ICRISAT Happenings 1597 (15 Nov 2013)

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In-house NewsletterHappenings 15 November 2013

No. 1597

ICRISAT

Photo: ICRISAT

Director General William D. Dar inaugurating the ICRISAT Ethiopia office, along with EIAR Director General Fantahun Mengistu (right), and Dr Iain Wright, ILRI Director General’s Representative in Ethiopia (left).

ICRISAT opens Ethiopia country officeCreating a stronger partnership for sustainable agricultural development

“Our government has placed high priority on the development of the drylands and ICRISAT with its

mandate to enhance agricultural productivity in the drylands is well placed to contribute to this initiative,” said Honorable Wondirad Mandefro, State Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopia. He welcomed the decision by ICRISAT to open a country office in Ethiopia, highly appreciating past contributions by the Institute in enhancing the productivity of sorghum and chickpea crops and the profitability and sustainability of smallholder agricultural systems in the country.

The State Minister for Agriculture expressed commitment to a stronger and more dynamic partnership with ICRISAT during the recent visit of

Director General William D. Dar to Addis Ababa for the opening of the Ethiopia country office. Along with Dr Fantahun Mengistu, Director General, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), wide ranging discussions were held on working together towards achieving sustainable agricultural development in the country.

Agriculture State Minister Mandefro discussed further his country’s major agricultural challenges, such as the twin problems of moisture stress and low soil fertility, the need to develop a good package of practices for sorghum, and climate change. He stressed that while the government welcomes the presence of CGIAR Centers in the country, it is also

ICRISAT opens Ethiopia country office...from page 1

2 ICRISAT HAPPENINGS 15 NOVEMBER 2013 1597

Hon. Wondirad Mandefro (center), Ethiopia Agriculture State Minister, during discussions with EIAR Director General F Mengistu, Dr Dar and other ICRISAT senior staff.

expected that this translates into visible impacts on the ground.

During the discussions, Dr Dar highlighted the Institute’s contributions to Ethiopia, especially in the areas of improving chickpea and sorghum and in promoting watershed management in partnership with various national and international institutions.

Focusing on opportunities for a stronger partnership, Dr Dar spoke of the benefits from working together such as the expected increase in Ethiopia’s chickpea area under improved varieties from the current 25% to 50% over the next 3-4 years. According Dr Dar, this work alone which calls for an investment of US$33 million, will benefit the country and more importantly the chickpea growing farmers by more than US$330 million every year.

Dr Dar also cited as an example of a successful partnership for sustainable agricultural development, the Bhoochetana program of ICRISAT in collaboration with the state of Karnataka in India. The Bhoochetana

(land rejuvenation) program, a natural resource management mission program which covers 3.5 million ha of agricultural land in the state where improved technologies such as soil fertility management and improved varieties have been adopted, has contributed to a 20% growth in the target areas.

During the meeting, Dr Dar extended an invitation to the Minister to visit India and the state of Karnataka to get first-hand information on how ICRISAT is creating impacts over large areas involving thousands of smallholder farmers, as well as to strengthen further the South-South collaboration between Africa and India. The Agriculture State Minister has accepted the invitation.

EIAR Director General Dr Mengistu during the meeting emphasized on the excellent relationship and partnership that EIAR has always had with ICRISAT and promised to extend full support to all activities and common research programs that ICRISAT and partner institutes are pursuing in the country.

Ethiopian sorghum diversity on display. Visiting a sorghum field in Melkaasa Research Center near Nazareth, Ethiopia.

Photo: ICRISAT

Photos: ICRISAT

3ICRISAT HAPPENINGS 15 NOVEMBER 2013 1597

The opening ceremony

“ICRISAT has 40 years of partnership with EIAR and its presence in Addis Ababa will enable us to conduct research on semi-arid crops not only in Ethiopia but also in the whole Horn of Africa. The research engagement of the Institute will be critical in this region as a result of this country office,” said Dr Dar, ICRISAT Director General.

Dr Dar was speaking at the opening of the ICRISAT Ethiopia country office on 8 November at the premises of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Addis Ababa.

“Ethiopia with more than 47% of land area under semi-arid environments is one of ICRISAT’s high priority countries,” Dr Dar added. The Ethiopia country office is expected to strengthen ongoing research work, expand the reach and enlarge the portfolio of activities in the country. By opening the office, ICRISAT demonstrates its commitment to

DG William Dar addressing the gathering at the opening ceremony.

partner and work with the Government of Ethiopia and its national institutes to realize the goal of achieving food security, reducing poverty and protecting the environment in the country.

The opening ceremony kicked off with a welcome address by Dr Iain Wright, Program Leader and ILRI Director General’s Representative in Ethiopia, who welcomed the presence of ICRISAT on the campus. With ICRISAT, the number of CGIAR Centers hosted by ILRI on its Addis Ababa campus goes up to 10, with the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) expected to join soon. This concentration of CGIAR Centers, according to Dr Wright, opens up new opportunities for partnerships and harnesses synergy offered by diverse expertise available within these institutions.

Dr Moses Siambi, Regional Director-Eastern and Southern Africa, explained the role of the ICRISAT Ethiopia office in serving the needs and requirements of the country and beyond towards achieving the vision of a “prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics.”

EIAR DG Dr F Mengistu, as guest of honor formally opened the ICRISAT Ethiopia office along with Dr Dar and Dr Wright. The guests then went through a tour of the office facilities and display of posters and other exhibits, organized in collaboration with EIAR.

With Dr Dar during the opening ceremony and meetings were: Dr Stefania Grando, Research Program Director - Dryland Cereals; Dr SP Wani, Acting Research Program Director - Resilient Dryland Systems; Dr Moses Siambi, Regional Director, Eastern and Southern Africa; and Dr KPC Rao, Country Representative. g

Tree planting at the opening of the ICRISAT Ethiopia office.

Photos: ICRISAT

Photo: ICRISAT


Enhancing groundnut and sorghum value chains in Nigeria

“Our association with ICRISAT has been a long one, and we expect it to grow stronger. We are putting

in place structures to monitor joint projects and activities on groundnut and sorghum which are very important crops for household consumption and as cash crops in Nigeria and along the Guinea Savanna zone. Delivering appropriate varieties that farmers can grow can increase their incomes and get them out of the ridge of poverty,” said Prof Aboubacar, Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN).

Prof Aboubacar was speaking at the ICRISAT-Nigeria Policy and Technical Committee consultative meeting held at the Agricultural Research Council (Abuja) on 11 November. The meeting discussed ICRISAT’s activities in Nigeria in 2013, increased investment, and the support of the Federal Government. Dr Hakeem Ajeigbe, ICRISAT Country Representative in Nigeria, gave a brief presentation on ICRISAT’s activities with emphasis on investment, impact and the way forward. The meeting also discussed at length, the funding and support being provided by the Government of Nigeria to develop groundnut and sorghum value chains through the Nigeria Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD).

The groundnut project will help improve and broaden the genetic base of improved groundnut varieties, scale-up technologies, and build capacity of farmers and other stakeholders in the groundnut value chain to increase production, reduce storage and transportation losses, improve quality and meet market demand.

The sorghum project is aimed at revitalizing production and commercialization of products to improve livelihoods of sorghum producers,

processors and marketers along the value chain. It will also contribute in enhancing food and nutrition security, raising incomes, increasing employment, and reducing poverty in the country.

Both projects will begin following a Memorandum of Understanding between FMARD and ICRISAT, and will be implemented by a coalition of partners under the guidance of the committee. The committee also discussed funding and research-related issues, after which Dr Waliyar announced the recruitment of new scientists for the ongoing research activities.

ICRISAT officials also met Ms Ibukun Odusote, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, who confirmed the Federal Government’s support in rebuilding the groundnut pyramids and revitalizing the sorghum value chain in Nigeria.

“We want Nigerians to process food safely and hygienically. We plan to promote community-based processors and encourage investors to support complementary food production for children,” said Dr Omo Ohiokpehai, Consultant/Technical Advisor, Processing, Products and Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. She has been exploring existing opportunities in processing sorghum and groundnut products.

Leading the ICRISAT team at the meeting was Dr Farid Waliyar, Regional Director, West and Central Africa along with representatives from the Institute for Agricultural Research, Lake Chad Research Institute and ARCN, all members of the committee.

In Abuja, the ICRISAT team held meetings with Christopher Bessey, Country Representative, Catholic Relief Services in Nigeria, and Raymond L Studer, Consultant on Agricultural Programs, to explore opportunities for partnerships. g

The Policy and Technical Committee during a consultative meeting chaired by Professor Aboubacar.

Dr F Waliyar (2nd from right) and Ms Ibukun Odusote (3rd from right) with other members of the technical committee.

Photos: A Diama, ICRISAT


External Review Panel on ICRISAT’s strategy in sub-Saharan Africa visits Nairobi and Mali offices

As recommended by the Governing Board at its meeting in Senegal in April 2013, a Center

Commissioned External Review (CCER) Panel of experts is reviewing ICRISAT’s strategy for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The Panel composed of Drs Bob Redden, Curator of the Australian Temperate Crops Collections, Victoria as Chair; Jennie Barron, Senior Researcher, Stockholm Environment Institute; Mamadou Ouattara, Director, Graduate Studies Department, WASCAL; and Ruth K. Oniang’o, Editor-in-Chief, African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development and Founder, Rural Outreach Program (ROP) Africa as members was in Nairobi and Bamako recently.

The Panel will submit a report that will indicate how and what ICRISAT needs to do to enhance its engagement with NARS partners in SSA under the CGIAR Research Programs and the way of doing business in the CGIAR, and other changes that have occurred in the region over the past decade.

On 31 October, the Panel met Director General William D Dar. They also met with NARS partners from Kenya and Tanzania, including NGOs and the private sector to ascertain their future needs. This was followed by the Panel’s visit to ICRISAT Bamako in Mali on 4-5 November, where ICRISAT scientists made presentations highlighting ICRISAT West and Central Africa’s research programs; activities and

partnerships and their overall relevance to the framework of the Inclusive Market-Oriented Development (IMOD) strategy.

In his presentation, Dr Farid Waliyar, Regional Director - West and Central Africa, touched upon the strategy for the region; partnerships with other CGIAR Centers hosted by ICRISAT, affiliated institutions, the NARES in the sub-region, NGOs, sub-regional organizations, farmers’ organizations, development partners and the private sector. The Panel also saw the groundnut and sorghum research activities during a field visit of ICRISAT’s Samanko station.

The Panel is now at the ICRISAT headquarters meeting with senior managers and getting final inputs from all research programs. g

The CCER Panel meeting with NGOs and the private sector.

Striving to gain insights into agro-biodiversity through surveys in Bijapur, India

As part of efforts to develop a climate resilient dryland system, Bioversity International and

ICRISAT organized a one-day agro-biodiversity survey inception workshop on 24 October in Bijapur district of Karnataka state, India, one of the action sites of the CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Systems. The survey will adopt a three dimensional approach involving nutritional diversity, farm diversity and market diversity to obtain a better insight into agro-biodiversity resources and conservation strategies.

As part of this, key partners from ICRISAT, Bioversity International and the University of Agricultural Science, Bijapur visited the action villages in the district and updated the communities on the linkage between the planned agro-biodiversity survey and the CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Systems. An agreement was reached on the overall framework

and planned survey tool. The field work is expected to commence soon. More than 30 people representing NGOs, government line departments and universities participated in the meetings. g

Farmers in Balaganur village say yes to participating in biodiversity conservation.

Photo: A Haileslassie ICRISAT/ILRI

Photo: A Diama, ICRISAT


Knowledge Day to refine Value for Money proposition of CGIAR Research Programs

With a view to refining the value for money (VfM) proposition of the

CGIAR Research Programs in terms of economy, efficiency, effectiveness, equity and gender mainstreaming, the CGIAR Fund Office organized a Knowledge Day on 5 November in Nairobi, Kenya. The event brought together many of the CGIAR Research Program Directors, Directors General, and members of the Consortium Office and the Fund Council to discuss key matters of relevance to the

Gender barriers to the Research Programs in achieving the desired outcomes was the subject of the second half of the day partly presented through interview presentations from Jacqui Ashby, CGIAR’s Senior Advisor on Gender and Research and Karen Brooks, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions and Markets.

Break-out sessions followed with indepth discussions to identify critical steps that need to be taken. There was some commonality to the subjects identified, such as social science capacity, the critical evaluation of the evidence that our interventions are effective, that our partnerships are appropriate and that we evaluate the management of these issues within the Research Programs.

The concluding session attempted to synthesize and draw lessons from the day’s discussion. These ranged from concerns with effective internal frameworks, such as robust management and evaluation systems linked to priority setting and approaches to the assessment of external events such as the ability to generate the evidence base on which national programs can base both actions and policies. g

First Soil Atlas of Africa

The Soil Atlas of Africa was launched at the 27th Soil Science Society of East Africa (SSSEA) and the

6th Africa Soil Science Society (ASSS) joint conference in Nakuru, Kenya on 22 October.

The atlas is a source of vital information on African soils, with stunning color maps and illustrations that show the diversity of soils across the African continent. The book with articles written by soil experts from Africa and Europe will be useful to

policy makers and researchers. This is a collaborative initiative of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the Africa Soil Science Society.

Dr Robert Zougmoré, Regional Program Leader – CCAFS who contributed a piece in the Atlas, was elected Secretary General of the ASSS during the conference. g

CGIAR Knowledge Day at ILRI headquarters.

Photo: M Samuel, ILRI

operation of CGIAR as a whole and the Research Programs in particular. The event coincided with the 10th Fund Council meeting held there.

Participating in the discussions at the event were Director General William D. Dar; Director, CGIAR Research Program on Dryland Cereals Dr Shoba Sivasankar; Director, CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes Dr Noel Ellis; and Principal Scientist – Empower Women, Dr Chanda Goodrich. Four discussions started the day and illustrated the way that the Research Programs collectively address the four System-Level Outcomes (SLOs) of less rural poverty, better food security, better nutrition and natural resource management.

The issues were discussed with respect to the value for money propositions of the Research Programs and this emphasized the importance of partnerships with a variety of organizations in order to achieve the desired outcomes. The discussions were supplemented by posters prepared from each Research Program including the CGIAR Research Programs on Dryland Cereals and on Grain Legumes that ICRISAT is leading.


ICRISAT gets ‘Best Incubator’ Award at FOOD 360o

ICRISAT was awarded the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry FOOD 360o

Award in the Best Incubator category at the third edition of FOOD 360° (International conference-cum-exhibition on Agribusiness and Food Processing) held on 6-7 November in Hyderabad, India.

In his message, Director General William D. Dar said, “We are pleased to be associated with this initiative as it is consistent with ICRISAT’s new strategic plan to 2020 which is based on the Inclusive Market-Oriented Development (IMOD) approach. Food processing is one of the most important links in the agricultural value chain that enables value addition. Enabling farmers to become part of this link by engaging them as entrepreneurs and through small- and medium-term enterprises (SMEs) can help in the development of a vibrant agrarian and rural economy.”

A knowledge report titled “Strategies and Support Mechanisms for Promoting Entrepreneurship in Food Processing Sector for IMOD” prepared by ICRISAT, the knowledge partner for the event, was released by Chief Guest Mr Siraj Hussain, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India.

Speaking on behalf of Dr Kiran Sharma, Chief Executive Officer, AIP, Dr Saikat Datta Mazumdar

explained that the report aims at providing prospective entrepreneurs with an overview of the benefits of food business incubators, through successful case studies of food incubation ventures promoted through ICRISAT’s AIP, and that it would serve as a valuable guide for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Mr S Aravazhi, COO, Innovation and Partnership program, delivered the keynote address during a session on “Mega Trends in Agri and Food Sectors”, in which he spoke on the opportunities in the food processing sector in the context of changing consumer food preferences, food technology developments, sustainability imperatives and policy framework.

Receiving the award from Mr PK Mohanty, Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh, were Mr SM Karuppanchetty, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Agribusiness Incubator program; Mr S Aravazhi; and Dr Saikat Datta Mazumdar, COO, NutriPlus Knowledge program of ICRISAT’s Agri Innovation Platform (AIP).

ICRISAT also took part in the exhibition, showcasing products and services related to agribusiness and food processing technologies. g

Odisha smallholder farmer seed growers visit ICRISATTwenty-two male and female smallholder seed growers, 8 ICRISAT staff assigned in Odisha, and an Assistant Agriculture Officer of the Department of Agriculture, Bhavanipatna, Odisha, took part in a three-day scientific visit to ICRISAT on 5-7 November. The visit was part of the project “Introduction and expansion of improved pigeonpea (arhar) production technology in rainfed upland ecosystem of Odisha”.

The group also visited a dal mill in Tandur, Ranga Reddy district, and interacted with farmers in Mahaboobnagar district. They were briefed about ICRISAT’s pigeonpea activities, farm machinery and irrigation facilities. g

Dr SD Mazumdar (2nd from right) with the other dignitaries, during the release of the ICRISAT Knowledge Report.

Mr SM Karuppanchetty, Dr SD Mazumdar and Mr S Aravazhi, receiving the award from AP Chief Secretary PK Mohanty.

Photos: V Suneel, ICRISAT


Africa Rising exchange visit to Bougouni and Koutiala districts of Mali

ICRISAT and its partners organized an exchange visit to Africa Rising project sites in Bougouni and

Koutiala areas of Mali on 21-24 October, where farmers are testing options for biological intensification of soybean, cowpea and okra. The visit was aimed to (1) inform participants and partners of the different activities and the action sites in Mali, (2) allow partners in Mali to showcase their activities and preliminary results to partners, and (3) provide suggestions for improvement of information exchange, scientific integration of the farming systems research as well as institutional integration in future work.

The delegation comprised of representatives of The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC), Association Malienne d’Eveil au Développement Durable, AMASSA - Afrique Verte, International Livestock Research Institute, Mouvement Biologique du Mali, and the International Center for Research in Agroforestry.

The delegation also visited Sirakele village near Koutiala, where Africa Rising has a number of trials

(cowpea intensification) and demonstration plots (food bank with Moringa and Baobab; sorghum hybrid intensification; groundnut aflatoxin management; mechanized microdosing trial with hybrid sorghum and a local fruit tree establishment trial).

“We expect this experience to lead to an optimum way of managing fruit tree plots in order to diversify and increase sources of revenue for women farmers and improve the nutritional status of households,” said Mariam Sara, President of the women’s association. The team was also presented with the results of an activity on nutrition field schools that aims at improving the nutritional status of households and that of children and women in particular.

The team also visited Molobala village, where AVRDC is testing different methods of irrigation in combination with varietal trials on vegetables in a project funded by the USAID mission in Mali. The exchange visit concluded in ICRISAT-Samanko station with a wrap-up session with Dr Farid Waliyar, ICRISAT’s Director for West and Central Africa. g

Participants from Ghana during a field visit to a farmer’s hybrid sorghum plot in Namposela village.

A wrap-up session in progress with the Africa Rising Coordination Team at ICRISAT-Samanko station.

EMRC AgriBusiness Forum 2013 held in RwandaThe EMRC AgriBusiness Forum 2013 was held in Kigali, Rwanda on 6-9 October. Representing ICRISAT at the event, Mr SM Karuppanchetty, COO, AIP-ICRISAT, spoke on the best practices and lessons in agribusiness incubation during a workshop on Agribusiness Incubation. The Elevator Pitch competition for UniBRAIN-supported agribusiness incubators from the Agri-Business Incubation Trust (AgBIT), Zambia; the Consortium for enhancing University Responsiveness to Agribusiness Development Limited (CURAD); and Afri Banana Products (ABP) Ltd from Uganda, revealed exciting prospects for collaboration and investment in African agribusiness and sparked animated discussions.

The competition focusing on “The Agri-Food Sector: A Catalyst for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth in Africa”, was led by Mr Alex Ariho, Facility Coordinator for the Universities, Business and Research in Agricultural Innovation (UniBRAIN); Mr SM Karuppanchetty; Mr Steve Giddings, Regional Facilitator, Africa-Infodev-World Bank, South Africa; and Dr Pia Chuzu, Programme Officer at FARA.

The Best Elevator Pitch Award went to Mr Denise Kasule of Sermalina Beverages Limited, an agribusiness start-up under CURAD incubator and Ms Priscilla Mtopa, Director, Ronipam, an agribusiness start-up under AgBIT incubator. g

Photos: A Diama, ICRISAT


4th Annual Global Workshop for assessing future climate change impacts on agriculture

The Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) has been

developing new methods for assessing future climate change impacts on agriculture and improving agricultural models. The 4th Annual Global Workshop of AgMIP held at Columbia University in New York from 28-30 October was yet another opportunity to involve the global community of scientists to focus on linking climate, crop, and economic modelling techniques and communities with cutting-edge information technology to improve crop and economic models and climate impact projections for agricultural systems.

Participants at the workshop reviewed the project’s progress to date, set activities for the coming years and discussed the way forward. Workshop breakout sessions were conducted to develop plans for the next-generation models, data, and decision support systems needed for assessing climate impacts on agriculture, adaptation methods, and for sustainable intensification. The sessions focused on the way forward with the goal of advancing a strategy for coordinated regional and global assessments that contribute to global food security.

Dr Dileepkumar Guntuku, Global Leader, Knowledge Sharing and Innovation (KSI) and coordinator for

ICRISAT South-South Initiatives, who is leading the South Asia AgMIP Coordination Research Team, made a presentation on “Integrated Regional Assessment-South Asia” and took part in the poster presentations.

Also representing ICRISAT at the event were Dr Cynthia Bantilan, Research Program Director – Markets, Institutions and Policies; Dr S Nedumaran, Scientist – Economics; Dr Lieven Claessens, Principal Scientist – Natural Resources (Water and Soils), Dr KPC Rao, Principal Scientist; and Dr Andre van Rooyen, Senior Scientist (Crop Livestock) and ICRISAT’s Country Representative in Zimbabwe. g

Dr D Guntuku presenting results of the Integrated Regional Assessment-South Asia Projects.

Strengthening phenotyping for foliar diseases in groundnut in West Africa

A three-day Groundnut Diseases Training Workshop was held on 21-23 October at ICRISAT’s Samanko

Research Station in Mali to enhance the research capacity of partner National Agricultural Research Institutions (NARIs) in West Africa to screen for resistance to Early and Late Leaf Spot diseases.

Fourteen scientists from partner NARIs were given hands-on training in phenotyping approaches for the key groundnut diseases at the workshop conducted by ICRISAT’s West Africa Grain Legumes team, under the auspices of the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes, together with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-supported Tropical Legumes II project.

Participants represented target countries of the Research Program – Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal – where groundnut production

has been a priority. The meeting also discussed future strategies and plans for 2014 for groundnut pathology. The course was facilitated by Dr Moses Osiru, Senior Scientist, Legume/Cereal Pathology (Grain Legumes/Dryland Cereals), ICRISAT. g

Participants of the workshop.

Photo: L Shari , AgMIP

Photo: O Moses, ICRISAT


Groundnut value chain and gender stakeholder workshop held in eastern Zambia

ICRISAT Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) in collaboration with

Eastern Province Farmers’ Cooperative organized a two-day stakeholder workshop on groundnut value chain and gender in the first week of November in Eastern Zambia. The meeting conducted for various actors along the value chains covering both public and private sectors, focused on delineating the gender disaggregated value chains of groundnut-based products and identifying gender sensitive value chain promotion strategies in the region.

The program included sessions on: mapping the groundnut value

Participants of the groundnut value chain and gender stakeholder workshop held in Eastern Zambia.

small-scale machinery was identified as one of the key options that could alleviate women farmers’ labor burden during harvest, especially after hand shelling. The scaling up of peanut butter and cooking oil processing was selected as another key promotion area that would involve actions primarily by Community Market for Conservation, micro-scale processors, and Chipata Women’s Development Association.

Following the workshop, ICRISAT scientists visited a factory of Afri-Nut in Lilongwe to understand groundnut post-harvest processing in the region. Hans Schonenberger (Managing Director) and Lisbon Qoma (Operations Manager) briefed the team on Afri-Nut’s management and operation practices.

The activity is part of the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets. g

ICRISAT to host the 20th ASPA Annual conference in 2016

ICRISAT will host the 20th Asian Science Park Association (ASPA) Annual Conference in

Hyderabad in 2016. This was confirmed by Director General William D. Dar to the ASPA Board represented by Chairperson Dr Jong Hyun Lee.

The conference will provide Science and Technology Parks (STPs) in India with an opportunity to network

with the global community of STPs and promote cross-country linkages, thereby allowing Indian entrepreneurs to explore global market linkages and strengthen technologies beyond the national borders. ASPA is an international nongovernmental organization established in Japan in 1997 to enable joint developments in the areas of scientific technology, industry and economy in Asia. g

chain; gender in value chains; women farmers’ discussion; visioning for the value chain, identifying, upgrading strategies, and implications for gender; how to include women in these strategies; and next steps. The sessions involved intensive focus group work to achieve value chain specific consensus which was then shared and reviewed.

Four value chains (seed, grain, cooking oil with cake as by-product, and peanut butter) were identified and the participants were divided into relevant groups. Grain is by far the largest chain in terms of traded volume. In relation to the grain value chain, the existence of marginalized smallholder subsistence-based growers without decent access to markets was also noted and discussed.

During a discussion on value chain upgrading options, the development and dissemination of on-farm

Photo: ICRISAT


Research Program Director, Dryland Cereals, visits Alupe station

Dr Stefania Grando, Research Program Director, Dryland Cereals, visited the ICRISAT station

housed at KARI-Alupe, Kenya, on 28-29 October. During her visit, she met Mr Lazarus Kisuya from the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) who detailed the history of KARI-Alupe and explained the effective collaboration with ICRISAT from 1982 to date. He appreciated ICRISAT’s contribution to the station, which includes the introduction of germplasm of different crops, variety and technology testing and capacity building. He underlined the need for an irrigation system at the facility.

Together with Dr Henry Ojulong, Scientist - Breeding, Dr Grando visited the on-station sorghum and finger

millet trials and saw the on-farm activities conducted by ICRISAT and the Ministry of Agriculture, where village level demonstration farms are being used as a teaching and dissemination tool for new technologies to the farming community.

Dr Grando also met farmers of the HOPE project who have been trained in the whole finger millet value chain. Aremit Upendo and Muhula women groups in Busia County and Wamama Tuamue group in Siaya County shared their experiences and suggestions on how to improve finger millet production and farmer access to markets. The HOPE project has been providing farmers with tarpaulins as they lack the appropriate post-harvest equipment which is a major constraint to the production of clean grain. g

WelcomeDr M Vetriventhan, an Indian national, joined on 11 November, as Scientist (Genetic Resources), Research Program – Grain Legumes. He has a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, India. Before

Mr Sreeram Banda, an Indian national, joined as Writer/Editor - Strategic Marketing and Communication, on 1 November. He has a Master’s degree in International Journalism from Cardiff University, UK. Before joining

joining ICRISAT, he was Scientist, Plant Breeding, at the Directorate of Seed Research, Uttar Pradesh, India, working on molecular mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) for bruchids resistance in chickpea. Vetriventhan was a Research Scholar at ICRISAT, Patancheru, between 2009 and 2011.

ICRISAT, he worked as a journalist for Deccan Chronicle, NDTV, International Business Times and Orissa Post.

We welcome Vetriventhan and Sreeram to Team ICRISAT.

Dr Grando being briefed about the activities of a women’s group by a member.

Members from Muhula women’s group receiving a tarpaulin from HOPE project.

Photo: D Otwani, ICRISAT Photo: H Ojulong, ICRISAT

ICRISAT is a member of the CGIAR Consortium

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gICRISAT-Liaison OfficeCG Centers BlockNASC ComplexDev Prakash Shastri MargNew Delhi 110 012, IndiaTel +91 11 32472306 to 08

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071, 067, 057

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Science with a human face

ICRISAT-Addis AbabaC/o ILRI Campus, PO Box 5689 Addis Ababa, EthiopiaTel: +251-11 617 2541

ICRISAT, AVRDC and International School of Hyderabad jointly observe World Diabetes DayWorld Diabetes Day on 14 November was jointly observed by ICRISAT headquarters and AVRDC Regional office staff and the teachers and students of the International School of Hyderabad with a walk from the front gate to the main office area to raise awareness on the disease. A free blood sugar screening camp was attended by over 330 staff members and

Visitors’ log11 November: Thirty students from Ideal Degree College, Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad.12 November: One hundred and fifteen students from St Marks Boys Town High School, Jahanuma, Hyderabad; and 43 students of agriculture from ANGRAU.13 November: Mr Alex Ariho, Coordinator of UniBRAIN, Ghana.14 November: Sixty students from MNR Degree College, Kukatpally, Hyderabad.

sponsored by Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals.

Speaking at the event, Director General William D. Dar, said, “We need to maintain a balanced diet to prevent diabetes and this will propel us to higher levels of productivity”.

Photo: PS Rao, ICRISAT

The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC) distributed vegetable seed samples to all participants. Dr Warwick Easdown, AVRDC Regional Head, explained the benefits of kitchen gardens and stressed on the need for a healthy diet. g

Workshop on Application of Genetic Engineering in Grain Legumes and its Translation from 18 NovemberThe Genetic Transformation Laboratory will be hosting an international workshop on “Application of Genetic Engineering in Grain Legumes and its Translation” on 18-27 November for scientists and researchers from Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The workshop will emphasize the need to create awareness on biosafety & regulatory compliance

besides addressing critical areas such as IP management, seed systems, partnerships etc. towards translation of transgenic product concepts. The workshop will have a combination of lectures, laboratory demonstrations, hands-on training and facility visits. The activity will be undertaken as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Grain Legumes.

http://www.thegatesnotes.com/Topics/Development/Visiting-ICRISAT-Agricultural-Research-Center

Documents

ICRISAT Happenings 1597 (15 Nov 2013)