AFRICANS ARE SOLUTION TO AFRICAN PROBLEMS: Alabi Olushola invented Potato Power - a way of generating electricity with potatoes

As the power failure in the country continues maybe as a result of the vandalism on power cables and oil pipelines by alleged Niger Delta militants,  a Nigerian man with no form of university education, may have found a solution for his household.

 

In a video clip released online, BattaBox presenter, Adeola spoke to Alabi Olushola who invented Potato Power - a way of generating electricity with potatoes, and asked him to explain how he invented his incredible idea, what he uses it for and how it is done.

 

Alabi said: “I know when you add positive and negative, it’s going to give you light… I don’t pay NEPA bill at home,” he said, adding that he has been working on this project for about six years and got his invention to work this year. 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch the video here and share!

Banana & Plantain Farming

Banana & Plantain

(Musa acuminata & balbisiana hybrids)

‘Matoke’ or East African Highland Banana

Banana and plantain are perennial crops that take the appearance of trees as they mature. Diverse cultivars are grown. Musa are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia but their introduction into Africa is unclear.
Throughout history Musa has provided humans with food, medicine, clothing, tools, shelter, furniture, paper, and handicrafts. It could be termed the "first fruit crop" as its cultivation originated during a time when hunting and gathering were still the principal means of acquiring food.


Musa are rich in vitamin C, B6, minerals and dietary fibre. They are also a rich energy source, with carbohydrates accounting for 22% and 32% of fruit weight for banana and plantain, respectively.

Banana
Bananas are cultivated in nearly all tropical regions of the world. Of particular importance to Africa is the East African Highland Banana (EAHB) which is a staple starchy food for 80 million people and important source of income. There are 120 EAHB varieties in Uganda alone that are not found anywhere else in the world.

Plantain
Plantain resemble banana but are longer in length, have a thicker skin, and contain more starch. They are also a major staple food in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. They are usually cooked and not eaten raw unless they are very ripe. Plantains are more important in the humid lowlands of West and Central Africa. One hundred or more different varieties of plantain grow deep in the African rainforests.

Importance
Banana and plantain are important staple foods in many developing countries, especially in Africa. Of the numerous edible varieties, the EAHB accounts for 17% of the types of Musa grown worldwide, and plantain accounts for another 19%. They provide food security and income for small-scale farmers who represent the majority of producers. Only about 15% of the global banana and plantain production is involved in international trade; most production is consumed domestically.
Banana starch, flour, and chips are processed banana products whose markets are yet to be fully developed.

Production
More than 100 million tons of banana and plantain were produced worldwide in 2007 according to FAO estimates.
Banana are grown in nearly 130 countries. Uganda is the largest producer of banana and plantain in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), followed by Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon.
Banana and plantain are cultivated in a wide variety of environments. Plants produce fruit year round, can produce for up to one hundred years and are suitable for intercropping. Vegetative propagation is necessary because they rarely produce seeds and those are not true to variety.

Harvesting
In 2007 more than 9.9 million hectares of banana and plantain were harvested worldwide. Where marketed across longer distances, post-harvest plantain losses are heavy due to poor handling and transport conditions and inadequate market access routes.

Consumption
Africans annually consume 21 kg of banana and plantain per capita, but Ugandans consume 191 kg per year, or more than half of one kg per day. In fact, Ugandans use the same word for food as the name of the local banana dish matooke. Four African countries have the highest per capita consumption of banana/plantain in the world, with Uganda having the highest.

Pest and disease incidence
Black Sigatoka disease is considered the most economically important disease of banana worldwide, causing typical yield losses up to 50%. The fungus grows on the leaves producing dark spots and causes the fruits to ripen prematurely. Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) attacks almost all varieties of Musa, destroying the fruits and devastating the crop. It was first identified in Ethiopia in the 1970s, but spread rapidly to other parts of the Great Lakes region after reaching Uganda in 2001. Fusarium wilt has had a huge impact on the world banana trade and is found in every banana/plantain producing area. It is spread through corms used for planting.
The major banana and plantain pests are the burrowing nematode and the banana weevil. Nematode species attack the plant's roots, resulting in whole plant toppling or reduced yield. The banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus, attacks the plant's underground corm, weakening the plant and causing stem breakage.

IITA's research and impact
IITA scientists have developed and introduced high yielding, disease- and pest-resistant varieties with durable fruit quality. Various institutions have adopted IITA's different Musa breeding schemes.
IITA has also developed and is promoting hot water treatment to rid plants of nematodes and to produce clean planting materials. Another important control tactic is the use of nematode-antagonistic plants that inhibit nematode reproduction. To combat BXW, IITA is collaborating with partners internationally to develop reliable and cost effective diagnostic tools. Also, a genetic transformation system developed and optimized at IITA can be used to produce BXW-resistant varieties of banana.
IITA has successfully identified variations within the Black Sigatoka species in Africa and the possibility to design new diagnostic tools. Such tools would enhance the capacity of subsequent projects in selected countries in SSA.

Source: IITA 

Cassava Farming

Cassava

(Manihot esculenta)

Cassava is a perennial woody shrub with an edible root, which grows in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Cassava originated from tropical America and was first introduced into Africa in the Congo basin by the Portuguese around 1558. Today, it is a dietary staple in much of tropical Africa.
It is rich in carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins B and C, and essential minerals. However, nutrient composition differs according to variety and age of the harvested crop, and soil conditions, climate, and other environmental factors during cultivation.

Importance
In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) cassava is mainly a subsistence crop grown for food by small-scale farmers who sell the surplus. It grows well in poor soils with limited labor requirements. It provides food security during conflicts when the invader cannot easily destroy or remove the crop, since it conveniently grows underground. Cassava is usually intercropped with vegetables, plantation crops (such as coconut, oil palm, and coffee), yam, sweet potato, melon, maize, rice, groundnut, or other legumes. The application of fertilizer remains limited among small-scale farmers due to the high cost and lack of availability. Roots can be harvested between 6 months and 3 years after planting.
Apart from food, cassava is very versatile and its derivatives and starch are applicable in many types of products such as foods, confectionery, sweeteners, glues, plywood, textiles, paper, biodegradable products, monosodium glutamate, and drugs. Cassava chips and pellets are used in animal feed and alcohol production.



Production
More than 228 million tons of cassava were produced worldwide in 2007, of which Africa accounted for 52%. In 2007, Nigeria produced 46 million tons making it the world's largest producer. According to 2002 FAO estimates, Africa exports only one ton of cassava annually.
Cassava production depends on a supply of quality stem cuttings. The multiplication rate of planting materials is very low compared to grain crops, which are propagated by true seeds. In addition, cassava stem cuttings are bulky and highly perishable as they dry up within a few days.

Harvesting
Nineteen million hectares of cassava were planted worldwide in 2007, with about 63% in Africa. Cassava requires less labor than all other staple crops (21% in working days as compared to maize, yam and rice). However, it requires considerable postharvest labor because the roots are highly perishable and must be processed into a storable form soon after harvest. Roots can be harvested between six months and three years after planting.
Many varieties contain a substance called cyanide that can make the crop toxic if inadequately processed. Various processing methods, such as grating, sun drying, and fermenting, are used to reduce the cyanide content.

Consumption
Nearly every person in Africa eats around 80 kilograms of cassava per year. It is estimated that 37% of dietary energy comes from cassava. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest consumer of cassava in SSA, followed by Nigeria.
Disease and constraints
The major pests of cassava in SSA are the cassava green mite and the variegated grasshopper. The main diseases affecting cassava are cassava mosaic disease (CMD), cassava bacterial blight, cassava anthracnose disease, and root rot. CMD alone accounted for an estimated 47% of East and Central Africa's cassava production losses during a serious outbreak beginning in the early 1990's until 2006. Pests, disease and poor cultivation practices combined can cause yield losses as high as 50% in all of Africa.

IITA's research and impact

IITA scientists have played a leading role in developing improved cassava varieties which are disease- and pest-resistant, low in cyanide content, drought-resistant, early maturing, and high yielding. Disease-resistant varieties give sustainable yields of about 50% more than local varieties. Distribution of CMD-resistant varieties in response to the CMD outbreak in East and Central Africa resulted in production levels recovering to pre-epidemic levels in less than five years. Improved cassava varieties are now used in most cassava-growing countries in SSA.
IITA's biological control program resulted in a 95% reduction in cassava mealybug damage and a 50% reduction in damage caused by the cassava green mite.
Post-harvest strategies include the development of effective and simple machines and tools that reduce processing time and labor, and production losses. With these machines, losses can be reduced by 50% and labor by 75%.
During the past three decades, IITA has trained more than 9000 researchers and technicians in ten African countries in processing and in new uses for high quality cassava flour (HQCF). As a result, the private sector in Madagascar, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda have begun using HQCF as a raw material for processing secondary products such as biscuits and noodles.

Source: IITA

Yam: Importance, production, Havesting, consumption and impact

Yam

(Dioscorea species)

Yams are starchy staples in the form of large tubers produced by annual and perennial vines grown in Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, South Pacific and Asia. There are hundreds of wild and domesticated Dioscorea species. White Guinea yam, D. rotundata, is the most important species especially in the dominant yam production zone in West and Central Africa. It is indigenous to West Africa, as is the Yellow yam, D. cayenensis. Water yam, D. alata, the second most cultivated species, originated from Asia and is the most widely distributed species in the world.

Importance
Yams are primary agricultural commodities and major staple crops in Africa, where yam cultivation began 11,000 years ago. In West Africa they are major sources of income and have high cultural value. They are used in fertility and marriage ceremonies, and a festival is held annually to celebrate its harvest.
Consumer demand for yam is generally very high in this sub-region and yam cultivation is very profitable despite high production costs.

Production
Worldwide yam production in 2007 amounted to 52 million tons, of which Africa produced 96%. Most of the world's production comes from West Africa representing 94%, with Nigeria alone producing 71%, equalling more than 37 million tons. African countries imported more than 2,000 tons in 2002, and exported 15,500, of which Nigeria exported 12%.
Yam production is declining in some traditional producing areas due to declining soil fertility, increasing pest pressures and the high cost of labor. Smallholders therefore need access to innovations to reduce labor and improve productivity.
Yams are grown by planting pieces of tuber, or small whole tubers (‘seed yams') saved from the previous season. Small-scale farmers, the majority of producers, often intercrop yams with cereals and vegetables.
The major pests that affect yams include insects such as leaf and tuber beetles, mealy bugs, and scales; parasitic nematodes; fungi causing anthracnose, leaf spot, leaf blight, and tuber rot; and viruses, especially the yam mosaic virus (YMV).

Harvesting
In terms of area harvested, 4.6 million hectares were planted worldwide in 2007, with about 4.3 million in Central and West Africa.
In West and Central Africa tubers are planted between February and April, depending on whether in humid forest or on the savanna, and are harvested 180 to 270 days later. Care is needed during harvesting to minimize damage to tubers that lead to rot and a decrease in market value. Harvested tubers normally stay dormant (do not develop sprouts) for 30 to 120 days depending on environmental conditions, the date of harvest, and the species. This means that only one crop cycle is possible per year, possibly restricting supply.

Consumption
Yam tubers consist of about 21% dietary fiber and are rich in carbohydrates, vitamin C and essential minerals. Worldwide annual consumption of yams is 18 million tons, with 15 million in West Africa. Annual consumption in West Africa is 61 kilograms per capita. Yams are boiled, roasted, baked or fried. In Africa they are also mashed into a sticky paste or dough after boiling.

IITA's research and impact
IITA’s objectives are to develop new varieties of yams with desired agronomic and quality traits (e.g., high and stable yields and reduced labor requirements) and improve yam-based cropping systems.
IITA scientists have made progress in finding and analyzing the genetics of yam resistance to anthracnose and viral diseases. The sources of resistance have been used to develop improved varieties, which have been delivered to research partners.
We are increasing our efforts in developing and applying molecular markers for genetic improvement. We use state-of-the art techniques in tissue culture to eliminate pathogens, principally viruses, from samples planned for international distribution. Ongoing research includes improving protocols for rapid field propagation using vine cuttings.
In food science and technology we conduct research to improve the understanding of the relationships between physical and chemical properties of yams and the range and quality of processed yam products. Our current work also includes screening new variety samples and yam food products for their retention of micronutrients such as carotenoids, iron, and zinc, ascorbic acid, tannins, and phytic acid.
Our social scientists assess the financial viability and adoption potential of the technologies being developed. They are also working towards a better understanding of markets and demand for yams and yam products.

Source: IITA

Apply: IBPLC Kickstart Programme for Nigerian Entrepreneurs 2016

SABMiller/International Breweries PLC Kickstart, is a corporate social investment (CSI) initiative run by its subsidiary IB PLC Foundation. It is aimed at instilling a culture of entrepreneurship among youth in the South Western Nigeria by encouraging them to develop their big ideas into sustainable businesses or expand their existing businesses through the provision of material and financial support which include:

• Business development skill training
• Business mentoring and coaching
• Provision of grant for business start-up and or expansion

First launched in South Africa in 1995 by SABMiller, the major Shareholder of IB PLC, Ilesha as a poverty alleviation initiative, the programme has also been implemented in Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Tanzania. The International Breweries Foundation Kickstart programme is open only to Nigerians from 18 to 35 who live or have their business within the South Western region.
The programme run by IB PLC Foundation, insist that the ultimate goal of the programme is to help build a young prosperous society by helping to create a culture of entrepreneurship among the youths, thereby reducing youth unemployment in the South West. The KickStart programme is one major initiative that would turn around the lives of youths in the area and improve the economic prosperity of the South West.
The second Season of the programme is here and promises to be much more exciting, empowering and rewarding.

ELIGIBILITY

• The competition is open ONLY to South Westerners of 18 to 35 years who live or have their business within the South Western region.
• Applicants must be at least 18 and at most 35 years with valid identification (e.g National I.D; Drivers Licence; International Passport; Voters Registration, etc.) as at the last day of the application period.
• He or she must be willing to operate the business on a full-time basis.
• Have an innovative business idea in need of a start-up capital.
• Or already have an existing small businesses needing capital to expand operations.
• Energetic and entrepreneurial in approach.
• Must be able to read and write.

PROGRAMME PHASES.

APPLICATION:
Application Closes at 23:59 hours on September 7th, 2016.
Interested individuals should download the application form here
Download Form

Applicants can also fill the form online
Online form
Alternative applicants can pick up hard copies at three places namely;

• International Breweries PLC, Lawerence Omole Way, Omi Asaro, Ilesha, Osun State.
• International Breweries PLC, Head Office, 22/36 Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
• International Breweries Depot, Beside PZ Cussons, Off NIPCO Petrol Station, Along Challenge, Iwo Expressway, Sanyo Area, Ibadan – Oyo State.

Form submission can be made at these various designated centres and partners’ offices across the region. All forms must be filled, signed and submitted at the following centers:

• International Breweries PLC, Lawerence Omole Way, Omi Asaro, Ilesha, Osun State.
• International Breweries PLC, Head Office, 22/36 Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
• International Breweries Depot, Beside PZ Cussons, Off NIPCO Petrol Station, Along Challenge, Iwo Expressway, Sanyo Area, Ibadan – Oyo State.
• International Breweries PLC, Lawerence Omole Way, Omi Asaro, Ilesha, Osun State.
• International Breweries PLC, Head Office, 23/26 Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.
• International Breweries Depot, Beside PZ Cussons, Off NIPCO Petrol Station, Along Challenge, Iwo Expressway, Sanyo Area, Ibadan – Oyo State.
• J. Ogungbola: Odo Aro Area, Along Ogbomosho Road, Oyo state.
• Enikem Nigeria Limited: Plot 2, Olabisi Onobanjo way, FMC, Idi Aba, Abeokuta – Ogun State.
• Oriky Stores: No 15, St Michael Secondary School Road, Ijoka, Akure – Ondo State.
• J.K. Adeyemo: Irona Street, Ado Ekiti – Ekiti State.

Basic requirements are contained in the application section.

SHORT LISTING:

A number of top entries will be selected based on the merit and quality of their business case by a team of seasoned judges. Each form will be scored against the “Screening Sheet”. The sheet will be used to grade and rank all submitted application form, the score gotten from the submission will be debated upon by the judges to ensure alignment and common ratings. For clarity of purpose and fairness to all applicants, the Screening sheet is an internal document. Scores are not shared externally.

TRAINING PROGRAMME:

Successful applicants will then undergo an intensive business training sessions for one (1) week.
The modules for the training will include:

• Human Resources
• Business Plan Writing
• Book Keeping
• Income Statements

At the end of the training, applicants will be given one month to write the final competing business plan which will be submitted in person at the Head Office in Ilesha, Osun State.

FINAL SELECTION:

• Each judge is given a copy of each submission document for review.
• Judges convene to interview applicants on their business plans.
• Business plan and interviews for each applicant are rated and scores aggregated to determine winners (Kickstart Finalists).
• The outcome of the judges’ decision remains confidential until the Awards Ceremony and Grant Presentation.
• The decision of the judges is final and cannot be contested.

KICKSTART AWARDS:

This will be the grand event and winners will be announced and presented with their prizes. It will be a high profile event with government functionaries and business persons in attendance.

MENTORING & MONITORING:

The awardees will have access to carefully selected expert assistance through mentorship and coaching for the period of a year. The Kickstart Finalists are under the obligation to observe and implement the advice as tendered by the mentors. There will be monthly update on the progress made and business performance which will be shared with the Foundation and IB PLC Management.

Application Closes at 23:59 hours on September 7th, 2016.

IITA and Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology cement their partnership on agriculture research

From left: Prof Burton Mwamila and Dr Ylva Hilbur, signing an agreement on banana research at the university campus in Arusha, Tanzania.

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the pan-African NelsonMandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST)  have further strengthened their collaboration on agriculture research and capacity building in Tanzania by signing an agreement on banana research.

This agreement,  which spells out how the two institutions will work together to tackle the challenges facing banana production in the country,  was recently signed by the IITA Deputy Director General for Research, Dr Ylva Hilbur, and the NM-AIST Vice Chancellor, Prof Burton Mwamila, at a ceremony at the university campus in Arusha, Tanzania.

  Dr Ylva Hilbur, signing the research agreement  

According to the agreement, NM-AIST will avail land to IITA land to conduct banana breeding to develop improved varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases and especially Panama disease (Fusarium) which is devastating banana in the region, and office space for use by the institute’s staff.   

It will also give the institute access to its laboratories and screen houses to conduct banana research.

IITA on its part will provide funds to remodel and refurbish the molecular and tissue culture laboratories including purchasing additional equipment. The institute will also construct a seed extractor and a banana ripening chamber at the university. All these facilities will be open to both the staff and students of the university. 

Prof Mwamila perusing agreement before signing it.

The institute further pledged to conduct training for the staff and students at the university in areas of banana breeding, tissue culture, pest and diseases, and molecular biology among others.

Speaking at the agreement signing event, Prof Mwamila said that the university aspired to become a world-class institution dedicated to the pursuit and promotion of excellence in Science Engineering and Technology (SET) and their applications for economic growth and sustainable development in the region by training and developing world class African scientists and engineers.

He therefore noted that the collaboration with an international agriculture research center such as IITA would be very beneficial towards this end. He further said IITA would support the institute to translate research results into tangible products and policy briefs to enable wealth creation and sustainable development.

On her part, Dr Hilbur who is based at the institute’s headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria, noted that there were numerous opportunities for IITA to collaborate with NM-AIST in research and in training agriculture researchers.

Group photo: IITA and NM-AIST teams at the event

‘Building capacity of researchers in Africa is a very important component of our work at  IITA. This agreement strengthens our already good collaboration with the university and we are looking forward  to even more collaboration in the future to support the development of the agriculture sector in the country and the region,’ she said. 

Currently the two institutes are collaborating on research on banana through a project funded by the Flemish Interuniversity Council, on nitrogen fixation in beans, and on controlling aflatoxin, a deadly chemical produced by fungi found in crops such as maize and groundnut. 

IITA's Drs Ylva and Baijukya touring the TC lab

The new agreement supplements a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the two institutions last year in which they agreed to conduct joint research projects, share scientific information and materials including genetic material for breeding, organize exchange programs, and jointly supervise postgraduate students.

Prof  Swennen showing the banana field trials.

 

 

Hilbur was accompanied by amog others IITA Director for Eastern Africa Dr Victor Manyong based at its Eastern Africa office in Dar es Salaam, Head of IITA Arusha Office, Prof Bekunda Mateete and Prof Rony Swennen who heads IITA’s banana breeding program based at Arusha. The signing was also witnessed by key staff of the university. 

Source: Posted by Cath Njuguna, IITA

Concentric Circles of Competition by Jim Joseph

Your Business's Competitors Extend Well Past Those With Similar Products

When it comes to marketing your business, attracting customers is more about beating your competitors with the quality of your product over their product. Successful marketing is also about building your brand over their brand. The following exercise called “Concentric Circles of Competition” by Jim Joseph, published on Entrepreneur.com, will help you do that :


The exercise is relatively simple, but the visualization of your competition is incredibly insightful in analyzing your business.

• In the inner most circle, simply list your closest competition: the products that are the most similar and offer the same functional benefits. These are your top-of-mind competitors you face daily.
• In the next circle out, list the competition that is perhaps a little less direct, but still a threat to your product’s success.
• Keep going, layer by layer, listing competitors that are less and less direct. Once you get past the first couple of circles, your competition becomes more about your brand and about the emotional benefits you offer rather than just your products.
• By the time you are outlining the most indirect competition in the outer most circle, these businesses are generally fighting against your brand, challenging what it stands for. You are competing with them on an emotional level, often with little bearing to the product features. (…)

Draw some concentric circles and map out your direct and indirect competition. (…)You’ll see that the threats to your brand are far greater than those to your products, but you may not have ever thought about it that way before. This means your action plans are going to be very different as a result, and perhaps more impactful.

 Source: Entrepreneur.com

African organizations unite to address the threat of a dangerous form of Fusarium wilt of banana

An  African  consortium of international researchers and growers, backed by policymakers in regional blocs of eastern and southern Africa has declared “war” against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4), a highly pathogenic form of the banana Fusarium wilt, previously confined to Asia, but recently introduced to a farm in northern Mozambique.

FoC TR4 (also known as Panama disease) is caused by a fungal strain that can survive for decades in the soil, and once introduced to a country has never been previously eradicated. Production of Cavendish types of banana which dominate export markets, and some other local forms of banana, has been devastated across Asia, no thanks to Foc TR4.

Its introduction to Africa, probably by infected planting material by people, has already had a massive impact on the commercial plantation in Mozambique, and efforts are in place to contain the disease on this farm, to avert further spread and to prepare other African countries against similar incursions, says Dr Fen Beed, Plant Pathologist with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).

To manage the disease outbreak and to prepare African countries reliant on banana for food security and income generation, a stakeholder workshop of the African Consortium for Foc TR4 (AC4TR4) was held in Stellenbosch, South Africa, 23-24 April 2014, on the theme: Development of a Strategy to address the threat of Foc TR4 in Africa. Representatives from the following organization took part: Southern African Development Community (SADC), The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC), Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPO), IITA, Bioversity International, Stellenbosch University, national research organizations, and commercial growers. 

Recommendations from the workshop have now been harmonized. A major output has been “The Stellenbosch Declaration on addressing the threat of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) to banana production in Africa,” convened by SADC and COMESA, signed by member states and endorsing institutions.

This unique Declaration aims to combine forces to curtail the introduction and spread of Foc TR4 in Africa and in particular to achieve the following:

1. Fully develop and implement a continental strategy under the direction of an African Foc TR4 task force to contain the incursion of Foc TR4 in the Nampula   province of  Mozambique and prevent similar incursions elsewhere.

2. Provide and enhance technical capacity on the continent, and to implement and monitor phytosanitary systems, including wider use of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) and other matters concerning plant health to address the threat of Foc TR4 in Africa.   

3. Report and map electronically by means of a web portal any new outbreaks of Foc TR4 in African member states and communicate information on new outbreaks, successful containment, and prevention initiatives.

4. Establish recognition that Foc TR4 is a continental issue that requires coordination and collaboration between  NPPOs, RECs, ICPs, research institutions, universities, governments, and other relevant stakeholders throughout Africa by means of regular meetings and consultations.

5. Develop and apply appropriate diagnostic services, provide training, raise awareness, monitor disease spread, and screen banana germplasm for Foc TR4 resistance for deployment by vulnerable banana growers.

6.   Call  upon    African  and  international organizations to recognize and support the activities of AC4TR4 by investing in research, awareness programs, human capacity, and infrastructure development on the continent.

7. Develop a regional Pest Risk Analysis document and a set of phytosanitary measures to be enforced by member states to prevent the introduction and spread of Foc TR4 and other quarantine pests of banana.  

8. Encourage governments in Africa to formulate the necessary legislation and to implement the required activities to protect the crops of vulnerable farm owners against destructive exotic pests.

 

For more information, please contact: Fen Beed, f.beed@cgiar.org, or Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org