Third Agreement for Africa - RISING (Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation)

About

In Africa, cereals and food legumes are produced during the rainy seasons. Smallholder farmers need to bridge the 3-4 months food and feed gaps until the main season harvest is available. Wheat and barley are important crops for food and income generation for poor farmers, especially in women-headed households. The legume component improves system productivity through nitrogen fixation, serving as a break for insect pests, weed and disease cycles affecting wheat and barley.

Impact

Goals

To increase livelihood and generate more income for poor farmers through enhancing the productivity system in the farming areas, by diversifying the wheat-based cropping system and reducing risks of climate variability and wheat rusts, grassy weeds, and the emerging faba bean disease.

Objectives

Economic benefits: 1) Replacing imports malt barley and durum wheat, by producing seeds and adopting high productive cultivars; 2) Increasing productivity of cereals and food legumes; 3) Improving farmers' knowledge and skills; 4) Protecting the bread wheat industry from losses due to rust epidemics; 5) Enhancing the seed system of improved cultivars; 6) Improving farmers' quality of life through increased income; 7) Promoting new technologies among stakeholders

Impact pathways

The benefits for farmers, as direct beneficiaries of the project, from scaling of improved cereals and food legumes technologies for food security and incomes in wheat-based cropping systems would be at socioeconomic and environmental level. The selection and identification of cereal and legume varieties occur through PVS for scaling. Hereafter, they are ready for promotion and popularization within the farming districts, with an increase of seed production through formal and informal seed systems. Together with local partners, the scaling intends to reach out farmers, researchers, input suppliers, industries, seed growers, National Agricultural Research Centers, BoA and policymakers, as key drivers of the scaling.