Fruit Research at icipe

Sunday EkesiAfrican 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

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

AfricanFruitFlyInitiative(Reseau Africain de la Mouche de Fruits)

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

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

Link farmers to market & processing information

Mango IPM

BMZ: 2007-2010

Top right: Bactrocera invadens

Top left: Sternochetus mangiferae

Down: Rastrococcus iceryoides

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!