Innovative Partnerships & Agricultural Research
Rob Bertram, PhDUSAID Bureau for Food Security
October 2012GCARD 2
Partnership critical for AR4D
AR4D
Civil Society
Public Sector
Private Sector
Global Food Prices
Source: FAO
The Global Challenge
Climate change already impacting yields - drought, high temperatures and unpredictable climates
As arable land is lost to urbanization and other uses, we need to produce more food on less land
Water, energy, labor and fertilizer availability constraining production
System diversification and intensification needed to improve nutrition, incomes
The Global Challenge
Global Response• G-8 attention to food security
– L’Aquila– New Alliance for Nutrition and Food
Security
• Renewed focus on agriculture • Increased investment in AR4D
– Rigorous priority setting– Greater coordination & collaboration
among public and private sectors and civil society
G8: New Alliance for Food Security & Nutrition
• 15 enabling actions– Including yield targets, technology
platform and scaling– Collaborative platform with CGIAR,
FARA, AU and AGRA
• Includes private sector engagement: LOIs
1. Help farmers produce more
2. Help farmers get more food to market
3. Support Research & Development to improve smallholder agriculture in a changing climate
4. Strengthen Regional Trade
5. Create a better Policy Environment
6. Improve Access to Nutritious Food and Nutrition Services
USG Response: Feed the Future
Source: Stan Wood et al. (IFPRI) 2009.
Sub-national poverty ca. 2005
(<$1.25/day)
Number
Prevalence
Defining FTF Research PrioritiesUsing poverty & nutrition lens: Identify key production systems where hunger and poverty are significant…
D Child Under-nutrition
Prevalence of underweight in children under-5, 2003-08
Prevalence of stunting in children under-5, 2003-08
Source: UNICEF, 2009
Three research themes:
• Advancing the productivity frontier• Transforming key production systems• Improving nutrition and food safety
Anchored by key geographies:
• Indo-gangetic plains in South Asia• Sudano-sahelien systems in West Africa• Maize-mixed systems in East and Southern Africa• Ethiopian highlands
Overarching Goal Emerged: Sustainable Intensification
FTF Research Strategy
Longer-term Research - Major Themes1. Heat and drought tolerant, climate adapted cereals
2. Advanced technology solutions for animal and plant diseases 3. Legume productivity for improved nutrition and incomes
Application of Advanced Research for Productivity and Resilience- Policy, social science and nutrition research (e.g. utilization of food)
- Increased availability and access to high quality foods for improved diets (animal sourced food, horticulture, aflatoxin control)
Bangladesh Tanzania Ghana Ethiopia
Longer-Term Investm
ents Near-Term
Impact
Longer-Term Investm
ents Near-Term
Impact
Sustainable Intensification of Key Production SystemsComplement Mission investments in select value chains
Integrate component technologies, policies, social sciences, nutrition
Food Security Research Priorities
Research along the value chainOn-farm productivity & profitability
Crop genetic improvementAgronomyFarm animal managementCrop Protection/Animal HealthTechnology adoption research
Postharvest handling/Marketing
Economics of:• Harvest practices• Storage• End-user market
opportunities/quality requirements
Utilization
Developing new processes/productsAddressing nutrition goals with food technology and recipe formulation
Partner outreach improves research outputs and facilitates technology uptake
Product Development Pathway
Source: ABSPII
• Product Identification & USAID support based on ex ante analysis of target crop
• Focus on crops with high rate of return and not being developed by other means
USAID
Involvement
Private sector excels here
Insect Resistant (Bt) Eggplant Model
Clippings
Bt Eggplant Model• Mahyco develops commercial
hybrids using Monsanto Bt gene• Monsanto offers royalty free
license of Bt gene for open pollinated varieties
• ABSPII/Cornell University partners with Indian universities and vegetable research center to develop varieties using Monsanto gene.
• Mahyco submits dossier of event for biosafety approval – GEAC recommends environmental release
Mahyco sells commercial hybrids, universities/NARS distribute OPV’s
15
Insect Resistant Cowpea• Managed by African Agricultural Technology
Foundation• Use of Bt gene donated by Monsanto Co. for
cowpea in Africa• Development of transgenic cowpea in Australia
by Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO)
• Breeding and seed distribution by African National Agricultural Research organizations.
• Regulatory/Biosafety support by Program for Biosafety Systems
• Scientific support among members of Network for the Genetic Improvement of Cowpea for Africa – NGICA
Adapted from: A Strategic Framework for African Agricultural Input Supply System Development, IFAD
Smallholder is consumer in agriculture input value chain or input supply sub-system
Smallholder is producer in agribusiness system
An agriculture input value chain
Smallholder is producer in agriculture commodity value chain.
An agriculture commodity value chain
The small holder farmer can be viewed as a link between chains
Farm-Centered Strategy
Value Chain Anchor link concept - Ethiopia
Small holder farming system – integrates multiple value chainsWheat, malt barley, chick peas, forage, vegetables
ANCHOR LINK
Wheat value chain – post producer links - markets, processing, and other links in the chain.
Chick pea value chain – post producer links - markets, processing, other links in the chain.
Vegetable value chain – post producer links - markets, processing, other links in the chain.
Forage value chain – post producer links - markets, processing, other links in the chain.
Input supply system link for multiple value chains: Must provide for all the small holders input needs across the multiple value chains.
AfricaRISING – applied research recommendations for optimized profit and sustainability of the small holder integrated system with advisory services – an input of knowledge and skills
Livestock value chain – post producer links - markets, processing, other links in the chain.
Small holder system is not treated as a link in each of the multiple separate value chains but as one big link that integrates the multiple and diversified value chains.
Malt barley value chain – post producer links - markets, processing, other links in the chain.
Maize
Horticulture
Livestock
Legumes
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1° research scope2° research scope 2° research scope
Strong, formalized linkages
Africa RISING
• Increase above- and below-ground biomass to improve soil health & system productivity (e.g., fertilizer trees, legumes, N/P fertilization)
• Diversification (crop & enterprise) for greater resilience, productivity, and nutrition
• Integrating livestock and mechanization into conservation agriculture
• Improve water productivity to reduce risk & enhance investment
Beyond tradeoffs
Africa RISING
The Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA)
Breeding/suitable germplasm development
Long term cropping systems research platforms
Adaptive research trials (Research Station + Farmer Field)
Business model/service provider establishment
“Hub” model facilitated delivery
Adoption & impact tracking
Policy Research / Enabling Environment
Sustainable intensification in S. Asian context
• Retention of Crop Residues
• Minimal/zero tillage of soil
• Innovative Cropping Systems
• Mechanization
• Improved Varieties
• Integrate new crops/livestock
Target InterventionsOutcomes
• Reduced erosion / run-off
• Improved water use efficiency & soil health
• New crops in rotations
• Reduced labor costs
• Improve total factor productivity (not just yield!)
How can we intensify production in S. Asian rice and rice-wheat systems sustainably?
CSISA & Bangladesh Value Chains
• Partners: WorldFish, IRRI, CIMMYT, AVRDC, BARI, BRAC
• Aligned with key Mission Value Chains:– Rice, Fish, Horticulture (fruits,
vegetables)
• Integrated production systems for nutrition– Aquaculture: polyculture – Vegetables in dykes/gardens
• orange fleshed sweet potato• gourds, beans, tomato, brinjal
• Emphasis on women
Gender in Value Chains
• Gender equity enhances competitiveness–Social context important–Changes affect gender roles–Diagnose gender-based constraints
–Include men in decision-making –Enhance women’s roles from production through to marketing
Improving sorghum profitability (Mali) –
NGO partnershipsProgram activities– Integrated sorghum breeding and agronomy
research– Economics research on postharvest storage &
markets
Outcomes– Profitable model developed– Afrique Verte & Catholic Relief Services
engaged– USAID/Mali funding scaled-up
dissemination of Grinkan variety + agronomic package + harvest & storage systems + targeting sales at peak prices
Sorghum Millet CRSP
Aflatoxin detection in peanuts• ICRISAT developed inexpensive aflatoxin
detection kits for farmers• Cut cost of testing from $25 to $1 per
sample• Developed additional pre- and post-
harvest approaches to reduce aflatoxin contamination
• Enables farmers to pursue export opportunities more easily
ICRISAT aids Peanut exports- Malawi
Aflatoxin reduction in peanuts - Philippines
• Scale neutral processing technology– Dry blanching/manual sorting for
aflatoxin contaminated peanuts (GP3 Team, Peanut CRSP)
– Reduces aflatoxin levels to undetectable levels
• Originally developed in Philippines – processor began exporting to U.S.
• Transferred to processors in Ghana and Uganda under FTF
Utilization research: Aflatoxin reduction in peanuts
Pepsico & Gov Ethiopia
• Enterprise EthioPEA – 10,000 Ethiopian farmers double
chickpea yields through sustainable intensification
– Will create new markets – within Ethiopia and abroad
• World Food Program will purchase chickpea-based ready-to-use supplementary food benefitting 40,000 Ethiopian children.
• Strengthen chickpea value chain in Ethiopia
Chickpea partnership in Ethiopia
www.feedthefuture.gov