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Project Record

Objectives:

Promotion of pro-poor strategies to reduce the impact of key pests and diseases, improve yield and reduce pesticide hazards in peri-urban systems

Background:

Vegetable production provides nutrition, income and employment to more than 4 million poor people in Kenya. Brassicas (kale and cabbage) and tomatoes are the most important vegetables for the domestic economy, being grown by more than 90% of smallholders. However, vegetable productivity is constrained by both the availability and quality of seed. Much of the seed that is currently available is expensive, imported seed, and the quality is poor. By raising awareness of the importance of using good quality seed and establishing a commercially viable and sustainable seed multiplication system for smallholder farmers, the project outputs will directly affect economic growth through income generation, increased sales of seed, and improved yield and quality of vegetables. By the end of the project: at least 1,000 farmers will have participated in demonstrations for promotion of quality vegetable seed and at least 10,000 farmers will have access to improved quality vegetable seed. The project will specifically improve access to income-generating seed markets and provide economic growth in the seed sector. A recent study showed that the horticulture industry has many positive effects on many people's livelihoods. This study examined the potential for positive socio-economic impacts from successful promotion of pest management technologies from the CPP on resource-poor farmers and workers involved in the horticultural sector in Kenya by using the commercial vegetable sector as an uptake pathway. This proposal will contribute to sustainable horticultural production by availability of improving quality seed.

Intended Outputs:

Farmers perceptions and market needs with respect to vegetable seed purchases identified.

Potential models for sustainable seed multiplication evaluated.

Sustainable kale seed multiplication system that enables smallholders to produce healthy seed of good quality and that has an acceptable market value established.

Good seed multiplication practice for kale and improve seed certification using preferred model promoted.

Marketing strategy for the sale of improved quality seed and promote the value of producing or purchasing good quality seed developed.

Practical strategies for sustainable management of black rot in brassica developed.

Progress and Impact:

*Baseline information on farmers' perceptions of seed and the existing constraints of PRA has been identified. A socio-economic survey identified potential opportunities for farmers to produce and market their own, improved quality seed.
*Availability, distribution and supply of existing brassica seed in Kenya has been surveyed, and a seed inventory produced, providing baseline information regarding entry into the commercial seed sector.
*Baseline data relating to how far farmer produced seed in Kinale travels was collected using a questionnaire circulated by The Minsitry of Agriculture and data collected by KEPHIS. Several districts/divisions (eg. Nyeri; Embu) were found to grow Kinale kale at the start of the project.
*A project development meeting held with agriculture staff and extension officers in Kinale allowed information to be gathered on how farmers who multiply kale seed are organised, and identified kale farmers and farmer groups to work with. As a result, Lari Division extension officers participated in the project thereafter, making many visits to farmer groups with the project team.
*The potential for establishing and registering a commercial seed business in Kinale was examined; information was gathered from farmers and seed companies. eg. Lagrotech. and constraints and opportunities identified. A recommended plan was drawn up to show the steps involved in progressing to a commercial seed business, for consideration by farmers.
*The health of existing kale seed w.r.t. fungi, bacteria and viruses was determined; the bacterial black rot pathogen (Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc)) was present, and a range of fungi was also isolated; Alternaria was the most common. Most affected seeds are from farmers, demonstrating the importance of promoting seed health to these producers.
*A strategy for sustainable/viable production of improved quality kale seed was developed through participatory on-farm trials in Kinale with key farmers/farmer groups; this involved three on-farm trials with participatory farmer groups, and one on-station trial at Njabini for demonstration purposes.
*A suitable model for a sustainable kale seed multiplication system that enables smallholders to produce healthy, good quality seed of an acceptable market value has been identified; in the preferred model, farmers to pick kale leaves up to flowering (half pick model) and then harvest seed. This was preferential to ,no-pick, and ,full pick, models, where seed harvests were lower. The model has been validated and established on land volunteered by 3 farmer groups directly represented by over 50 farming families in 3 key kale seed production areas in Kinale.
*Monthly participatory activities were established with farmer groups; these included sowing seed beds, transplanting seedlings, examining plants during the trial at regular intervals, participatory budgetting of inputs and harvesting of leaves and seed.
*Promotional materials encouraging good seed multiplication practice, and emphasising the value of producing/purchasing good quality vegetable seed, have been developed and disseminated to >1,000 potential smallholder farmers, NGOs and micro-entrepreneurs through KARI, extension services, NGO's and other CPP uptake pathways in Kenya.
*The incidence/prevalence Xcc in seed stocks currently used for production have been examined, to improve quality assurance; infection was found in several imported seed lots. The presence and survival of Xcc in brassica crop debris has been examined, to provide a direct indication of the importance of crop debris as a source of primary inoculum in seed production.
*Local seed-testing capability for Xcc has been improved; training for local personnel was provided by liaison between local collaborators and UK on requirements for black rot seed testing according to latest ISTA method. Key personnel from KEPHIS Plant Health Quarantine Station visited HRI for 3 weeks trai

Project Conclusions:

The socio-economic survey identified the types of kale that farmers use, their preferences, and the sources from which farmers obtain their seed. An inventory of brassica seed in Kenya has been drawn up from commercial seed companies/local markets. Farmers' views on current seed production and marketing systems that exist in Lari division, Kenya, have been documented and the feasibility of a community based seed production and seed marketing strategy explored. PRA activities have thus made significant contributions to the understanding of farmers' perceptions and needs with respect to seed purchases. Kinale farmers expressed a strong interest in multiplying/marketing seed with improved seed health and quality. In close collaboration with KEPHIS inspectors, using international UPOV guidelines, significant progress has been made in analysis of Kinale kale as a variety. A crucial achievement by farmers and researchers has been the selection and evaluation of 7 lines from a trial of 24 Kinale kale lines, grown on the KARI research station (Njabini). These very impressive lines will be in demand from farmers in the future. In order to progress to these new varieties multi-locational performance trials will be continued by the current research team in a follow-on project. Multi-locational trials yielded enormous quantities of seed, providing the opportunity to distribute excess seed to 1,000 farmers in most kale producing areas, and to invite further feed-back regarding kale performance. The feasibility of a community-based approach to seed multiplication in Kinale, and the potential for establishing and registering a commercial seed business in Kinale has been examined, and indications are that farmers are keen to pursue this approach. Good seed multiplication practice for kale, and seed certification using a preferred model has been promoted, and there is now demand to go beyond this and to register and release Kinale kale seed varieties. Practical strategies for sustainable management of black rot in brassica have also been developed, by examining the presence and survival of black rot in brassica crop debris in on-station trials at KARI-NARL. Good progress has also been made in improving seed testing capacity in Kenya with two KEPHIS staff having been trained in testing seed for black rot to ISTA standards, followed up by a KEPHIS/KARI training workshop in Kenya in November 2003 attended by about 10 staff. The project has contributed to sustainable rural livelihoods in that the outputs will help farmers to produce their vegetable crops (for consumption and sale) in a safe, more effective and economic way. Benefits will include improved nutrition for whole families, better cash returns from higher yields of better quality produce and an empowerment through agricultural knowledge which will help them to make informed choices on other cropping options.

General Notes:

See also the TECA Record Development and promotion of quality kale seed in Kenya

Publications:

PHIRI, N.A., SPENCE, N., HUGHES, S., MWANIKI, A., SIMONS, S., ODUOR, G., CHACHA, D., KURIA,, A. and NDIRANGU, S. (2004) Identification of Beet mosaic virus (BtMV), and its effect on the yield of Swiss chard in Kenya. Presentation at: 9th Biennial Scientific Conference and Agricultural Research Forum, 9-12 November 2004



SPENCE, N.J., LENNÉ, J.M., PINK, D.A.C., NJUKI, J., WANYONYI, C. and KIMANI, P.M. (2005) Opportunities and constraints for future economic development of sustainable vegetable seed businesses in Eastern and Southern Africa. Abstract for Second International Conference on Biotechnology, Plant breeding and seed systems for African crops, Rockefeller Foundation, Nairobi, 24-27 January 2005

Associated References:

R7571