionand economic growth throughinfrastructure; and

4) provide important social netsfor the most nutritionallyvulnerable segments of thepopulation.

ASCF interventions would havelittle negative impact on farmersin OECD countries, since most ofthe intended beneficiaries indeveloping countries are too poorto purchase imported food anyway.More likely, the long-term impactcould be simultaneously beneficialto OECD economies and farmers,and to low-income farmers andconsumers in Africa and otherdeveloping regions.

Dr Norman E Borlaug,SAA President

The effects of OECD country

subsidieson developing

countries’ economies are positive

and negative.

4

Africa’s agricultural education challenge

Building African capacity inagricultural education

involves a mixture of formal andinformal activities to increasetechnical competence andleadership. But what specificqualities are needed in today’sagricultural extension worker?

Daniel Sherrard, Dean ofAcademic Affairs at EarthUniversity in Costa Rica, arguesthat agricultural educationprogrammes should produceyoung leaders who:

• possess a strong socialconsciousness and are committedto rural communities,conservation of the naturalenvironment and biodiversity;

• possess strong entrepreneurialskills and are capable ofidentifying new opportunities;

• have solid grounding in thescientific and technical principlesand underlying practices, as wellas the practical experience thatwill enable them to developholistic solutions to the problemsthey will encounter in theircareers;

• are life-long learners capable oftaking advantage of relevant newinformation and technologies asthey are being generated;

• possess strong leadership,interpersonal and team-buildingskills;

• are able to integrate acrossdisciplines and skills and to dealwith collective issues;

• are critical thinkers able tomanage complexity, conflict andunpredictability;

• are creative and responsive todeveloping themselves;

• are team players able to facilitatelearning in groups andcommunities;

• are co-designers rather thansimply disseminators ofinnovations;

• possess an ability for matchingthe technical and socialdimensions of innovations.

“Current agricultural educationprogrammes in Africa are far fromproducing graduates of thiscaliber,” says Moses Zinnah,SAFE West Africa Co-ordinator.Some of the most difficultchallenges facing agriculturaleducation programmes today are:

• agricultural education that isgenerally aimed at producingbiological scientists with verylittle appreciation for humanrelations skills;

• policy makers and donors whotend to view agriculturaleducation, extension andresearch as separate entities, thusleading to waste of resources andless attention on education;

• diminishing financial supportfrom both national governmentsand donors;

• inadequate collaboration betweeneducation and agricultureministries leading to unclearpolicies on agriculturaleducation;

• weak connections with the othercritical components of theagricultural education system –universities, colleges, vocationalschools and farmer trainingnetworks;

• lack of regular assessment of thecritical human resource needs ofthe agriculture sector;

• lack of participation by stake-holders, leading to a myopicvision of how institutions shouldbe, rather than responding to theneeds of society;

• graduates of agricultural traininginstitutions no longer beingautomatically employed bygovernment agencies, anddissatisfaction from privatesector employers who aredemanding that graduates shouldpossess computer literacy,entrepreneurial and humanrelations skills. They are also nothappy with the focus onspecialisation, rather than themultidisciplinary approach moresuited to a rapidly changingworld;

• a failure to attract the beststudents from secondary schoolsto pursue agriculture as a firstchoice;

• a lack of democracy within thetraining institutions themselves –especially the absence of clearpolicies and procedures forpromotion (tenure) and otherrewards for lecturers.

Future direction“These many challenges are notnew either to developed ordeveloping countries,” commentsJeff Mutimba, SAFE East AfricaCo-ordinator. However, thesituation can be improved to makefuture agricultural educationprogrammes more responsive tothe needs of society if thefollowing suggestions could betaken into consideration:

• there must be sustained politicalcommitment and financialsupport from nationalgovernments and the donorcommunity;

• the training institutions musthave committed leadership with aclear vision regarding the needsof society, both at the presenttime and in the future;

• formal linkages must be forgedbetween training institutions andother agencies and organisationsin the wider community whichthey were created to serve;

• periodic strategic planningshould be carried out inconsultation with stakeholders inorder to restructure curricula

Enhanced agricultural education (both formal andinformal) is critical to achieving sustained food

security and poverty reduction in Africa. “An educatedagricultural base has been fundamental to economicand social progress throughout history,” says DeolaNaibakelao, Director of the Sasakawa Africa Fund forExtension Education (SAFE).

Photos:Tony Freeth/Images First Ltd

Dorothy Effa was one of the firstgeneration of students on theSAFE BSc course for mid-careerextension workers at theUniversity of Cape Coast inGhana. Her SupervisedEnterprise Project (SEP) – thepractical backbone of the course– involved women processors of‘dawadawa’, an important foodadditive made from increasinglyrare locust beans. By showing howsoya beans can be substituted forlocust beans, she has provided alifeline to the failing localeconomy.

5

Africa’s agricultural education challenge

based on a thoroughunderstanding of present andfuture social needs;

• the practical, experientiallearning component of theeducation programmes should be expanded;

• agricultural educationprogrammes at the various levelsof the education system –primary, secondary, intermediateand higher – should besynchronised;

• an adequate number of qualifiedand experienced teaching staffshould be recruited, motivatedand retained to nurture thetraining programmes;

• the training approach shouldshift from teaching towardslearning – it should be learner-centered;

• the training, at least at thecertificate, diploma andundergraduate levels, should befocused on generalist orientationand problem-solving rather than

narrow specialisation, in order toprovide a solid foundation for amore flexible career for thegraduates;

• the training should promotegender diversity, with particularattention to training femaleleaders to address the uniqueproblems of women farmers andentrepreneurs;

• students should be exposed to therelationships between health and

agricultural productivity – thatpoor health leads to pooragriculture (i.e. the threats ofinfectious diseases such asHIV/AIDS);

• administrators should documentand share successful innovativecase studies of agriculturaleducation initiatives with others;

• partnerships between andamongst agricultural traininginstitutions and other agenciesand organisations should bestrengthened in order to offerresponsive agricultural educationprogrammes.

An innovative case study“Restructuring agriculturaleducation institutions in Africawill not be easy,” admits DeolaNaibakelao, “but the good news isthat there are already a number ofcase studies of innovative andsuccessful models, which canprovide useful guidelines.” SAFEis one of these, and is aimed at,among other things:

• creating training opportunities formid-career agricultural extensionstaff in Africa, both male andfemale, with certificates anddiplomas in agriculture andrelated fields, many of whom arealready working in the field toimprove upon their technical andhuman relations skills;

• reforming agricultural extensioncurricula in selected Africanagricultural universities andcolleges to make it moreexperiential and learner-centred;

• assisting participating traininginstitutions to acquire relevantinstructional materials;

• fostering networking among theparticipating institutions with the aim of building strong pan-African academicpartnerships;

• training agricultural extensionleaders for extensionorganisations in sub-SaharanAfrica;

• bringing about institutionalreform within Africanagricultural universities and

colleges, not only in terms of thedevelopment of curricula, butalso the reform of the institutionsthemselves.

The SAFE initiative hasdemonstrated that employers canand should influence the design ofcurricula at colleges anduniversities; universities respondto well articulated demands fromthe larger society – contrary to the‘ivory tower’ phenomenon thatusually characterises institutionsof higher learning; and fieldexperience can enrich thecurricula and teaching-learningprocesses.

SAFE-type programmes have beendeveloped at Alemaya Universityin Ethiopia; the University ofCape Coast and KwadasoAgricultural College in Ghana;Sokoine University of Agriculturein Tanzania; Makerere Universityin Uganda; Ahmadu BelloUniversity in Nigeria and theRural Polytechnic University forTraining and Applied Research inMali. Many agriculturaluniversities and colleges in otherparts of Africa, including theUniversity of Abomey-Calavi inBenin and the PolytechnicUniversity of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso,are planning to launch similarSAFE programmes in the nearfuture (see page 10).

Final thoughtsAgricultural education in Africa inthe 21st century must encompassmuch more than just theproduction of agriculturalcommodities. As KamyarEnshayan aptly noted in his articleon “Rethinking AgriculturalEducation” which appeared in theAmerican Journal of AlternativeAgriculture (volume 7, number 4,1992), “… agriculture involvespeople, cultural traditions,stewardship ethics, communities,stories and memories; it shouldweave these together.”

Building Africancapacity inagricultural

education involves a mixture of formal

and informalactivities to

build technicalcompetence and

leadership.

Isaac Akpabi was working at the Ministry of Food &Agriculture’s Information Support Unit in Ghana. He joinedthe BSc course UCC to improve his information skills.For his SEP, he producedcommunication materials topersuade farmers to buildimproved storage facilities formaize – ‘the improved narrowcrib’. This was in response to anational priority for improvingcrop storage facilities so thatfarmers would not fall victimto seasonal changes in foodprices and availability.

Speaking at the seminar, Dr Shuichi Asanuma, Head of

Research Planning at the JapanInternational Research Centre forAgricultural Sciences (JIRCAS),and a member of the Ugandaevaluation team, said that hebelieved technology diffusion was“only successful when farmersstarted practising new technologyfor themselves.” Giveawayprojects destroy motivation.

6

SG 2000 external evaluation exercise continues

Dr Tetsuo Matsumoto (left) and Mr Osamu Koyama (right)receive a warm welcome from a village elder in Burkina Faso.

technology – should be moreforcibly emphasised.

Mr Osamu Koyama, Director ofthe Development ResearchDivision at JIRCAS, who was partof the Francophone evaluationteam, along with Dr PierreAntoine, Regional Representativefor West Africa of WinrockInternational, also gave his views.

He said he was impressed with anumber of the aspects of the SG 2000 programme despite theproblems of the harsh Sahelianenvironment in Burkina Faso andMali, and rapid soil degradation inGuinea.

“Technology demonstration hasbeen successfully carried out oncrops such as maize, sorghum,millet and rice, including the newAfrica x Asian rice varieties(called NERICAs, or New Ricesfor Africa) developed by the WestAfrican Rice DevelopmentAuthority (WARDA),” he stated.In all three Francophone countries,SG 2000 no longer provides largeamounts of credit and farmershave to pay cash for inputs. Heapplauded innovative interventionssuch as the Caisses ruraled’epargne et de prêt (CREPs). Butwhile diversification of theprogramme was necessary, “itshould not try to satisfy all partiesconcerned – or the process willnever end.”

ICCAE field visits to eightcountries were undertaken during2001/02, with the analysis andreport-writing period continuinginto 2003. The final report of thiscomprehensive external evaluationof SG 2000 field programmes isexpected later in the year.

The first public presentation of results of theexternal evaluation of SG 2000 country projects by

the International Cooperation Centre for AgriculturalEducation (ICCAE) of Nagoya University, Japan, werepresented at a seminar at Tsukuba in March. Theseminar was attended by agricultural scientists,university lecturers, representatives of the JapanInternational Cooperation Agency (JICA), and otherdevelopment agencies.

“In Uganda, SG 2000 is trying toestablish an environment whereself-reliance can be stimulated –by developing input supplysystems within the community,encouraging farmers to formassociations, and empoweringwomen through their ownorganisations.”

Dr Asanuma was impressed withthe level of enthusiasm amongfarmers, but posed the question,

“can farmers who graduate from the programme remain self-reliant?” He mentioned thecatalytic role played by SG 2000in Uganda, working with many ofthe stakeholders – donor agencies,national institutes, the privatesector, and NGOs – to helpformulate policies towards thealleviation of poverty. Thus SG 2000 had contributedpositively and substantially to the Ugandan government’s Planfor the Modernisation ofAgriculture (PMA).

“The PMA was clearly inspired bythe SG 2000 method oftechnology diffusion,” he said,“and I highly commend thiscontribution.” He wondered,however, if the main characteristicof the programme – todemonstrate agricultural

Rice harvesting at a multiplication site in Bareng, Guinea

Country Date External evaluators Internal facilitators

Dr Matsumoto, ICCAE; Dr Donald Plucknett,Principal Scientist,Agricultural Research andDevelopment International; Dr HiroyukiTakeya, Graduate School of BioagriculturalSciences, Nagoya University

Dr Marco Quiñones,SAA Regional Directorfor Africa; Dr ErnestSprague, Senior Advisorfor Food Security,TheCarter Center

Ghana 2-14 Sept 2001

Dr Matsumoto; Dr Plucknett;Dr Kunio Takase,Advisor, InternationalDevelopment Centre of Japan (IDCJ)

Dr Quiñones;Dr Sprague; Michio Ito,Administrative Officer,SAA

Michio Ito

Malawi 24 Feb-9 Mar 2002

10-22 Mar 2002

Dr Matsumoto; Dr Plucknett;Dr Shuichi Asanuma, Head of ResearchPlanning Section, JIRCAS

Uganda

Mozambique

26 May -6 June 2002

Dr Matsumoto; Dr Plucknett;Dr Bashiru Mohamed Koroma, Researcher,United Nations Centre for RegionalDevelopment (UNCRD)

Nigeria 11-22 Aug 2002

Dr Matsumoto; Dr Pierre Antoine,WinrockInternational; Osamu Koyama, JIRCAS

Burkina Faso 14-17 Oct 2002

Mali 15-31 Oct 2002

Guinea 1-9 Nov 2002

Ethiopia 23 Aug-4 Sept 2002

7

NEPAD: putting the spotlight on agriculture

African ministers of agriculture, representatives ofthe World Bank, bilateral development agencies,

international research centres and agribusinesscompanies attended a workshop in Johannesburg lastNovember jointly sponsored by the Sasakawa AfricaAssociation (SAA) and the New Partnership forAfrica’s Development (NEPAD). The workshop wasfunded by the Nippon Foundation and organised byNEPAD and the Geneva-based Centre for AppliedStudies in International Negotiations (CASIN). Dr Norman Borlaug and Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu,Chairman of NEPAD’s steering committee, co-chairedthis high-level policy forum entitled, “From Subsistenceto Sustainable Agriculture”.

“In essence, the workshop wasorganised to put the spotlightfirmly on agriculture,” commentedProfessor Nkuhlu. “It is the primeengine for Africa’s economicgrowth, but investment inagriculture has been falling. Itneeds to be back at the top ofAfrica’s policy agenda.”

The workshop focused on fourinterrelated themes:

• enhancing agricultural research,extension, technologydissemination and application;

• land management, soil fertilityand small-scale water resourcedevelopment;

• transforming subsistenceagricultural systems tosustainable commercial ones;

• food security strategies,including strategies to deal withHIV/AIDS in agriculture.

“We felt that the workshop and the

agricultural subsidies inindustrialised countries whichhave a destabilising impact onAfrican food production”.

The NEPAD vision for agricultureis that the African continentshould, by 2015:

• attain food security in terms ofavailability and affordability andensure that the poor have accessto adequate food and nutrition ;

• improve the productivity ofagriculture to attain an averageannual growth rate of sixpercent, with particular attentionto small scale farmers, especiallyfocusing on women;

• create dynamic agriculturalmarkets between nations andregions;

• integrate farmers into the marketeconomy with Africa to becomea net exporter of agriculturalproducts;

• achieve a more equitabledistribution of wealth;

• be a strategic player inagricultural science andtechnology development;

• practice environmentally soundproduction methods and have aculture of sustainablemanagement of the naturalresource base.

experts who took part helped toprovide NEPAD with a betterunderstanding of the challengesthat needed to be addressed in itsown Comprehensive AfricanAgricultural DevelopmentProgramme,” said NormanBorlaug. “NEPAD intends todevelop an agricultural system thatpromotes best practices that havebeen known to work in Africa andin similar situations elsewhere. Wewill give every possible support.”

The importance of agriculture inAfrica has been emphasised in thepreparatory stages of the thirdTokyo International Conference onAfrican Development (TICAD),which takes place in lateSeptember. SAA’s Dr MarcoQuiñones and Toshiro Madoattended a two day TICAD IIIPreparatory Meeting at theEconomic Commission for Africa(ECA) in Addis Ababa in March.

The meeting was chaired byTetsure Yano, Senior Vice-Ministerin Japan’s Ministry of ForeignAffairs, and Ambassador ShirisukeHoriuchi, and opened byEthiopia’s Minister of Finance,Sufian Ahmed. Over a hundredrepresentatives from NEPADmember countries, United Nationsorganisations, multilateraldevelopment agencies and non-governmental organisationswere present.

One of the objectives of TICADIII will be to place TICAD withinthe framework of recent initiativesemerging from Africa and the G8 Summit, particularly NEPAD.Items on the TICAD agendainclude the increase in agriculturalproductivity and incomes, foodsecurity and response to crisis.

“It was clear from the Addismeeting that Japan will spare noeffort to promote Africa’sdevelopment and is giving fullsupport to NEPAD,” said MarcoQuiñones. “Former US PresidentJimmy Carter will be delivering amajor paper on agriculture inAfrica to African leaders in Tokyoin the build up to TICAD.”

On a visit to London in May tocelebrate Africa Day, ProfessorWiseman Nkuhlu said, “While wesee encouraging signs such as thestrengthening of Africa’s ability toproduce food, as well as theemergence of new seed varietiessuch as the new rice varieties(NERICAs) in West Africa,African leaders must continue tocampaign strongly against

From left to right: Dr Wiseman Nkuhlu, Nicéphore D Soglo andDr Norman Borlaug

Ahmed Falaki, SG 2000 Nigeria (left) and Dr José Antonio Valencia, SG 2000 Malawi/Nigeria (right)

8

SAFE

In the last decade, more than1,000 students have participated

in BSc and Diploma courses.SAFE has opened up careeropportunities for these graduates,improved their communicationsand analytical skills, enhanced thestatus of the extension professionand increased farmer participation.

Alemaya University,EthiopiaGraduates of the mid-careerprogramme at Alemaya held theirfirst alumni congress in December2002. The congress highlightedboth the positive and negativeexperiences encountered byalumni since graduation.

“SAFE graduates felt they couldbetter exploit their new skills ifthe programme was betterunderstood in the regionalgovernment structure, wheremisplacement of graduates stilloccurs,” says SAFE director,Deola Naibakelao. Graduatesurged Alemaya to continue topromote the goals of theprogramme until all levels ofgovernment are familiar with it,and also to offer an MSc inAgricultural Extension to furtherenhance career progression.

Sokoine University,TanzaniaThe second intake of students onthe mid-career programme atSokoine graduated in November2002. The 36 graduates includedfive women.

Makerere University,UgandaFifteen students from the thirdintake group of the mid-careerprogramme at Makerere graduatedin January, including four femalestudents. One female studentgraduated with first class honours(one of only 49 out of 2,502undergraduate degrees awarded atthis graduation) and ten studentspassed with upper-second classhonours.

pledged his full support for theprogramme, but reports that, “oneof our challenges for the future isto increase the intake of femalestudents.”

Institute for Training andApplied Research, MaliThe new SAFE programme, whichbegan at the Institute for Trainingand Applied Research (IPR) inKatibougou, Mali, in the lastquarter of 2002, continues to makesteady progress. The first 15students have commenced theirsecond semester and areprogressing well. Due to a lack ofadequately qualified andexperienced agricultural extension

The third group of mid-career extensionists graduates fromMakerere University, Uganda.

The Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education(SAFE), operating in close collaboration with

Winrock International and agricultural universities andcolleges in six African countries, continues to expandand strengthen. Plans are under way to introduce newprogrammes in Benin and Burkina Faso.

UCC, Ghana

Alemaya University, Ethiopia

Makerere University, Uganda

Sokoine University,Tanzania

KAC, Ghana

IPR, Mali

Ahmadu BelloUniversity, Nigeria

Sub total

BSc

MSc

PhD

Sub total

TOTAL

Mid-career BScand Diploma Courses Graduated Current Total

Scholarships Graduated Current Total

SAFE statistics as of March 2003

177

103

32

50

63

-

-

425

57

89

88

140

78

15

50

517

234

192

120

190

141

15

50

942

16

45

3

64

489

7

10

-

17

534

23

55

3

81

1023

professionals at IPR, a specialisthas been hired to implement andnurture the new programme in itsfirst two years. Like ABU inNigeria, IPR also needs toencourage enrollment of morefemale students.

Upcoming SAFEprogrammesDiscussions are ongoing betweenSAFE and the University ofAbomey-Calavi in Benin and thePolytechnic University of Bobo-Dioulasso in Burkina Faso forlaunching new agriculturalextension training programmes inthe near future.

“The programme continues tomove forward,” reports JeffMutimba, SAFE East Africa Co-ordinator. Thirty-nine newstudents were admitted in Octoberfor the sixth intake, with 20receiving governmentscholarships. “The Government ofUganda’s continued support isvital for the sustainability of theprogramme,” stresses Mutimba.

Kwadaso AgriculturalCollege, GhanaIn March, the second batch ofstudents graduated from theUniversity of Cape Coast affiliatedDiploma programme at KwadasoAgricultural College (KAC) inKumasi, Ghana. A quarter of the35 students, including one woman,graduated with first class honours.Plans are currently under way toupgrade KAC and the other threecertificate-granting agriculturalcolleges in Ghana to diploma-granting institutions.

University of Cape Coast,GhanaThe SAFE BSc AgriculturalExtension programme at theUniversity of Cape Coast (UCC)celebrated the graduation of itseighth class in March 2003. Twoof the 23 students graduated withfirst class honours. “SAFE supportto UCC has been greatly reducedover the past two years,” reportsMoses Zinnah, SAFE West AfricaCo-ordinator, “because localstakeholders are making steadyprogress toward ensuringprogramme sustainability based ondomestic resources.”

Ahmadu Bello University,NigeriaThe new SAFE BSc AgriculturalExtension programme at AhmaduBello University (ABU) in Nigeriahas admitted 50 mid-careeragricultural extension students,including one woman, in its firstyear. ABU Vice-ChancellorProfessor Abdullahi Mahadi, has

9

Agroprocessing programme

“Mr Grater”in BeninCassava is a staple food crop inWest Africa and is processed intoseveral different types of food.The most popular processed foodmade from cassava is “gari”,which is easy to prepare and canbe preserved for several months.However, processing cassava –particularly the grating stage – istime consuming and labourintensive. “Despite this,” saysMado, “processing remains animportant means of incomegeneration for many ruralwomen.” A simple, locallymanufactured, mechanical gratingmachine not only saves on timeand labour, but can also improvethe quality of the gari produced.

Eugene Boni from Boron villagein Benin was faced with realhardship when he was maderedundant. His father had seen an

IITA-designed grating machineduring a Ministry of RuralDevelopment/SAA fielddemonstration, and advisedEugene to use his terminationallowance to buy one, togetherwith a motorbike. Eugene nowprovides a mobile grating serviceto rural women in and around hisvillage. The service has been wellreceived in both his village and inneighbouring communities. Hisbusiness is doing well and has alsoraised his social status in thevillage.

“Mr Thresher”in EthiopiaTeff is a staple food crop inEthiopia, covering approximatelytwo million ha of cultivated land.Farmers use four to five oxen tothresh teff, which takesapproximately five hours per 100 kg. An IITA designed

Ayele Hirpho explains the benefits of using a thresher tomembers of his local community.

It has now been a decade since SAA teamed up withthe International Institute of Tropical Agriculture(IITA) to bring improved agroprocessing equipmentand practices to small-scale farmers as new ruralbusiness opportunities. Toshiro Mado, SAAagroprocessing programme leader, gives two examplesof how this improved equipment can be used to set upbusiness concerns providing services to the localfarming community.

resource management and plans touse his new skills to bringimproved technologies to hisneighbours. In effect, Ayele hasbecome an extension worker andis known in his village as “Mr Thresher’’.

“Both these cases demonstratehow agroprocessing can providegood rural business opportunitiesand why promotion of agro-basedindustry is one of the majoragricultural development policiesin Africa,” says Mado. “However,policies tend to put too muchemphasis on large-scale industry,and not enough on the potential ofsmall-scale rural agroprocessingenterprises and job creation.Eugene and Ayere have provedthat small-scale agroprocessingservices are a valid option forrural development.”

Agroprocessing equipment sales in Benin, Ghana and Ethiopia

Type of Benin Ghana Ethiopia Totalequipment 1995-2002 1995-2002 2002

Grater 189 323 512

Double screw press 152 353 505

Fermentation rack 36 254 294

Bagging stand 22 258 280

Sifter 37 264 301

Chipper 3 34 37

Thresher 58 13 26 97

Digester 5 51 56

Wet-grinder 42 7 1 50

Rice mill 1 2 3

Flour mill 0 0 1 1

Total 545 2 28 575

Manufacturers Networkin Benin wins awardThe eighth International Art and Craft Show – an exhibition whichpromotes and rewards high quality craftsmanship – was held inOuagadougou, Burkina Faso, from 25 October to 3 November 2002.COBEMAG, a member of the manufacturers network in Benin, wasawarded first prize in the Creative Craft-workers Pavilion for itsexhibit of agroprocessing products, including wet-type grinders andshea nut crashers, which are used for processing shea butter.

multi-crop thresher can threshapproximately 200 kg of teff inone hour, as well as several othercrops, including maize, sorghum,wheat, rice, haricot beans andsoybean.

Ayele Hirpho, a 28-year-oldfarmer with a 1 ha farm inShashemene, in SouthernEthiopia, uses a donkey-cart totransport his thresher to hisneighbours. During peak season,he works six full days a week tomeet the demand of his customers.In the last threshing season (fourmonths) he operated a thresher for770 hours and raised Birr 17,710(approximately US$2,050). Ayelesays, “I can’t be sick, since manypeople are depending on myservice.’’

Ayele recently attended avoluntary training course on water

10

“We can report good results withProduction Test Plots (PTPs) inmillet, sorghum, maize, soybeans,groundnuts and the green manuregrain legume, Mucuna,” commentscountry director Marcel Galiba,“and all targets were met.” Maizeaccounts for the largest use ofchemical fertiliser and otherinputs, although farmers are nowrequired to purchase PTP inputswith cash. Galiba also reports thatthe QPM variety, Ma Songo, “wasagain the most widely plantedmaize variety among farmers.” SG 2000 produced 22.3 t ofcertified seed in 2002 in village-based, small-scaleirrigation schemes.

Galiba reports that the contractualarrangements introduced in theCentre Ouest region two years agobetween maize producers andagroprocessors are proving to bebeneficial to both parties.Commercial millet and sorghum

grain – using IKMP1 and IKMP5millet varieties, and the sorghumvariety Framida – were grown foragroprocessors by farmers undercontract, involving five villagesand 121 producers. In Februarythis year, 36.6 t of millet and 4.6 tof sorghum grain were dulydelivered to agroprocessors who,impressed with the quality, paid apremium price.

“It seems that these commercialpurchases will continue,” saysGaliba. “The agroprocessors were

happy to have produce of a highstandard, without stones or dirt, asis often the case in the openmarket where cereals are sold inbulk and up to 15 percent can becontaminated. Consumers werehappy, too.”

The SG 2000 programme inBurkina Faso was reviewedtowards the end of March at ameeting led by the GeneralSecretary of the Ministry ofAgriculture. The main programmepriorities were discussed and asignificant change of emphasisagreed upon. The meeting alsodrew on the external reviewcarried out by the InternationalCooperation Centre forAgricultural Education (ICCAE)at Nagoya University, Japan,commissioned by the SAA boardof directors (see page 6).

Past activities had embraced soilfertility restoration andimprovement; agriculturalintensification through PTPs andProduction Plots; collective actionthrough savings and loansschemes or the Caisses ruraled’epargne et de prêt (CREPs), thevillage-based microfinanceassociations (there are currently14 in Burkina Faso).

Starting from the 2003 rainyseason, a new strategy for SG 2000 will be launched. Thiswill involve the furtherencouragement of farmers topurchase inputs on a cash basis,while strengthening fertiliser

dealer networks and the CREPmovement. Seed production willconcentrate on QPM and the New Rices for Africa (NERICAs)from the West African RiceDevelopment Association(WARDA). National plantbreeding institutions will beclosely linked to the developmentof breeder and foundation seed.The national maize programmewill test a new QPM yellow-grainvariety, Espoir, that should bereleased soon.

As a sign of its commitment tofood security, the Ministry ofAgriculture, Water and Fisheries,led by Minister Salif Diallo, isincreasingly involving politicalleaders as agents for change.Thirty members of parliamentfrom all parties recently visited theCascades region to meet producersand learn more about thecontribution of small-scaleirrigation to the production ofmaize and vegetables during theoff-season. Each parliamentarianwas subsequently provided with10 ha of land to promote off-season activities in their homeareas.

“Burkina possesses nearly 500,000 ha of low-lying landsuitable for small-scale irrigation,”says Galiba. Following last year’spilot phase, 10,000 ha are comingunder small-scale irrigation, and50,000 t of grain are expected tobe produced – greater than thenational food security reserve.

Despite the late start to the rains in 2002, theseasonal average of 807 mm in the eight regions

where SG 2000 is active compared favourably with811 mm in 2001, judged to be a good year. Cerealproduction in 2002 reached 3.12 million t, with recordmaize production at 610,000 t. Cotton production wasalso a record. The country’s only deficits were in wheatand rice production, with net imports declining.

A delegation of MPs visits the Cascades region to learn aboutthe benefits of small-scale irrigation.

Burkina Faso

country profilesSG 2000

PTP results, 2002Crops No. of No. of Yield (kg/ha) Yield

Villages observations PTPs Check plots increase %

Maize 98 215 2,980 1,767 69

Millet 18 14 905 627 44

Sorghum 18 33 1,678 778 116

Rice 10 36 2,989 1,756 70

Cowpea 48 180 884 621 42

11

Ethiopia

“The shortage of food productionhas been felt across the country,”says SG 2000 Project Co-ordinator,Takele Gebre, “but mostsignificantly in the drought-proneeastern parts of the country. Hereproduction was down by over 80percent. All agricultural sectorssuffered – livestock, cash cropssuch as coffee, and employment inagriculture generally.”

However, Gebre notes that duringthis year’s short rainy season,which is responsible for tenpercent of national food grainproduction, “most of the countryreceived normal, or near normal,rainfall.”

Averting the food crisis and tryingto reduce poverty are priorities forthe Ethiopian government, led byPrime Minister Meles Zenawi.Over the last few years, hundredsof thousands of smallholderfarmers have been provided withimproved agricultural technologyin high potential areas of thecountry – and US$ 12 million hasbeen allocated for the purchase offertilisers in 2002.

The government is takingmeasures to avert future shocks intraditionally drought-prone areas.These include voluntaryresettlement programmes, withsome 30,000 households beingmoved to less-degraded arableland, and the establishment ofsmall-scale irrigation projects.Around 150,000 ponds will be dugbefore the advent of the rains aspart of runoff water harvestingschemes. More assistance will begiven to households and thecommunity in general in morevulnerable areas.

During the 2002 crop season, SG 2000 sponsored a total of 821on-farm demonstrations in 25districts – nearly half involvingconservation tillage. For the firsttime in Ethiopia, 82 farmers –mainly in East Wolega – plantedQPM for family consumption.The Ethiopian Health andNutrition Research Institute(EHNRI) is conducting nutritionstudies with these familiesinvolving children of one and two years of age.

SG 2000 continues to providesupport for government extensionand research programmes.Strategic interventions include thepromotion of improved cropvarieties, such as rice and soybean,simple farm implements,postharvest activities and fertiliser studies.

In response to the drought crisis,SG 2000 is working with thegovernment to develop anddemonstrate a number of water-harvesting technologies toserve as models for extensionworkers and farmers. Theseinclude small-scale drip irrigationprojects capable of irrigating up to500 m2 per household, as well ascredit facilities for participatingfarmers. Some 30 pilotdemonstrations will be sponsoredby SG 2000 during the currentyear (see pages 1 and 2).

SG 2000 is working incollaboration with the nationalresearch and extension services aswell as international organisations,such as the International LivestockResearch Institute (ILRI). Theseorganisations have assignedprofessionals to serve on anadvisory and technical committeein support of pilot demonstrations.

Last year’s failure of the main season (meher) rainsresulted in a decline of 25 percent in grain

production compared with the previous year – and a 21 percent decline on the previous five-year average.

Nearly half of all on-farm demonstrations in 2002 involvedconservation tillage.

A farmer in Arsinegelereceives horticulturalseedlings from SG 2000.

Maize yield comparison (averages), 2001/02 cropping season

Oromiya Jimma Kersa 6.5-7.8 7.2 5.5

SNNPR† Hadiya Badewatcho 6.0-8.0 7.0 5.5

Sidama Awasa 5.5-7.3 6.8 5.5

Region Zone District EMTP* SG 2000 National Extensionyield range EMTP Intervention

(t/ha) (t/ha) Plot (t/ha)

“We hope that this programmewill contribute to capacitybuilding and serve as a databaseof knowledge and skills in water-harvesting and small-scaleirrigation development,”comments Gebre.

SG 2000 is also becominginvolved in popularising cassava –grown by farmers in south andsouthwestern Ethiopia as a “poorman’s crop”.

“We believe that it should be givengreater attention by research andextension in Ethiopia,” says Gebre.“It has the potential of playing asignificant role in povertyreduction and the attainment offood security.”

SG 2000 recently sent a delegationof agricultural professionals toUganda to study Uganda’sexperience with cassava and isdeveloping a programme insupport of cassava research andextension in Ethiopia.

* Extension Management Training Plot

† Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Region

12

Ghana

Despite the availability ofimproved varieties and

planting materials for virtually allof the major Ghanaian food crops,the quantities of the certified seedsproduced have also declined inrecent years, and only coverrelatively small proportions of therespective areas cultivated. In2002, national certified seedstocks were sufficient to plant34,685 ha of maize, 17,950 ha of rice, 2,720 ha of soybean, 4,444 ha of cowpea and 525 ha of groundnut.

Agribusiness skill developmenttrainingSG 2000’s major programme focusin 2002 was agribusiness skilldevelopment training for farmers.“The objective of this,” explainsSG 2000 Project Co-ordinator,Benedicta Appiah Asante, “was tostrengthen farmers’ groups,particularly the former Farmers’Production Plot (FPP) groups, intoself-sustaining business orientatedFarmer Based Organisations(FBOs).” This ties in with a major

component of the government’sAgricultural Services SectorInvestment Programme(AgSSIP)–the Development ofFarmer-Based Organisations(Component 4).

Agribusiness skill developmenttraining was offered to farmers inthree modules: EntrepreneurialAwareness (Module 1),Management (Module 2) andAssociation Development orGroup Dynamics (Module 3). In2002, a total of 245 farmers fromAshanti and Central regions,belonging to 19 farmers’ groups,took all three modules. Topicsincluded income and expenditure,accounts, pricing of commodities,customer relations and conflictmanagement. Farmers and theircollaborating field extension staffhave become skilful in these areasand it is hoped that this willproduce an improvement infarmers’ investments and netincomes in the long-term.

Field programmeachievement In 2002, nearly six thousandExtension Test Plots (ETPs) wereplanted, with the involvement of479 farmers’ groups. Over 5,000of the ETPs planted used “No-Till” technology. By commodity,maize was the most importantdemonstration crop (79%),followed by vegetables (10%), rice (5%), groundnut (4%), andcassava (2%). There were also 52FPP groups, comprising 712 farmfamilies, cropping between 0.8 haand 2 ha of mainly quality proteinmaize (QPM). In Ashanti andCentral regions, SG 2000collaborated with Monsanto and anumber of community basedorganisations to plant 140Verification Demonstration Plots(VDPs) in 11 districts (see table).

Other programmeachievements SG 2000 organised a study tour toBenin for 18 farmers and fiveextension co-ordinators to studymicrofinance initiatives as an

Maize was the most important demonstration crop,by commodity, in 2002.

Nip

pon

Foun

datio

n

President John Agyekum Kuffour, accompanied by ministers ofstate, visits the SG 2000 stand at the Annual Farmers’ Day.

ETP yields of major crops (t/ha), 2002

Number of plots 4.7 324 223

Average yield (kg/ha) 4.0 3.7 2.5

Yield range (t/ha) 2.3-5.3 2.8-3.8 1.8-2.3

National yield (t/ha) 1.45 1.6 1.0

Maize Rice Groundnut

alternative source of financing toformal banking institutions.

SG 2000 also participated in theAnnual Farmers’ Day celebration.Visitors to the SG 2000 exhibitionstand included the President andthe Minister of Food andAgriculture.

Activities for 2003 The SG 2000 Ghana programme isscheduled to come to a conclusionat the end of 2003, after 17 yearsof operation, although selectedactivities will continue to besupported through regional SAAand SG 2000 initiatives. During2003, SG 2000 plans to continueits agribusiness skill developmentby offering follow-up training to19 groups trained in 2002 and tooffer training to 15 additionalgroups. The programme will alsofocus on post-harvest technologytransfer and agroprocessing micro-enterprise development.

The agriculture sector in Ghana grew at four percentin 2001, about double the rate of 2000. Low use of

improved production inputs, such as fertilisers andimproved seeds, is still negatively affecting farmers’yields. Fertiliser use in Ghana is lower today than it was20 years ago, despite a 60 percent increase in totalpopulation. Food production is increased through areaexpansions. Average yields of all major staple cropshave been declining for the past five years.

13

Guinea

Field activities in 2002involved over 5,000 farmers’plots.

It has been three years since scientists from the WestAfrican Rice Development Association (WARDA)assured President Lansana Conté that Guinea’sexperience in rain fed rice production could be takenas a model for other African countries. Now Guineahas taken a leading role in the promotion of NERICAs(the new rice for Africa developed by WARDA frominter-specific crosses between African and Asianspecies). “In fact, the year 2002 could be described asthe year of NERICA in Guinea,” says country directorTareke Berhe. “It has become a key part of the SG 2000/Government of Guinea programme.”

The NERICAs have the capacity to transform rice productionin Africa.

Part of a 50 ha QPM field in Dittin, Mamou region

Field activities, 2002

Upland rice 1,902 956 2.2

Lowland rice 1,308 602 3.3

QPM 1,495 622 3.0

Cowpeas 244 93 0.8

Soybeans 195 97 1.0

Total 5,144 2,370

Crop No of plots Area (ha) Average Yield (t/ha)

Last year, through theprogramme, 8 mt of NERICA

seed was distributed to farmersthrough the Service National dePromotion Rural et Vulgarisation(SNPRV). Some 125 mt offertiliser were distributed tofarmers who already had their ownseed. Around 2,000 NERICAdemonstration and seedproduction plots were establishedon 1,000 ha under supervision.SG 2000 also facilitated the exportof 1.7 mt of NERICA seed toGambia, Sierra Leone andEthiopia. As a sign of its regionalcommitment, Guinea’s DeputyMinister of Agriculture, M. ElieFasou Damey, led a high leveldelegation to the launch of theAfrican Rice Initiative, held inCôte d’Ivoire.

“The early-maturing characteristicsof NERICAs enable farmers togrow a second crop of rice orlegumes,” says Tareke Berhe. “It has the capacity to transformrice production in Africa.”

There has been considerableJapanese interest in thedevelopment of NERICAs. A joint

SAA/Japan InternationalCooperation Agency (JICA)mission visited demonstrationplots and farmers’ productionfields in Guinea last August. Laterin the year, Dr Berhe gave apresentation on NERICAs tointernational development staff atJICA headquarters in Tokyo and atthe Embassy of Japan in AddisAbaba. The Japanese ambassadorin Conakry held a NERICA foodtasting at his residence – an eventwhich was replicated by UNDP inTokyo. Considerable internationalawareness of the potential ofNERICAs has been createdthrough media activities organisedby UNDP in New York andConakry.

Other SG 2000/SNPRV activitieshave included field demonstrationswith the yellow-seeded QPM,CMS-475 (selected from linesintroduced from Brazil in 1998),as well as improved varieties ofcowpeas and soybeans from theInternational Institute of TropicalAgriculture (IITA). Completedfield activities in 2002 involvedover 5,000 farmers’ plots (see

table). Five narrow cribs for postharvest storage were constructedand 40 women trained in QPM,Mucuna and soybean processing.

Soil fertility and restoration aremajor problems in Guinea and anintegral part of the SG 2000/Government of Guineaprogramme. One importantagricultural area – the FoutaDjallon in middle Guinea – isbadly affected due to high levelsof acidity, aluminium toxicity andphosphorous deficiencies,although the improved NERICAshave been grown successfully inthis area.

SG 2000 is therefore working withcombinations of legumes –Mucuna and soybeans – rockphosphate from Mali and Senegal,and chemical fertilisers, with theresults reported at an InternationalFertiliser Development Centre(IFDC) soil fertility workshop,held in Lomé, Togo.

Tareke Berhe sees capacitybuilding as an essential part ofPhase Two of the programme inGuinea. “We are aiming to transferownership of our programme to

Guineans,” he says, “but we knowthat this will only happen throughtraining and technical support,allied to a strengthening of thenecessary agriculturalinstitutions.” Close co-operationhas therefore been developed withextension research in four of thecountry’s research centres, withthree schools of agriculture, andwith the University of Faranah,Guinea’s leading agriculturaluniversity.

14

Malawi

SG 2000/ADDs have established over 6,000 maize MTPs in 2002/03.

In 2001/02 there was acutedrought in some parts of the

country. The lack of accessible andaffordable inputs for farmers andprice uncertainty were also majorconstraints. Even with animprovement this year, Malawiwill not achieve self-sufficiency inmaize production, with the deficitestimated to be around 135,000 t.Given the right incentives, theaverage national yield could quiteeasily be in the 2.5 to 3.0 t/harange.

Valencia bases his estimates onresults achieved in four years ofdemonstrating and disseminating

maize production technologies inMalawi. The SG 2000 programmeis run in partnership with theregional Agricultural DevelopmentDivisions (ADDs) of the Ministryof Agriculture and Irrigation andthe National Research Institute forAgriculture (NRIA). The averagemaize yield of the SG 2000/ADDsdemonstration programme,operated across the country, isaround 5 t/ha.

Low grain yields remain a majorproblem in Malawi, much to thefrustration of the farmers, whobelieve that had they been able toreceive adequate inputs before the2001 food crisis, they would nothave needed free food from theinternational community – and thedistortions that this produces inthe local market.

Farmers are enthusiastic about theimpact of conservation technologygiven the labour-saving benefitsand improvements in soil fertility.Some 166 conservation tillageplots have been established in the2002/03 season. “Hoes are nolonger required for landpreparation and weeding,” saysValencia. “Farmers even want to

start planting maize in the winterseason using conservation tillagetechnology.”

In 2002/03, a total of 6,381Management Training Plots(MTPs) were established in sixADDs across the country – over5,000 MTPs with conventionalmaize, and nearly 1,000 with thenutritionally superior QualityProtein Maize (QPM). Rice andsoybean are also beingdemonstrated (see Table 1).

Malawi imported 46,199 t of urea(46-0-0) and 39,773 t of

Malawi should increase the production of maize –its staple food – in the 2002/03 season by more

than 500,000 t. Yields will rebound from 1 to 1.2 t/haon roughly 1.5 million ha. “After last year’s difficultclimatic conditions, this is good news,” says countrydirector José Antonio Valencia, “although Malawi isstill far from achieving its potential.”

Table 2. MTP average maize yieldscompared to farmers’ traditional practices

Type of Average grain yield MTP 1998/99 2001/02

kg/ha kg/ha

Blantyre Conventional 4,600 5,311

Conservation Tillage - 6,098

Machinga Conventional 4,600 4,790

Conservation Tillage - 4,718

Lilongwe Conventional 4,750 5,660

Conservation Tillage - 4,623

Salima Conventional - 4,204

Conservation Tillage - 3,944

Kasungu Conventional - 4,947

Conservation Tillage - 4,040

Mzuzu Conventional 5,267 5,648

Conservation Tillage - 4,967

National Average 1,712 1,002

Farmers are enthusiastic about the labour-saving benefits ofconservation technology.

compound fertiliser (23-21-0-45of NPK and S), mainly for maizeproduction in the current season.

“The national agricultural researchsystem has recommended thatMalawi follows the leadestablished by the SG 2000/ADDsprogramme,” says Valencia.“When hybrid seed and fertiliserbecome affordable and accessibleto farmers, their aspirations, andthose of the country, will be meton considerably less land area,thus freeing up land for othercrops.”

Table 1.Number of MTPs,2002/03 season

Type of No. ofdemonstration MTPs

Conventional maize 5,127

Conservation tillage 166

QPM 952

Conventional rice 61

Conventional soybean 75

Total 6,323

15

Mali

Mali’s First Lady (centre) samples dishes prepared from QPMon Women’s Day.

“Seed availability, however,continues to be a majorbottleneck,” says country directorMarcel Galiba, “and something weneeded to tackle moreaggressively.”

In 1998, SG 2000 linked up withthe national research institute(Institut d’Economie Rurale) toproduce good quality foundationseed, and with the national seedsservice (Service SemencierNational) and private seed growersto produce commercial certifiedseed. In 2002, 110 t ofDenbanyuman seed wereproduced. Introduced only lastyear, a yellow QPM – Mali’s firstyellow maize – is also showingpromise. Some 7.4 t of seed areavailable for testing at 30 sites, incollaboration with the maizenational research programme.

“These are substantial advances,”says Galiba. “SG 2000 has beenable to bring together elevengroups – from researchers tofarmers’ organisations – topromote QPM.”

QPM was given a nationalplatform on Women’s Day in

March in Bamako where, at thePalais des Congrès, six communescompeted by preparing 30different dishes made from QPM.The First Lady of Mali, the wifeof President Amadou ToumaniTouré, was guest of honour andover 1,000 women attended.

SG 2000 is also promoting theNew Rice for Africa (NERICA)varieties in Mali. In 2002, 500Production Test Plots (PTPs) wereplanted by 315 men and 185women in 87 villages in the cottonbelt of southern Mali. Fourvarieties were selected: WAB 189BBB 8 HB; WAB 56-104; WAB181-18, and WAB 450 IBP 91 HB.Yields averaged 3,000 kg/hacompared with the normal localproduction of 1,200 kg/ha. ANERICA seed multiplicationprogramme for the four varieties isexpected to provide 18 t of seedfor planting during the rainyseason.

Over the past three years, SG 2000has been playing a catalytic role tolink farmers who have graduatedfrom the SG 2000/MRDdemonstration programme with

fertiliser dealers. One dealer –Société Malienne d’InrantsAgricoles et de Service (SMIAS)– contracted with 2,493 farmersfrom 48 villages in 2001 and2002, distributing 2,682 t offertiliser. The credit recovery ratefrom farmers last year was 95percent.

The payment of cash for inputshas also encouraged stockists tobecome more actively involved inthe programme. Eight stockists inSégou region, for example, hadcash sales to farmers averaging 89percent – with four reaching 100percent (see Table 2). Following aworkshop on inputs in December2002, more stockists are joiningthe programme.

New programme activities haveinvolved the country’s youth. Inpartnership with the Foundationfor Africa, a group of 12 youngmen and three young women, aged12 to 18, have been selected toparticipate in a one-year trainingprogramme involving agriculturaltechnology and formal literacyeducation. The main school inSanankoroba, near Bamako, madea classroom available. Practicaltraining in the field is reinforcedby agricultural education by SG 2000 staff. For each day offield work, the students receive aUS$ 1.50 stipend. The programmeis set to expand.

The Quality Protein Maize (QPM) variety,Denbanyuman – based on Obatanpa from Ghana –

was first introduced in 1996, and has found growingacceptance. In the irrigated areas of the Office deNiger, Denbanyuman has steadily grown in popularitywith farmers, covering 1,800 ha in 2002, with yieldsreaching 4,000 kg/ha. In the rain-fed cotton-growingarea of Niamala, Sikasso region, 77 percent of farmersthat have tested the variety have decided to adopt it(Table 1).

Table 1. Denbanyuman expansion in Niamala Areas

Village Total maize QPM Adoption QPM yieldsarea (ha) area (ha) (%) (kg/ha)

Djila Maro 87 50 57 3,600

Tionsala 30 20 67 3,500

Bontola 60 40 67 3,000

Tiefala 150 100 67 4,000

Chobougou 28 20 71 3,500

Tienkoungo 51 40 78 3,500

Kondji 50 40 80 3,500

Tonfaga 50 40 80 3,800

Niamala 200 180 90 4,000

Shola 14 14 100 3,500

Tebezana 30 30 100 3,500

Berala 30 30 100 3,500

Total 780 604 77 3,600

Table 2. Input stockist sales in the Ségou region, 2002

NPK (kg)Village Planned Sold Sold (%)

Tingoni 5,000 5,000 100

Zambougou #1 2,000 2,000 100

Selinkegny 4,000 4,000 100

Niamabougou 6,000 6,000 100

Kondogola 5,000 4,000 80

Diakobougou 2,000 1,500 75

Wolodo 5,000 3,500 70

Zambougou #2 1,000 750 75

Total 30,000 26,750 89

16

Mozambique

Demonstration crop yields ofmaize and rice are three

times higher than the nationalaverages – approximately 3 t/hacompared to traditional yields of 1 t/ha. “Demonstration programmeyields represent only about 50percent of the genetic potential ofthe varieties being demonstrated,”says Zandamela. “But even if thedemonstration programme yieldsbecame the average inMozambique, the country couldeasily eliminate maize and rice

imports, improve nutrition, andmeet national demand on muchless area.”

Completion of Phase One wasendorsed by the externalevaluation team, led by Dr TetsuoMatsumoto of the InternationalCentre for Agricultural Education(ICCAE) at Nagoya University,which had visited the country inMarch 2002 (see page 6).Following extensive meetings withseveral stakeholders, including

high-ranking government officialsin the Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development, the evaluationteam noted that:

1) the objective of creating anawareness for the need ofScience-based Crop ProductionTechnology (SBCPT) had beenachieved at all levels;

2) the Government ofMozambique was willing tocontinue working towardsachieving the programme’sgoals; and

3) the conditions for effectivetransfer to nationals had beencreated.

“In Phase Two, SG 2000 faces anew set of challenges,” explainsZandamela, “which are emergingas a result of farmers adoptingbetter production practices likeQPM technology, conservationtillage, post harvest technologyand agroprocessing.”

SG 2000 Mozambique Phase Twopriorities are to:

1) attain higher yields in thedemonstration plots;

2) continue to encouragecommercial financialinstitutions and input suppliersto extend input credit to farmerswho have adoptedrecommended technologies;

3) incorporate conservation tillagetechnology into the standardpackage for maize and ricedemonstrations and widelydisseminate this technology toextension workers and farmers;

4) collaborate with the InstitutoNacional de InvestigaciónAgropecuaria (INIA) inresearch to determine theresponse of important crops(maize and rice) to different

fertiliser applications, and todevelop a series of responsecurves to different fertiliserrates and materials.

Current activities involve around9,000 demonstration plots beingplanted for the 2002/03 croppingseason. Of these, 42 percent areusing the Sussuma (QPM) varietyand 10 percent the ITA 312 ricevariety, with the remaining plotsbeing planted with cash and foodcrops, such as sorghum, cotton,groundnut, soybean, cowpea,sesame, sunflower and vegetables.

Testing New Rice for Africa(NERICA) varieties has beenunderway since the 2001/02cropping season using selectedgermplasm from INGER AfricaNurseries in collaboration with theWest African Rice DevelopmentAssociation (WARDA).

Nine fertiliser response curveshave been established in Manicaand Nampula using the Sussumamaize variety as a test crop. Twoextension workers completed theirfieldwork in Mozambique inMarch 2003 and are expected toreceive their BSc degrees later thisyear from the University of CapeCoast in Ghana.

In Phase Two, conservation tillage will be incorporated into thestandard package for maize and rice demonstrations.

Since 2001, Carlos Zandamela has been SG 2000 Project Co-ordinator in Mozambique.Engineer Zandamela was born in Mozambique and gained his BSC in Agronomy fromEduardo Mondlane University in Maputo. He then obtained an MSc in Crop Production andManagement from the University of the Philippines.

Prior to joining SG 2000, Zandamela was a Technical Adviser at the National Directorate forRural Extension. From 1993-97, he was Director at INIA, where he helped to design theSpecial Programme for Food Security (PAN) and provided technological input for SG 2000Mozambique. He has also been Director General of the Chokwe Irrigation Authority, whichmanages irrigation schemes, procurement of inputs for smallholder farmers and producesviability studies to support credit negotiations with banks.

Current activitiesinvolve around

9,000 demonstrationplots for the 2002/03

cropping season.

Phase One of the SG 2000 Mozambique projectcame to an end in 2002. “The first six years have

proved to be an intensive and challenging learningprocess,” says SG 2000 Project Co-ordinator CarlosZandamela. Field demonstrations began in twoprovinces in 1995/96, with 40 farmers evaluating animproved maize production package. Since then, fielddemonstrations have expanded to all ten ofMozambique’s provinces. Some 15 food and cashcrops have been included in the Ministry ofAgriculture/SG 2000 field demonstration programmes,with participating farmers growing a total of 8,943demonstration plots.

17

Nigeria

The ‘best maize harvest of the decade’ was theverdict of the farming community–despite initial

concerns about the late arrival of the rains in 2002.The Federal Government, through the NationalStrategic Grains Reserve (NSGR), contributed to themood of optimism by purchasing maize from farmersinvolved in the SG 2000 programme, which helped tostabilise prices.

SG 2000 programme externalevaluation, completed last August(see page 6). “The Ministerexpressed his commitment to anationwide expansion of theprogramme,” commented Valencia.

While in Abuja, Valencia met withProfessor C. P. E. Omaliko,Director and Chief ExecutiveOfficer of the NationalBiotechnology DevelopmentAgency (NABTA), to discusspotential areas of collaboration.

Apart from visiting dry seasonMTPs in Kano and Jigawa, Valencia paid a courtesy call onthe Governor of Bauchi State, Dr Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, tothank him for the support he hasgiven to farmers by sponsoringtraining programmes and providinginputs on credit and transport toincrease field mobility. TheGovernor indicated that he wouldbe sponsoring a further 10,000MTPs across the state during the2003 wet season.

In a special ceremony in January,SG 2000 Project Co-ordinator, Dr Ahmed Falaki, was “turbanned”with the traditional title of

Table 1. SG 2000/ADP hybrid maize MTPs, rainy season, 2002State No. of Area Yield range Average Traditional

farmers (ha) (t/ha) yield (t/ha) yield (t/ha)

Bauchi 325 86 4.2-6.7 5.5 1.4

Gombe 308 144 1.7-7.7 5.2 1.3

Jigawa 424 106 1.1-6.4 4.3 1.6

Kano 433 144 2.1-6.7 4.9 1.4

Katsina 269 174 3.8-7.4 5.4 1.3

Kaduna- Lere 457 118 2.3-7.0 5.4 2.0

- Maigana 267 63 3.8-7.4 5.7 1.4

- B/Gwari 271 68 2.5-6.0 5.5 1.5

Total/average 2,754 901 1.1-7.7 5.2 1.5

National average yield 1.25 t/ha

Table 2. Conservation tillage maize MTPs,rainy season, 2002

State No. of Area Yield range Averagefarmers (ha) (t/ha) yield (t/ha)

Gombe 25 9.1 2.8-5.1 4.2

Kano 9 2.5 3.8-6.4 4.4

Katsina 6 2 5.9 5.9

Kaduna- Lere 6 1.5 4.9 4.9

- B/Gwari 2 0.5 4.8 4.8

Total 48 15.6 2.8-6.4 4.8

Maize prices fluctuateconsiderably between

seasons. For example, the averageprice for maize in December lastyear was $240/t at harvest,dropping to $160/t in February.NSGR was able to offer farmers$200/t, leading to farmer netincomes that averaged $1,152/ha.

Management Training Plot (MTP)hybrid maize yields during therainy season were impressive,averaging 5.2 t/ha, (see Table 1).The highest average yield of 5.7t/ha was recorded in Maigana Zoneof Kaduna State – followed byBauchi and B/Gwari (5.5 t/ha),Katsina and Lere (5.4 t/ha),Gombe (5.2 t/ha), Kano (4.9 t/ha)and Jigawa (4.3 t/ha).

Country Director, Dr José AntonioValencia, who also hasresponsibility for Malawi, took theopportunity of visiting Nigeria’sMinister of Agriculture, MalamAdamu Bello, at his office inAbuja in December 2002, to briefhim on the outcome of the

SG 2000 Project Co-ordinatorDr Falaki pays homage to the people of Dull, afterbeing honoured with thetitle of ‘Santali’.

“Santali” by the people of Dull inBauchi State. Traditionally, Santaliis the closest person to theparamount ruler and his principaladviser on agriculture and waterresources.

Dr Falaki also accompaniedGovernor Adamu Mu’azu and hisdelegation on a visit to SouthAfrica, facilitated by Monsanto.The visit included tours ofMonsanto agricultural stations,establishments related toconservation tillage and GM crops,a dairy farm, Hydraform Africaand the South African NationalPark Headquarters, wherediscussions were held with theCoordinator of ConservationServices. Mutual agreements werereached between Monsanto, theother organisations and theGovernor on how to moveagriculture forward in BauchiState.

New programme activities include

collaboration with AgriculturalDevelopment Programmes (ADPs)to assist secondary schools in sixstates to establish MTPs. Thesewill be used as demonstration plotsin six crops for students and localfarmers, thereby helping todisseminate improved technologieswithin the community.

SG 2000 and CANDEL (Monsantorepresentative in Nigeria) haveagreed to produce an “M-Box”, a package of inputs – seed,agrochemicals (herbicide,insecticide and fungicide) andstorage chemicals – required forthe establishment of an MTP of0.25 ha. A production guidetranslated into the local languagewill also be included and fertiliserwill be provided alongside the M-Boxes, due to its bulkiness. TheM-Boxes will save farmers fromhaving to source inputsindividually and are designed to beportable and affordable.

18

Tanzania

Farmers in the southern highland villages are eager to continueusing QPM.

SG 2000 has a long history ofworking with farmers inTanzania.

Quality Protein Maize(QPM) – a promising startSince the late 1990s, withtechnical backstopping fromCIMMYT, SG 2000 has assistedthe Maize Research Programme atthe Selian Agricultural ResearchInstitute (SARI), in Arusha, toevaluate QPM materials. In 2001,two QPM hybrids and one open-pollinated variety werereleased for commercial use. Atpresent, efforts to multiply theseed are ongoing and researchersat SARI have been working on theconversion of some popularnormal-protein open pollinatedvarieties to QPM.

In efforts to promote QPM inTanzania, SG 2000, incollaboration with MAFS,organised two workshops inDecember 2002 and March 2003,in Mbeya and Arusha,respectively. Participants includedfarmers’ representatives,agricultural/livestock officers,researchers, human and animalnutritionists, seed producers andstaff from MAFS Headquarters.Topics discussed included newdevelopments, agronomy and therole of QPM in human and animalnutrition. Marco Quiñones, SAARegional Director for Africa,participated in both workshops,while Wayne Haag, QPM Co-ordinator for Africa,participated in the workshop atArusha.

During March 2003, fieldassessments of the QPM variety,Lishe H1, were made in thesouthern highland villages ofInyala, Mshewe and Songwe inMbeya region. “During theassessment, the QPM crop wasapproaching maturity and the fieldobservations indicated excellentyields,” says Jiro Aikawa, an SG 2000 agronomist based inTanzania. “Farmers were eager tocontinue using QPM, and it isanticipated that there will be greatdemand for seed for the nextseason. SG 2000 will continue tocollaborate with MAFS and otherstakeholders to promote QPM andensure that good quality seedvarieties are made available tofarmers.”

Supporting thedistribution and use ofMinjingu Phosphate Rock The Minjingu phosphate deposits,located in the Arusha region ofnorthern Tanzania, were formedover millions of years during thePleistocene age, from the bonesand droppings of the flamingobirds which inhabited LakeManyara. During the late 1990s,under Phase 1 of the SG 2000Tanzania project, Minjinguphosphate rock (MPR) was usedin a phosphorus-compostingproject and showed its efficacy inrecapitalising P-deficient soils.Yields were enhanced when“phospho-compost” was used incombination with nitrogenfertiliser.

During the 2001/02 crop season,SG 2000 made a number ofdemonstrations in six districts onthe value of MPR for directapplication (see table). “The datadoesn’t show dramatic increases in

SG 2000 continues to work with the Ministry ofAgriculture and Food Security (MAFS), in preparationfor a new World Bank-funded project, ParticipatoryAgricultural Development Project (PADEP), whichwill support a range of community-based initiatives toenhance agricultural productivity and conserve thenatural resource base. It is expected that PADEP willbecome effective by July 2003. With its long history ofworking with extension officers and farmers in sevenregions of the country, MAFS extension and cropproduction officers have sought SG 2000 collaborationto assess a range of new productivity enhancing andresource conserving technologies.

Maize yields under MPR direct applicationand control plots, 2001/02

District MPR yield Control plot(kg/ha) yield (kg/ha)

Arumeru 2,850 2,667

Mbarali 2,587 1,772

Singida 2,790 2,233

Songea 1,202 516

Tabora 3,220 Not recorded

Kahama 1,150 Not recorded

maize yields, since not all theplots were applied with nitrogenfertiliser,” explains Aikawa.“However, it does show theeffectiveness of MPR forincreasing yields, when comparedto control plots. So far, the majorconstraint in using fertilisers inTanzania is mainly economic.Farmers do not have the cash oraccess to credit to purchase them.”

At present, the government ofTanzania, through MAFS, isconsidering increasing the use ofthis local resource to increase cropproductivity and to restorephosphate to the soil. A programme has beencommissioned to supportdistribution and utilisation ofMPR. As one of the maincollaborators, SG 2000 would playan important role in working withsmallholder farmers to sensitisethem to the potential benefits ofMPR for soil fertilityimprovement as a component ofbetter land husbandry.

One Stop Centres will help to train rural communities inagroproceesing activities.

Uganda

According to Uganda GrainTraders (UGT), there was an

increase of maize farm gate grainprices from US$ 17/t after harvestin 2001/02 – when prices virtuallycollapsed – to US$ 111/t inFebruary this year, after thesecond season’s harvest in 2002.

“UGT’s pre-season announcementof floor prices for maize and beansrevived farmers’ interest ingrowing these crops withimproved technologies,” comments

Foster. “Distributors have reporteda pre-season surge in seed andagro-input sales.”

Competition is much fiercer asseveral new companies haveentered the market place with abroader range of products. Anestimated 500 t of Nalongo, thepopular Longe 5 QPM variety,will be available in the marketfrom more than one seedcompany.

Uganda’s food security status is currently stablewith “appreciable amounts of grain being

procured internally for areas affected by civil unrest inparts of northern Uganda,” reports country directorAbu Michael Foster.

Mrs Gireli Kibuka fed her pigs on QPM, resulting in a litter ofnine healthy piglets.

Farmers have been encouraged bythe higher prices of food staplesand the expansion of NAADS(National Agricultural AdvisoryDelivery Services) into tendistricts and some 70 sub-counties.

SG 2000 is adjusting its activitiesto integrate better with NAADSand to support private advisoryservices and capacity building forfarmer institutions where localgovernments have specificallyrequested such assistance.

SG 2000 hopes to buildsustainability for demonstrationprogramme activities using theOne Stop Centre (OSC) tobackstop technology delivery. The first OSC – focusing onagroprocessing and providinginputs, equipment,communications networks and askills base for farmers – wasinaugurated in May 2002. Asecond, focusing on grainmarketing and rural poultry feedprocessing, was launched in May2003. Four new OSCs will beestablished in four new districtsthis year.

“The establishment of OSCs willgreatly enhance SG 2000’s capacityto train rural communities formore diversified agroprocessingopportunities, where there aresufficient supplies locally of rawmaterials,” says Foster.

Postharvest and agroprocessingare now receiving more emphasisparticularly in locations being

Summary of planned programmeintervention, 2003

Activities Districts Sub-Counties

One Stop Centres 7 7

NAADS 2 2

Voucher Assisted Demonstrations 15 70

Pigeon peas seed increase 5 19

Rice seed production 4 13

Groundnuts seed increase 1 1

On-farm research maize/rice 4 8

Pig feeding trials 2 3

Rice production 3 10

Tillage 14 44

Threshers 2 3

Transport (ox-carts) 9

Agroprocessing and postharvest

New groups 7 8

US$ 50 postharvest grants 10 36

19

prepared for OSCs. US$ 50 grantsfor postharvest activities will bechannelled directly to farmers whocan mobilise local materials andcontract village artisans to buildimproved storage and dryingstructures. Groups that can jointlystore and market their produce arealso involved.

In 2003, SG 2000 will carry out822 crop productiondemonstrations in maize, inrotation or intercropped withbeans, groundnuts, and pigeonpea. In a targeted intervention forpoor farmers in 16 sub-counties,women, youth and familiesaffected by HIV/AIDS will receivea one-time grant of seed, fertiliserand crop protection productsthrough stockists, to plant 0.5acres – and will then continue toparticipate normally indemonstration training activities.

SG 2000 has joined with aregional ICRISAT initiative topromote pigeon pea production.Some 677 ha of pigeon pea willbe sown in 2003, as part of a jointnational programme co-ordinatedby SG 2000 and involvingNAADS, Catholic Relief Services,Technoserve and other NGO ruralnetworks.

Two upland rice varieties(Superica 1 - WAB 450, andSuperica 2 - P90) were released incollaboration with Nalweyo SeedCompany (NASECO) and arebeing demonstrated in seven newdistricts in 2003.

20

43

SG 2000 publications and videos

Publications

Videos

For copies please contact Raitt Orr & Associates Ltd in London

For further information contact:JapanAkira Iriyama, Vice-President Masaaki Miyamoto,Head of Finance & Administration, Michio Ito, Administrative OfficerMasataka Minagawa, ConsultantSAA, 4th Floor, The Nippon FoundationBuilding 1-2-2, Akasaka, Minato-kuTokyo 107-0052Tel 81 3 6229 5460Fax 81 3 6229 5464E-mail miyamoto@spf.or.jp

ito@spf.or.jpMexicoNorman Borlaug, SAA President Chris Dowswell, SAA Director ofCommunicationsCIMMYT, Apdo. Postal 6-641Delegacion CuauhtemocCP 06600 Mexico DFTel 52 55 5 804 2004 Fax 52 55 5 804 7558/9E-mail cdowswell@cgiar.org

SwitzerlandJean Freymond, Director, CASIN7 bis, avenue de la PaixPO Box 1340, 1211 Genève 1Tel 41 22 730 8660Fax 41 22 730 8690E-mail freymond@casin.ch

United KingdomPatrick Orr, Information ConsultantHuma Humayun, Information ConsultantRaitt Orr & Associates LtdVictoria Chambers16-18 Strutton GroundLondon SW1P 2HPTel 44 (0)20 7222 5479Fax 44 (0)20 7222 5480E-mail patricko@raittorr.co.uk

humah@raittorr.co.uk

USAP. Craig Withers, Jr, Director of Program SupportErnie Sprague, Senior Advisor for Food SecurityGlobal 2000 of The Carter CenterOne Copenhill, 453 Freedom ParkwayAtlanta, Georgia 30307Tel 1 404 420 3830Fax 1 404 874 5515E-mail ew-jsprague@prodigy.net

cwither@emory.edu

And in Africa:

Burkina FasoMarcel Galiba, Country DirectorDeola Naibakelao, SAFE Director, Sasakawa Global 2000BP 01-6149, Ougadougou 01Tel/Fax 226 34 37 57E-mail sg2000@fasonet.bf

N.Deola@cgnet.com

EthiopiaMarco Quiñones,SAA Regional Director for AfricaTakele Gebre, Project Co-ordinatorToshiro Mado, Programme Leader,AgroprocessingSasakawa Global 2000c/o Ministry of AgricultureAgricultural Extension DepartmentPO Box 12771, Addis AbabaTel 251 1 52 85 09/10/13Fax 251 1 52 85 07E-mail sg2000@telecom.net.et

m.quinones@cgnet.comtmado@pd5.so-net.ne.jp

Ghana Benedicta Appiah-AsanteProject Co-ordinatorSasakawa Global 2000Private Mail BagKotoka International Airport, AccraTel 233 21 660566Fax 233 21 660567E-mail benedict@ghana.com

sg2000gh@ghana.com

GuineaTareke Berhe, Country DirectorSasakawa Global 2000Rue KA 003 No 837 (BP 5348), ConakryRepublic of Guinea, West AfricaTel 224 45 10 44Fax 224 45 10 45E-mail t.berhe@cgnet.com

MalawiJosé Antonio Valencia, Country DirectorSasakawa Global 2000Development House,Ground Floor, City CentrePO Box 30721Capital City, Lilongwe 3Tel 265 771 182/364Fax 265 772 835E-mail saag2000@malawi.net

j.a.valencia@cgnet.com

MaliMarcel Galiba, Country DirectorSasakawa Global 2000BP E3541, BamakoTel/Fax 223 220 5834E-mail m.galiba@cgnet.com

MozambiqueWayne Haag, Country DirectorCarlos Zandamela, Project Co-ordinatorSasakawa Global 2000CP 4247, DNER-Ministry of Agriculture& Rural Development, Maputo Tel 258 1 414493Fax 258 1 416182E-mail sg2000@vircon.com

sg2000cz@teledata.mz

NigeriaDr A M Falaki, Project Co-ordinator Sasakawa Global 2000KNARDA Building, Hadija RoadPO Box 5190 KanoTel 234 64 645369Fax 234 64 649224E-mail sg2kano@ecnx.net

amfalaks@yahoo.com

TanzaniaJiro Aikawa, AgronomistSasakawa Global 2000C/o PADEPKilimo III, Temeke VeterinaryPO Box 13798, Dar es SalaamTel 255 22 286 1886/3231Fax 255 22 286 1936E-mail aikawajiro@hotmail.com

UgandaAbu-Michael Foster, Country DirectorSasakawa Global 2000Plot 15A Clement Hill RoadRuth Towers, Nakasero(Opposite UNDP building), KampalaTel 256 41 345497Fax 256 77 280838E-mail amfoster@cgnet.com

sakfos2@starcom.co.ug

• SG 2000 in Nigeria – The First Seven Years (1999).• Proceedings of Workshop 1998: Enhancing Postharvest Technology Generation

and Dissemination in Africa.• Proceedings of Workshop 1997: Agricultural Intensification in Sub-Saharan Africa.• Proceedings of Workshop 1996: Overcoming Rural Poverty in Africa.• The Earth and the Sky – the change and challenges in African agriculture, (1998).

All videos are available in English, French and Japanese. Video formats are PAL, Secam and NTSC.

Feeding the Future is produced for SAA by Raitt Orr & Associates Ltd, London SW1and designed by B-Creative.

Other publications available:

1. Setting the Grassroots on Fire – Norman Borlaug and Africa’s Green Revolution, (1999).

2. Ethiopia, My Hope . . . My Future . . . The ‘Green Revolution’ in Ethiopia, (1998). 3. Breaking the Mould. Bringing African Universities into Development, (1997).4. Fulfilling the Promise. How nutritionally-improved maize can alleviate malnutrition

in maize-dependent countries, (1997).5. Facing the Future. The SG 2000 Programme for Agricultural Development

in Africa, (1996).6. You Can’t Eat Potential. Breaking Africa’s Cycle of Poverty, (1996).

1 2 3

654

1. SAA Annual Report 2001/02.2. Proceedings of Workshop 2001: Food Security in a Changing Africa.3. Proceedings of Workshop 2000: Extension Education – Reshaping African

Universities and Colleges for the 21st Century.4. Proceedings of Workshop 1999: The Food Chain in Sub-Saharan Africa.5. Proceedings of Workshop 1999: Innovative Extension Education in Africa.6. Proceedings of Workshop 1998: Partnerships for Rural Development in

Sub-Saharan Africa.7. Proceedings of Workshop 1998: Microfinance in Africa. 8. This is SAA: An introduction to the work of the Sasakawa Africa Association.

5 6

1

8

2

7

Or visit the SAA website at: www.saa-tokyo.org