Developing a clean seed delivery system for cassava and sweetpotato in Kenya

By Dr. Ruth AmataKenya Agricultural Research Institute

First Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific ConferenceUnited Nations Conference Centre (UNCC-ECA)

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25-27 February 2013

Participants

• Ruth Amata - KARI• Elijah Ateka-JKUAT• Kasina Muo - KARI• Kuyia Joan-Ministry of

Agriculture• Sila Martha-Ministry of

Agriculture• Momanyi Violet- KARI• Githunguri Cyrus-KARI• Wangai Ann - KARI• Miano Douglas – KARI• Mamati Edward-JKUAT• Omari Jane -NCST

• Githiri Mwangi-JKUAT• Kamau Joseph-EAPP• Ndolo Phillip-KARI• Obiero Hannington-KARI• Mwaniki Shelmith-KARI• Kagondu Abed-KEPHIS• Kihurani Agnes-JKUAT• Agili Samuel-CIP• Odero Benard-CRS• Mbugua Edward-GTIL• Atuncha H-JKUAT• Farmers

Introduction• Cassava and sweetpotato - propagated through stems and vines

• Major challenge - lack of an effective system for availing clean planting materials to farmers

• Major viral diseases - Sweet potato virus disease, cassava brown streak and cassava mosaic virus diseases (transmitted through infected plant material and cause losses of up to 70%)

• Over 98% of planting materials are disseminated through farmer to farmer exchange and sale of cuttings in local markets

• Hence the need to develop an effective model for clean seed for these 2 crops

Methodology

• Stakeholder interactive discussions held at workshops (KARI Kabete - November 2011 / 2012)

• Participants - from different cassava and sweetpotato value chain levels

• Technology developers, producers, processors, consumers and regulators

Methodology

• Participants - randomly assigned to 3 groups

• Review of existing tuber crop seed production and distribution systems

• Constraints and opportunities identified

• Participants proposed 3 models from which 1 hybrid model was developed

Opportunities for a clean seed system

• Capacity in disease screening technologies

• Private sector laboratories - already involved in multiplication - (Tissue culture)

• Policy review for the 2 crops is underway (Goodwill from the government)

• Credit is available for commercialization of clean seed production for cassava and sweet potato

Challenges for a clean seed system

• Lack of appropriate policies to enable clean seed certification process and enforcement of quarantine measures

• Lack of standards / thresholds to guide and enhance the certification process

• lack of awareness of implication of using infected material versus clean material

Figure 1. Model proposed by Group 1 participants at the cassava/sweetpotato clean seed workshop held at KARI

Kabete on 3rd May 2012.

Figure 2. Model proposed by Group 2 participants at the cassava/sweetpotato clean seed workshop held at KARI

Kabete on 3rd May 2012.

Screening/Pre-testing for diseases

Mass Multiplication of tested material to get

cutting/vines

Cleaning

Confirmatory Testing for diseases

Multiplication of tested/clean material =

Starter/Breeder material

Farmers getting cuttings, vines or TC

material

Mass Multiplication of tested material by TC

Germplasm Collection & ConservationNARS, KEPHIS

NARS, KEPHIS

NARS, KEPHIS

NARS, KEPHIS, GTIL, MoA - ATCs Farmers/Farmer Groups

Infected material

Only Clean material

Figure 3. Model proposed by Group 3 participants at the cassava/sweetpotato clean seed workshop held at KARI Kabete on 3rd

May 2012.

Pre-testing

Elite lines/Consumer preferred varieties

Cleaning & Confirmation testing

TC

Mass multiplication

Breeder’s seed

TC

Multiplication of breeder’s seed to

get cuttings

Multiplication of breeder’s seed (TC) for further multiplication to

get cuttings

Farmers getting TC plantlets or cuttings

for planting

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PHASE

COMMERCIAL PHASE

NARS, KEPHIS, CGIAR

KARI, Regulators, Seed merchants,

Figure 4. Hybrid Model agreed upon by participants at the cassava / sweet potato clean seed workshop held at KARI Kabete on 3rd May 2012.

Cleaning and confirmation testing

Thermotherapy / cryotherapy

Testing and Cleaning

NAR’s , KEPHIS

Primary multiplication of tested/clean material = Starter/Breeder material (Tissue culture/screenhouses)

Secondary Multiplication isolated fields(Starter/Breeder material )

Tertiary Multiplication in isolated fields

Multiplication

NAR’s, KEPHIS, MoA,

Private sector

Farmers getting cuttings, vines or tissue culture material

Pre-testing of elite /consumer preferred material for diseases

Supply

NARS, KEPHIS, Private sector, MoA, Farmers / Farmer groups

Indexing

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PHASE

COMMERCIAL PHASE

Implementation of the cassava/sweetpotato clean seed model

Testing and cleaning Players; KARI Njoro / KEPHIS

Primary multiplication Players; • Genetics Technology

International Limited (GTIL)• KEPHIS

Implementation of the cassava/sweetpotato clean seed model

Secondary multiplication;• GTIL; Farmer groups-

Mutomo farmers group (2 CBO’s-Eastern; Western)

• KEPHIS

Tertiary multiplication;• 5 individual farmer

multipliers - Rift Valley(1); Eastern-2; Western:1

• KEPHIS

Way forward

• Conduct cost analysis of the seed model

• Sensitize farmers on the need for clean planting material

• Lobby the Government for policies to enhance clean seed certification for cassava and sweetpotato

Acknowledgement

• SIDA/Bioinnovate program -Financial support• KARI- Administrative and technical support

• Collaborators/partners