MLN surveillance report for Zambia

MLN SURVEILLANCE REPORT FOR ZAMBIA

Maimouna S. Abass Luangala

Senior Agricultural Research Officer/ Plant Health Inspector

Plant Quarantine and Phytosanitary Service

viczhane@gmail.com 1

Outline

• Introduction

• Zambia Survey

• Objectives

• Methodology

• Results.

• Conclusion

• Recommendations

2

Introduction

• Agriculture key priority sector

• Maize production dominant agricultural activity

-3,350,671mt-2013/2014 season

- 876,738mt -surplus-2015/2016 season

• Currently, Zambia - major producer of both maize grain and seed

• Introduction of MLN has the potential to affect Zambia’s market access and effectively the region.

• Disease and vector pest surveillance instituted

3

Introduction cont.

5,000

45,000 40,000

8,000 15,000

120,000

55,000

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

Burundi Kenya Malawi Rwanda Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe

Met

ric

Ton

s

Countries

Seed exports in the region-ACTESA/COMESA-2015

4

Work on MLND in Zambia

• APPSA - WORLDBANK Project – from Oct 2014

– 2 Surveys conducted

• 1st Survey – Northern Zambia : Three districts bordering Malawi and Tanzania

• 2nd Survey – Included border area with DRC

– Seed company awareness workshop

• ASTF- FAO – Plant Pest Diagnostics Training

• Seed company support – Rapid test kits for seed crop inspections

5

Zambia MLN Survey –CIMMYT/USAID

• Training in March , Harare

• 4 teams involved, each team led by survey coordinator with assistant from the technicians (Assistant Surveyors).

• 6 provinces of Zambia - Southern,

Eastern, Copperbelt, Luapula, Central (East and West) and Lusaka.

6

Objective

• Undertake MCMV surveys throughout primary maize growing regions of Zambia

• Undertake MCMV surveys in commercial seed production fields, particularly those ear marked for export

• Assess the current MCMV status of commercially available seed from agri-seed dealers

7

Methodology

• Administration of questionnaire.

• Rapid field assessment-Maize

Chrolotic Mottle Virus (MCMV)

AgriStrip test strips.

• General vector surveillance.

• Laboratory analysis.

Results

21; -VE

39; -VE

32; -VE

36; -VE

76; -VE

48: -VE

5; -VE

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Eastern Central Southern Lusaka Muchinga Copperbelt Luapula

NO

. OF

FIEL

DS

INSP

ECTE

D

PROVINCES

No of Fields surveyed

9

Results Cont.

10

11

Province No. of farmers' fields for

MLN survey and sampling

No. of seed production fields of commercial seed companies to be

surveyed for MLN survey and sampling

No. of maize agriseed dealers to be surveyed for collection of seed samples for testing MLN virus

contamination if any

Targets Achievement Targets Achievement Targets Achievement

Southern 60 31 15 1 30 4

Eastern 60 21 0 0 30 3

Lusaka 60 43 15 1 30 4

Central - West

50 21 15 2 15 12

Central - East 50 12 15 1 15 20

Copperbelt 60 25 10 1 30 4

Luapula 60 5 0 0 30 2

Total 400 158 70 6 180 49

39.5% 8.57% 27.2%

Results Cont.

Results/ Discussion • Poor weed management

• Seed recycling(20%)

• Local seed varieties(50%)

• Poor crop rotation(90%)

• High insect presence - Stem borers, aphids,

• High Disease incidence-Streak virus, leaf blight.

12

Lessons Learnt

Figures below target because; • Survey undertaken at the tail-end of the

growing season.

• Delays – barcodes from CIMMYT (some teams had to wait for them without going into the field Luapula/ Lusaka further delayed.)

• Existing agreement between seed

companies and the agri-seed

dealers to return the seed not

purchased at end of season.

13

Lessons learnt

• Limited Fuel funds – distance calculated did not include inland movements and some seed money used for this.

• ODK –did not capture GPS readings manually

• Date of surveillance – shows day when you manage to send not date of surveillance.

14

Lessons learnt

• Barcode reader – should be embedded in the tool same as GPS , needed to specify barcode reader software, some were difficult to use.

• Data access after sending –Once sent, data cant be accessed, better for survey team able to see the data for report writing.

• Agdiabiofords test strips more user friendly than Bioreba (buffer already measured).

15

Recommendations

• Build human capacity in laboratory diagnosis techniques for MCMV and SCMV

• Promote use of certified seed, crop rotation and good crop management practices.

• Surveillance and awareness continuation critical.

16

Recommendations

• Start the survey early (February ) to help us meet the targets – both farms and seed.

• Budget for

– inland movements within the province as opposed to only budgeting for fuel to and from the districts.

– stationery.

– communication.

• Purchase diagnostic equipment.

17

Recommendations

• Promote testing of commercial cultivars and elite germ plasm.

• Form active technical expert committee.

• Promote strengthened private-public partnerships.

18

Recommendations

• Begin implementation of MLND response plan

– Advocacy policy makers

– Printing and distribution of awareness materials.

– Stakeholder awareness

– Training & preparedness of district focal persons

19

Purchase of Diagnostic Equipment

LAMP

• The use of the Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) which is a another type of PCR is vital

• It is cheaper than the PCR machine and not as complex in use as a PCR and can also be used in the field.

Amplifier reader

The T 8 reader

• T8-ISO • •Supports 8tube testing

in a single test run • •Two channel

fluorescence detection per tube

• •Standalone operation or PC connected modes

• •Testing temperature range of 37˚C to 65˚C

• •USB and internet connectivity for Data transfer

Measures Taken

• MLND Response plan in place

• Statutory Instrument in place – MLND added to Zambia plant pest list.

• Import conditions updated.

24

Measures Taken Cont • Awareness programs

25

Conclusion

If Zambia is to continue to be the seed hub in the SADC region, prudent and stringent plant biosecurity measures need to be put in place and adhered to by all stakeholders in the country.

26

Acknowledgements