Transcript Document
Fruit Research at icipe
Sunday Ekesi
African fruit fly programme
Interest Group Meeting on High Value Fruits Research, Nairobi, 06.06.07
Fruit Research at icipe – Presentation outline
Background to on-going research activity on fruit
One relevant research activity and gaps to be filled
Relevance to CGIAR System Priorities
Critical need for new collaboration
Potential for funding and strategy
Fruit Research at icipe
Target crops: mango, citrus, banana, papaya & passion fruit
Constraints:
Production system – Insect pests & disease diagnosis, IPM, technology
transfer, Natural Resource Management
Germplasm conservation/ evaluation/ exchange (collection & compilation)
Breeding for preferred end user traits: markers for biotic and abiotic stress
Post harvest handling, storage and processing
Invasion and problems of phytosanitary management
Marketing
Databasing/ information exchange
Fruit Research at icipe
1999-2007: African Fruit Flies Initiative (AFFI) – Donor (IFAD)
- Target crop: Mango, limited activities on citrus, banana, papaya
- Target countries (Core operations: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda)
2007-2010: Mango IPM project – Donor (BMZ)
- Target countries (Benin, Kenya & Tanzania)
Relevant to CGIAR system priority 3A:
- Increasing income from fruits and vegetables
African Fruit Flies Initiative
IFAD: 1999-2007
Accomplishments
Extensive programme network
established (10 African countries)
Food baits and traps developed
for monitoring and suppression
African
Fruit
Fly
Initiative
(Reseau Africain de la Mouche de Fruits)
Entomopathogenic fungi
developed (undergoing
registration)
Exotic parasitoids introduced &
native ones shipped to partners
IPM package (bait, fungus and
orchard sanitation) field tested
Quarantine sensitive tools
developed and disseminated to
NPPOs
Capacity building – training of
PhDs & MScs
Major Research Gaps – AFFI IFAD mango
Other insect pests (outside fruit flies) and disease problems - need for an
IPM approach targeting all pests & diseases
Post harvest treatment, storage, processing technologies and value
addition
Classical biological control targeting invasive pest species
Pilot production facility for bio-pesticides and attractants/baits to meet
large scale application by farmers
Monitoring tools and phytosanitary systems to guard against invasive
pest species, e.g. expanding invasive pest complex on major fruits
Major Research Gaps – AFFI IFAD mango
NRM practices – water and nutrient management requirements, low
cost irrigation technologies
Low supply of improved mango varieties with preferred end use traits
(pest/disease resistance, high yield, non-fibrous, post harvest quality etc)
Linking farmers to market and information systems
Regulatory framework, certification, policy dialogue
Capacity building at various levels of competencies
Awareness campaigns on nutritional values of fruits
Mango IPM
BMZ: 2007-2010
Activities
Elucidate the biology and
ecology of target pests
Assess the role of indigenous
and exotic natural enemies
Develop new technologies
suitable for smallholder
Identified and tested exotic
natural enemies
Assemble, validate and
implement IPM package
Top right: Bactrocera invadens
Top left: Sternochetus mangiferae
Down: Rastrococcus iceryoides
Link farmers to market &
processing information
Critical needs for new collaborative research
Post harvest
Develop parameters, best-bet innovations
Low cost processing, packaging, storing and shipment
Bio-pesticides and attractants/baits for pests
Formulation techniques,
Cost-effective production methods, registration/commercialization
Diseases management
Collaborate with experts in other institutions
Integration of fruits into farming system
Systems agronomists in specialist CGIAR centres
Critical needs for new collaborative research
Market efficiency and entrepreneurial development
Market intelligence & information systems
Smallholder linkages to market
Germplasm conservation/ availability/ exchange/ propagation
Conservation
Priority crops for propagation, stress reaction
Seed/ planting material sanitation and micro-propagation
Irrigation
Low cost technologies, micro-irrigation, fertigation
Need to expand research to citrus, banana, papaya & passion fruit
Funding needs & strategy
Relates largely to research gaps listed earlier
Current traditional donors of icipe:
IFAD, BMZ, USAID
GlobalHort
FAO/WHO Fruits and Vegetable Initiative
USAID Horticulture CRSP
Alignment with CP on HVC
Need to expand operations to other countries
Lessons from the various research activities
There is the need for understanding the synergy between different
development partners – limit undue research fragmentation
Single bullet management approach is inefficient
Interventions should be geared towards compliance with export market
(also help boost domestic urban market)
Standards required for export market increase adoption of new
technologies
Stringent market requirements (certification) threatens smallholders
Certain management packages are expensive for smallholder (need for
local product development)
Lessons from the various research activities
Need to link farmers to marketing channels
Access to improve varieties
Organise farmers into functional working group to help technology diffusion
Poor phytosanitary management skill threatens invasion by alien pests
Need for tools and extension materials to support technology dissemination
Promote awareness on nutritional value of fruits
Thank you!