CONTROL OF ANGULAR LEAF SPOT OF CITRUS IN GHANA

Francis Collison Brentu

University of Ghana

BACKGROUND OF THE CITRUS CONSORTIUM ● In 2011 PAEPARD opened a call for the submission of concept notes

● PPRSD of the MoFA together with University of Ghana submitted a concept notes on Angular leaf spot disease of citrus which was selected ● PAEPARD then organized an inception workshop in Accra to develop a strong partnership around the sweet orange value chain

● Initially, the consortium partners included CIGMAG, PPRSD, University of Ghana (CSD; FOHCREC), Pinora Limited (Citrus processor) and Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarian, Spain (European partner-research actor)

INTERVENTIONS MADE BY FARA● PAEPARD assisted in the formation of citrus consortium in Ghana with funding from the EC

● Trained consortium members in partnership formation both locally and internationally

● Sent consortium members to international write-shops to build capacity of local scientists to write winning proposals and submission of proposals to some calls (AU, ARF and CRF)

● FARA and EC visited Mankranso in 2013 and organized a 2-day citrus stakeholders forum to give exposure to Pseudocercospora leaf and fruit spot (PLFS) of citrus both at the local and International level

Ghana’s Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture at the Forum of awareness creation

about the PLFS

Stakeholders/FARA appreciating the problems of citrus farmers in Mankranso

Dropped Fruits due to PLFS (yield loss 50-100%)

EC delegate Observing diseased fruit

SUPPORT FROM FARA (SSA CP)● Two consortium members were sent to a workshop on Innovation Platform (IP) in Kigali

● A sub grant of $100,000.00 was awarded to the consortium with funding from EC through IFAD to SSA- CP to establish IPs to manage PLFS

● Trained consortium partners on IAR4D and how to set up IP and launched Mankranso, Assin Foso and Kade Citrus Innovation Platforms (CIPs) in Ashanti, Central and Eastern regions respectively ● Partners: CIGMAG, Policy makers, Researchers, Agriculture Extension officers, Agro-input dealers, NGOs, GOs and Processors

ACTIVITIES OF THE CIPs SINCE AUGUST 2014

● 3-Day training of IP stakeholders on IAR4D / how to setup IP in Kumasi, facilitated by FARA

● Launching of IP / selection of four priority constraints for intervention by the platform

● Monthly meeting of IP stakeholders to jointly discuss the priority constraints for intervention

- Jointly source solutions, implement the solution, learn lessons to generate measurable socio-economic benefits alone the citrus value chain

CIPs ACTIVITIES CONT’D

● Conducting research on PLFS / fruit flies and socio-economic effects of PLFS on Ghana’s citrus industry ● Training farmers and extension officers on GAPs

● Citrus value chain analysis / development of business plan

● Strengthening of farmer based organization (CIGMAG)

CONSORTIUM MEMBERS TRAINED IN IAR4D & HOW TO SET UP IP

FACILATATORS: DRS MUGABE AND FATUNBI OF FARA

STAKEHOLDERS PROITIZING CONSTRAINTS OF THE CITRUS INDUSTRY

INAUGURATION OF MANKRANSO CIP

PHOTO AFTER INAUGURATION OF CIP

KEY POLICY MAKERS AT MANKRANSO WITH FARA OFFICIALS

Participants at the launching ceremony in Assin Foso CIP

Participants at the launching of the Kade CIP in the Eastern Region

Section of participants at the CBAS financial management workshop held from 28th – 29th December 2015.

A group picture of participants at the financial management workshop of CBAS held from 28th – 29th December 2015.

Problems which existed before CIPs

Leaves damaged by the disease

Isolation of the causal organism

Pseudocercospora angolensis

Conidia of P. angolensis

Ceratitis dittissima

Bactrocera dorsalis

CITRUS BEING REPLACED BY OIL PALM AS A RESULT OF PLFS

Farmers sell off citrus farms to illegal miners

SOME SUCCESS STORIES OF THE CIPs ● Successfully established three operational innovation platforms in three regions from the Citrus Consortia

● Stakeholders at the CIPs have identified the major constraints in citrus industry

● Extend technologies that were sitting on shelves to farmers in collaboration with NGOs (CABI-Plantwise) and GOs (GIZ), processing companies and developed new technologies

● Made a statement on the floor of Ghana’s Parliament about the PLFS of citrus by the Chairman of sub committee on Agriculture – Hon. Francis Arthur

SUCCESS STORIES CONTINUED ● Strengthening of the farmer based organizations

● Established Farmer Service Gangs as an effective way of controlling PLFS of citrus and other GAPs● Trained 60 sprayers for the three CIPs and provided them with $30,000.00 worth of agro-inputs to manage the disease

And use the money as a revolving fund to sustain the activities of CIPs even after the project

● Restore hope to citrus farmers some of them are making money

● Being able to stop the blame game among stakeholders and cutting down of citrus trees in most areas

● Control the disease using fungicides

● Start spraying at flushing (appearance of new leaves)

● Repeat every four weeks with a maximum of 4 sprays per season

● Established WhatsApp platform to enhance communication among members

Presentation of agro-inputs to the three CIPs

Representative from the Kade CIP receiving items for the project Items presented to the CIP

Representative from the Assin Foso CIP receiving items for the project.

Representative from the Mankranso CIP receiving items for the project.

PLFS controlled field Uncontrolled field

Pimenta Tree with Fruit Fly

Extract of Pimenta dioica captured many insects

Traps and Baits

IMPACT OF THE CIPs• Over 3,000 citrus farmers have adopted the

technology developed nation-wide with support from some stakeholders (GIZ, PINORA Ltd Plantwise-CABI and the National fruit fly Committee)

• Transporters of citrus fruits have also benefited

• Traders (> 70% being women and youth) involved in selling of oranges both local and the sub region

IMPACT OF THE CIPs• Fruit quantity and quality has improved and farmers and processing companies are making money

• Agro-inputs dealers are making money from sales of inputs

• Researchers more publications • Policy makers happy for improvement in the livelihood of the people

Thank you

Acknowledgements