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Transcript of Sess2 4 kaguongo_th1_abs140
Risk of Uncontrolled Importation of Seed Potato from Europe to East and
Central Africa: What are the policy options?
W. Kaguongo, I. Rwomushana, I. Kashaija, S. Ntizo & J. Kabira
NATIONAL POTATO COUNCIL OF KENYA
9th APA Conference held on 30th June- 4th July 2013, at Naivasha, Kenya
Authors
• Wachira Kaguongo• National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK), Nairobi, Kenya
• Ivan Rwomushana• Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), Entebbe, Uganda
• Imelda Kashaija• National Agricultural Research Organization, Entebbe, Uganda
• Semkesha Ntizo• Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB), Kigali, Rwanda
• Jackson Kabira• Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, National Potato Research Centre (KARI‐Tigoni), Nairobi, Kenya
Introduction
• Potato is an imp. food & cash crop in ECA• Its importance continues to rise:
• urbanization, changing eating habits & uptake of processed potato products (chips, crisps).
• widely grown in ECA– ranked among 10 strategic staple crops in the region– ranked 2nd after maize in Kenya
• Mainly grown by smallholders (>90%) with 0.25‐ 5ha
• Over 89 varieties introduced in the region
Introduction cont..
• It is a strategic crop for poverty alleviation• provides income & employment in production to consumption continuum
• it’s potential as food, nutritional & income security crop is yet to be fully exploited
• Yields have declined by 11% until recently– A huge gap exists between on‐farm potato yields, (<10 t/ha) and yields under improved growing circumstances (40‐60 t/ha)
• Over 25t/ ha that can be attained by a progressive farmer under rain fed conditions
• Over 50 t/ha can be attained under intensive farming• Egypt = 26 t/ha, SA =35 t/ha
Key shortcomings in potato subsector
• Poor quality seed is viewed as a major yield‐limiting factor
• certified and disease‐free seed tubers account for <5%• Own‐saved tubers is over 90%
– Past studies indicate that over 70% of farmer fields in region are infected by bacterial wilt
• Past focus has been on high yielding and disease resistance traits
• Lack of processing & heat tolerant varieties• Limited investment in processing industry• Limited market for farmers
Recent Seed Potato Interventions
• Successful interventions in the region– aimed at increasing production, availability & use of high quality seed potatoes in the region
• under NPCK, CIP, MoA, KARI, KENFAP, KENAPOFA • funded by CFC, USAID, GIZ‐PSDA, ASARECA
• Projects technologies & initiatives include: • Rapid seed multiplication techniques (aeroponics, hydroponics)
• Low cost seed multiplication method (Seed‐plot)• Own seed improvement methods‐ Positive/negative seed selection
• Quality declared seed (“Clean” seed)
Intervention limitations
• The success of these interventions is limited by: • Inadequate supportive policies & regulations:
– recognition & streamlining of prodn & distribution of mini‐tubers and QDS
– Protocols on certification, NPT & import procedures
• Institutional limitations of the actors & players– Lack of necessary laboratory equip., supplies & technical skills
– Overstretched quality control agencies– Wide adoption of unreleased variety=not in cert. schm
• Inadequate funding of the seed subsector– These shortcomings affect efficiency of certification process & attractiveness of seed production enterprise
Seed and variety import as an alternative initiative
• The Netherlands project is an example:– aims at importing seed potatoes & new varieties in tuber forms
– Targeting Kenya & other regional countries
• Project challenge‐– Goes against existing laws & regulations
• In Kenya‐ the plant protection act, Cap 324 & The seeds & plant varieties act, cap 326)
– Project agreement is controversial ‐partners– PRA ‐not credible & stakeholders not involved– No seed potato importation protocols
What are the risks posed by Seed and variety import?
• Local potato production risks collapse from such imports thro‐– Introduction of foreign diseases & pest
• Dicheya ssp, Late blight mating type 2, Bacterial Ring Rot, Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) etc
• Diseases are more virulent under tropical cdns
– Vulnerability of our farming systems • More pesticides used‐high cost & health hazards• Need to protect farmers, consumers & industry
– Fails to consider local seed producers/ traders• Dev. of local seed industry is not in the agenda
Characteristics of Some “foreign” diseases
• Dickeya spp. • Gram‐negative bacteria, the causal agent of slow wilt & blackleg
• Dangerous seed‐born disease‐ cause heavy loses• Has been passed from Holland to other countries in latent form‐Isreal, Germany etc
• Necrotic & recombinant strains of Potato virus Y (PVY)– in Europe and North America
– a strains of PVY capable of causing severe necrotic symptoms on potato tubers
– The aphid vectors of this virus are present in Kenya
How does import pose risk?
• Conventional testing mthd‐not foolproof:• Sampling 200 tubers out of 6 tonnes
– Statistically you needs at least a 1.5% infection level tobe 95% confident of picking up a disease in a 200 tubersample
– Meaning infections <1.5% could slip through
• There is no official post‐harvest testing programme
• No Dickeya spp.‐specific control measures & no compulsory testing in operation
• PRA allows ban on imports for phytosanitaryreasons based on sound evidence (USA & Chainahave banned imports of live tubers)
What are the viable options for the region?
• Supportive policies that facilitate growth of local industries in the region
• Uptake of innovations & technologies that enhance production of seed potato locally
• Facilitate introduction & adoption of processing varieties & other specialized varieties
• Involve stakeholders in evaluation, analysis & any change in policy & regulations of seed import
• Characterization & indexing of farmer varieties in order to release & certify them
– Open quarantine allowed as stopgap measure• When local phytosanitary capacity is satisfactory
Recommendations
• Potato subsector development plans• Adopt harmonized ECA seed standards
– Create seamless trade in the region– Enhancing Variety Property Rights
» Attract investment by multi‐national seed companies
• Create partnerships that develop local ind.• Agreements with mutual benefits
• Conduct credible PRAs that involve experts & stakeholders in the industry
• Where necessary conduct remedial measures as it is done in European countries
Recommendations cont….
• Capacity build local regulatory bodies & other subsector institutions
• Streamline seed certification processes• Attract more private sector & increase seed production
• Budgetary support for the potato seed subsector
• Regional countries should declare potato special crop and prioritize the crop
• Protection of the crop & increased donor support
References
– Elphinstone, J. and I.Toth. (2007). Erwinia chrysanthemi (Dickeyaspp.)The Facts.
– Sarris PF, Trantas E, Pagoulatou M, Stavrou D, Ververidis F, GoumasDE, 2011. First report of potato blackleg caused by biovar 3 Dickeyasp.
– Toth,I. K., J. M. van der Wolf, G. Saddler, E. Lojkowska, V. He lias, M. Pirhonen, L. Tsror (Lahkim) and J. G. Elphinston (2011) Dickeyaspecies: an emerging problem for potato production in Europe.
– Tsror L. (Lahkim), O. Erlich, M. Hazanovsky, B. Ben Daniel, U. Zig and S. Lebiush (2011). Detection of Dickeya spp. latent infection in potato seed tubers using PCR or ELISA and correlation with diseaseincidence in commercial field crops under hot‐climate conditions.
– Were HK, J Kabira, ZM Kinyua, FM Olubayo, B Imbuaga, J Karinga, J Aura , AK Lees GH Cowan & L Torranced A survey of potato pests and diseases in five major potato growing areas in Kenya
Thank You