R4D Burundi

Domestic Resource Mobilisation North-South Institute (Phase 2) (DRM)

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:28:00 GMT

Current Sub Saharan Africa faces significant financial resource gaps in meeting its developmental needs. These gaps can be financed through external resource mobilization (e.g. through ODA and FDI) and through enhanced domestic resource mobilization, which entails increasing and enhancing domestic savings mobilization, improving financial sector performance and enhancing public sector revenue collection and expenditure. For sustainable growth and poverty reduction to take place in Sub Saharan Africa, it is essential that a coherent, dynamic and domestically driven capital accumulation, intermediation and mobilization process take root in the region. This is necessary to wean countries away from aid and other unpredictable and volatile external flows that can be problematic even when well intentioned.

The overall purpose of the research is to enable Sub Saharan African countries to enhance mobilization of domestic financial resources to finance domestic developmental priorities.

Phase 2 of the project is intended to build on the analytical work done in phase 1, and to address the key questions through a country focused approach via 5 in-depth country case-studies on DRM in Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda.

5 in-depth country case-studies

Production of a synthesis paper that brings together key findings from each case-study

Donor Handbook on Resource Mobilization

A final publication to be undertaken jointly with other project partners

Five in-country stakeholder engagement workshops

End of project conference and report

The Missing Link - Fostering Positive Citizen-State Relations in Post-Conflict Environments [Policy Brief].

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:00:00 GMT

Miscellaneous World Bank 2008 Brief for Policymakers, Communication for Governance and Accountability Program, 6 pp. The 'Missing Link' (World Bank 2008) relates the value of public sphere processes to the challenges of post-conflict environments. Demonstrating the shortcomings of current assistance approaches with evidence from the field, it makes a case for much needed change in current donor policy and practice. A public sphere analysis is conducted of case studies from Timor-Leste, Liberia and Burundi and recommendations on how to address the specific challenges observed are made. This brief outlines the publication's contents and highlights the key challenges and policy recommendations.

Improved treatment for sleeping sickness

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

A new combination of drugs has been successfully trailed by the DFID-funded Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative as a treatment in Sub-Saharan Africa

The Missing Link: Fostering Positive Citizen-State Relations in Post-Conflict Environments.

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:36:00 GMT

Miscellaneous H. von Kaltenborn-Stachau 2008 World Bank, Washington, D.C.; 124 pp. The paper introduces the principles, mechanisms and processes that connect citizens with each other and with state institutions. The Missing Link relates the value of public sphere processes to the challenges of post-conflict environments. Demonstrating the shortcomings of current assistance approaches with evidence from the field, it makes a strong and convincing case for much needed change in current donor policy and practice. A public sphere analysis is conducted of case studies from Timor-Leste, Liberia and Burundi and recommendations on how to address the specific challenges observed are made.

Supporting science journalism in Africa and the Middle East

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

A dozen new teams of science journalists from different countries across Africa and the Middle East trained through the DFID-funded SjCOOP Programme are collaborating on science related stories

Surveillance of banana diseases Burundi

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:55:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Boa, E. 2008 YouTube video clip, 30 s. Silvestre asks if people have seen banana xanthomonas wilt south of Bujumbura

Practice makes more perfect

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:50:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Boa, E. 2008 YouTube video clip, 1 min 19 s. Lukanda, Bernadette and Joelle practice the questions they will ask people in market places about banana xanthomonas wilt.

Basket of remedies revives ailing Ugandan banana industry. Validated RNRRS Output.

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:40:00 GMT

Miscellaneous RIU 2007 CPP54, New technologies, new processes, new policies: tried-and-tested and ready-to-use results from DFID-funded research, Research Into Use Programme, Aylesford, Kent, UK, ISBN 978-0-9552595-6-2, p 24.

This is one of 280 summaries describing key outputs from the projects run by DFID's 10-year Renewable Natural Resources Research Strategy (RNRRS) programmes.

Summary for Project title: R7567: Integrated management of banana diseases in Uganda and R7972: Integrated management of the banana weevil in Uganda.

In Uganda, worn-out soils, pests, diseases and social problems mean trouble for the banana industry. A basket of remedies is helping the industry get back on its feetnew varieties, manuring and mulching, biological controls for pests, and disease-free planting material. New varieties of banana are already being sold in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. Several agencies distribute clean plantlets produced by tissue culture to farmers in these countries, and in Burundi and D.R. Congo as well. Plus, in Uganda, a local laboratory has been set up that could produce 10 million plantlets a year. Consumers like the new varieties. Prices are rising and farmers are expanding their plantings to meet demand. So, Uganda has a great opportunity to supply bananas to urban and regional markets.

The CD has the following information for this output: Description, Validation, Current Situation, Current Promotion, Impacts On Poverty, Environmental Impact, Annex. Attached PDF (23 pp.) taken from the CD.

Current and potential demand for and processing sweet potato products in Nairobi and Kisumu, Kenya. Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP), Lima, Peru. 85 pp.

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Book OMOSA, M. 1998

Sweet potato recipes for Uganda and Kenya. Field booklet. CIP/PRAPACE, KARI and NARO, Kampala, Uganda.

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Document OWORI, C., OYUNGA, M.A. and HAGENIMANA, V. 1998

An extension field pamphlet guide for the village level production of clean sweet potato flour.

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Briefing HAGENIMANA, V. 1998

Feasibility, acceptability and production costs of sweet potato-based products in Uganda. CIP Program report 1995-1996. pp. 276-281.

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Report HAGENIMANA, V. and OWORI, C. 1998

Sweet potato recipies. Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP), Nairobi, Kenya. 6 pp.

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Report KARI/CIP 1998

Peer to Peer Development and Support of Science Journalism in the Developing World - the Support of Science Journalism in the Developing World Programme (SjCOOP)

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Current The WFSJ is a Canadian non-profit, INGO representing science and technology journalists associations. Its members are national, regional and other international associations of science and technology journalists. It serves to further science journalism as a bridge between scientists and the public. Its goal is to improve the quality of science reporting, promote standards and support science and technology journalists worldwide.

The Support of Science Journalism in the Developing World Programme (SjCOOP) has four main objectives. They are;

The professional development of science journalists in the developing world
The establishment of national and regional associations of science journalists in developing countries
Establish the WFSJ as a support to science journalists and associations in the developing world
Establishment of relationships between scientists and the media

This peer-to-peer mentoring project was successful in mentoring and graduating 32 science journalists, creating an online course in science journalism, fostering science journalists associations in Africa and the Middle East, supporting local activities of these associations, and creating international twinning arrangements among associations. Networking and contacts among journalists were highly valued and were directly linked to: improved training; reduced feelings of isolation; enhanced opportunities for twinning of associations; the development of local initiatives; and a sense of community among science journalists.

Studies on the distribution and identification of bean common mosaic virus (BCMV) in Africa

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed The objectives of the project were:
To identify the strains of Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV) occurring in Phaseolus growing areas of Africa and to investigate their ecology
To investigate the pathogenic variability of these strains and to preserve the strains for future use in resistance breeding programmes
To produce a map of strain distribution in Africa
To select and provide the most appropriate strains for use in BCMV resistance breeding programmes in different African locations
To develop new serological procedures for identifying and distinguishing different BCMV strains in the field and in the laboratory
To study the importance of legume weeds species in the ecology and epidemiology of BCMV. The project was completed on time and within the budget. Knowledge of the distribution of different strains of BCMV in Africa.

A diagnostic assay for BCMV. Phaseolus beans and other legume potential hosts of BCMV in Uganda, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia, Morocco, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zaire, Burundi and Kenya were surveyed, and samples received from other countries. Both necrotic (serotype A) and non-necrotic (serotype B) strains were identified: necrotic (including a temperature dependent) strains were widespread except in Ethiopia

non-necrotic strains occurred infrequently except in Ethiopia.

All typed strains have been preserved at HRI

many have been sent to African national breeding programmes.

Ployclonal antisera to five strains have been developed and a viobacterial agglutination test developed for field use. New information on host range, particularly in African legume weeds, has been obtained.

Control of soil acidity in agroforestry systems.

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed Acidity is an important constraint to food and fibre production in the tropics. The main effect is through the release of levels of aluminium that are toxic to trees and agricultural crops. Lime is seldom available at a reasonable cost for it to be a practical solution to the problem. Toxic levels of aluminium in soil solution are a major factor that limits crop growth and yield on many tropical acid soils. Laboratory experiments have shown that the decomposition products of plant residues can reduce the toxic effect. The project's objectives were: a.) to evaluate the effect of organic matter from contrasting tree species on the soil organic matter levels and the formation of A1-organic matter complexes.
b.) to extrapolate the results regionally through the development of a soil organic matter model. The understanding of the process of aluminium detoxification with tree prunings and manure was greatly improved and the potential of these materials for ameliorating acid soils was demonstrated under realistic field conditions. The project was process based and this should facilitate the widespread transfer of the technology. Application of the findings will have a major positive impact on crop production in many parts of the tropics. It was shown that decrease in aluminium activity is directly attributable to the addition of organic matter rather than to the addition of the phosphates, silicates, sulphates, calcium, magnesium etc. that are also present in plant materials. The aluminium detoxifying effect due to tree prunings was found to be greatest in the two weeks following application. The magnitude of the effect differed according to the prunings species. Simple extraction of manure and composts with 0.5 M NaOH yielded brownish solutions with colour intensities proportional to the humified materials content, and presumably to their aluminium-detoxifying capacities.

Uganda: Germplasm evaluation project (HOLDBACK FUNDS)

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed The wider objectives of the project are:
To identify of elite genotypes for potential release to farmers in Uganda and subsequently the whole Great Lakes countries (Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Zaire)
To preserve a genebank of banana/plantain cultivars vulnerable to extinction and those with breeding potential.
The immediate objectives are:
To evaluate resistance/tolerance to Black Sigatoka, Fusarium wilt and other pathogens infecting the plant
To evaluate resistance/tolerance to weevil/nematode pests
To evaluate yield and plant growth characteristics
To evaluate nutrient requirements
To evaluate post-harvest qualities and food palatability
To evaluate farmer participation in cultivar evaluation and selection
To characterise management packages and socio-economic aspects. Several of the imported cultivars are acceptable to farmers and serve all the purposes for which bananas are traditionally used. FHIA-0I was acceptable as a cooking banana which can also be eaten as dessert and squeezed to provide juice. The results indicate that this cultivar is resistant to black Sigatoka, Fusarium wilt and banana weevil, and is tolerant of banana nematodes. All FHIA-01 hybrids appear to be more drought tolerant than the local bananas. FHIA-01 was identified as an ideal food security crop in the areas often hit by drought in Uganda. Farmers have already shown a lot of interest in the cultivar. The KARI banana programme has received orders for over 300,000 plants from areas where the cultivars are tested. More orders are expected, but the multiplication of planting materials is proving to be a major constraint.

It is anticipated that, with the continued importation and evaluation of more cultivars, better material than FHIA-01 will be identified. FHIA-01 does not produce higher yields than the local checks in areas where black Sigatoka is absent. All cultivars rated as acceptable by the post harvest test panels were recommended to exporters for trial shipments in the region and overseas.

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO): Armyworm in Eastern Africa

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed Widespread outbreaks of African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) in eastern Africa and the Great Lakes region of central Africa resulted in a request for a visit to assess the situation and develop two projects for Rwanda and Burundi, during April and May 1999. When the outbreaks in the region had eased off, a further follow-up mission was required by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) at a regional level, covering Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. The purpose of the mission was to review the armyworm situation in all five countries, and prepare work plans for the two projects to include 2 periods of two weeks for a Spray Application Specialist. 1. To carry out an evaluation of the armyworm (Spodoptera exempta) outbreak.
2. Assess the role of the Desert Locust Control Organization for Eastern Africa in assisting those countries.
3. Evaluate the operation of the monitoring systems within each country.
4. Initiate the Technical Cooperation programmes resulting from the documents produced during a previous visit.
5. To develop a regional support project for Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. To prepare a report for Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for discussion in Rome on 2nd November 1999. Evaluate the progression and development of outbreaks in each country. As much information as possible on the epidemiology of the Armyworm season as gathered and is fully reported upon in the report to FAO.

Assess the role of Desert Locust Control Organisation for Eastern Africa in assisting those countries. The DLCO-EA is only mandated to support three of the five countries, however they provided material support to all of the countries. The organisation is financially very insecure and is not able to fulfil all aspects of its mandate.

Evaluate the operation of the monitoring systems within each country. Neither Rwanda nor Burundi had a monitoring network, but will have now. Networks in the other countries while still operating are very much reduced and need strengthening.

Initiate the Technical Cooperation programmes resulting from the documents produced during a previous visit. The documents were awaiting signature, however work plans and TOR's were prepared to enable the projects to go ahead once they had been signed in country and by FAO.

To develop a regional support project for Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. A TCP document was prepared for submission to FAO.

To prepare a report for FAO for discussion in Rome in November 1999. An electronic copy of the report was sent to FAO on 15 October. Hard copies were prepared after discussion in Rome.

Application of molecular genetic techniques to the rapid detection and diagnosis of strains Pseudomonas solanacearum and related pathogenic bacteria

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed The wider objectives of this project are:
To exploit the potential of newly developed numerical, biochemical, serological and molecular genetic techniques for the rapid identification of variability of bacterial pathogens.
Incorporate successful techniques in efficient IPM.
The immediate objectives are:
To establish procedures for rapid detection and diagnosis of variability in P.solanacearum and related species.
Develop field diagnostic kits for P.solanacearum. All the objectives were achieved. Diagnostic nucleic acid probes and oligonucleotide primers were isolated. Collaborations were set up with laboratories in several target countries and two overseas scientists were trained for 7 and 26 weeks in the diagnostic technology. Prediction of DNA probes/techniques for diagnosis of P.solanacearum.

Development of simple diagnostic reagents and use in LDCs. Several probes were identified that were useful for strain differentation or subgroup identification. A P. solanacearum-specific DNA probe was isolated and a probing test was developed. A set of species-specific oligonucleotide primers were constructed and found to be highly sensitive tools for detection of latent infection in potato tubers from Burundi by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. An additional set of PCR primers were constructed specific fpor the group P. solanacearum , the clove disease bacterium P. syzygii and the blood disease bacterium found presently in Indonesia

Action Research - Linking ICTs to sustainable livelihoods through the Reflect Approach

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Current Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have the potential to be powerful tools for marginalised communities and individuals to increase their ability to learn and to communicate. However, the technology is also currently contributing to the imbalance between rich and poor, powerful and marginalised. Furthermore, there is a lack of understanding of how new ICTs can complement the existing information systems of the poor. The challenge is to find a means of providing ICT access in a constructive way, focussing on equal communication as a right, and the capacity of people to make strategic choices about the media of communication most relevant to them, including which technology they need and use. There is a lot of scope for using participatory approaches for understanding the information and communication needs of the poor as the basis for ICT projects. The Reflect approach to adult learning, used by over 350 organisations in 60 countries, offers a potential basis for introducing ICTs in an equitable way, as part of a wider process of self-managed change for the poor and marginalised. Reflect has evolved from an initial focus on literacy to a broader vision of strengthening people's capacity to communicate. The approach starts with people's existing knowledge, enabling them to systematise, represent and analyse it in new ways. However, experience has shown that for people to move out of microanalysis, to contextualise, challenge and extend their knowledge and make connections between the local, national and international, they need improved access to sources of information. To build on the Reflect processes and methods, to assess and highlight the learning and organisational process necessary at community level to ensure that the introduction of ICTs reduces, rather than increases, in-country local divides, digital or otherwise. Clear, useable plans and strategies for choice, use, management and monitoring of ICT equipment by end of stage one and details of the process for developing this.

A useable model for incorporating learning from the pilot into new and proposed ICT for development projects.

Detailed reports for the three separate case-studies showing the impact of ICTs where people determine the types and uses available to them.

Website to share learning and processes throughout.

Resource centres up and running in 3 pilot locations.

Resource pages to share techniques and outcomes with Reflect practitioners worldwide.

The development of aluminium tolerant wheats for acid soils adapted to the Himalayas, Central Africa and Brazil, by the introgression of genes from Aegilops uniaristata

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Current The project targets the problems caused by the phytotoxin, aluminium, in acid soils, where low soil phosphate levels are also common. Aluminium tolerance is known to improve phosphate absorption, thus providing a dual benefit in such situations. Wheat yields are severely affected by the debilitating effects of soil aluminium and low soil phosphate upon whole plant growth.

According to national census data, the hills of Nepal and the highlands of Ethiopia and Kenya are home to an average of 80% of the rural inhabitants of these countries. In these locations, wheat cultivation occupies varying proportions of national cereal growing areas, viz: Ethiopia 16%, Kenya 9% and Nepal 20%. Agricultural production has grown in these countries with the adoption of improved agricultural practices and varieties; however, further increases will require improvements in more fragile and marginal agro-ecologies:

*Acid soils afflict nearly half of the wheat production area of Nepal, primarily in the mid-hills areas (300-1,300 masl) where production on over 100,000 ha is affected.

*In East Africa, around 50,000 ha of the wheat producing area is affected.

*In Brazil, nearly 900,000 ha of wheat is affected by production limiting acidic soil conditions, with smallholder farmers constrained to more marginal fields being most affected.

There is thus a limiting factor to wheat production where acid soils and soil aluminium are found. Plant genes conferring tolerance of acid soils identified and incorporated into adapted genetic backgrounds of wheat varieties. 3N A1 tolerant recombinant chromosomes crossed into germplasm of target countries.

New A1 tolerant wheat/3N recombinants constructed.

A1 tolerant diagnostic molecular markers developed.

Tolerant material available to CIMMYT, Mexico and IAC, Brazil for further backcrossing and eventual field trialling. Screening of 3N recombinants for A1 tolerance using hydroponic techniques begun at JIC.

The backcrossing of double monosomic lines of Ph 1 deletion line just completed - crosses will he harvested when plants have matured.

DNA of existing homoeologous group 3 and parents extracted. Evaluation of parents for SSR/RFLP polymorphism initiated and 4 microsatellites identified so far.

30 plant lines resulted from the backcrossing of double monosomic lines to the Ph1 deletion line, substantially more than the proposed 10.

PCR selection of their progenies produced 150 plants lacking Ph1, and of these, a second PCR protocol identified 52 which carried the 3N chromosome (again substantially more than the proposed 20).

Selfing of the above 52 plants from the PCR selections has been completed, and the greater numbers are thus expected to produce more potential novel recombinants.

More than the proposed 50 markers have been tested, viz. 46 chromosome specific group 3 microsatellite (SSR) markers have been identified from 166 screened to date. 12 of these are 3N specific.

The above group 3 specific SSR markers have been applied to the nine existing wheat/3N recombinant lines described in the original project proposal. This revealed variation for 3N chromatin content, with three lines involving recombination between chromosomes 3A and 3N, the other six being between 3D and 3N. A further two candidate lines have been selected from the existing fast neutron populations on the basis of phenotype and karyotype, and these both appear to carry 3A.3N and 3D.3N recombinant chromosomes simultaneously.

The 10 existing recombinants and two controls were screened at 40ppm aluminium in a hydroponics system at JIC. Four lines were judged to be tolerant, with a fifth having showing promise. Because the lines have limited backcrossing, potential background rearrangements have not been filtered out, and this has been evident in variation in the phenotype, especially that of the fifth line.

Up to 10 seeds from each of 50 selfed plants identified by PCR selections were sown at JIC. Of the 430 seed sown, 47 either failed to germinate or died after transplanting into pots.

380 of the 383 surviving plants were scored using five 3N specific SSR markers, revealing that further recombination had occurred during selfing due to the continuing absence of Ph1. In the case of the other three plants, the extracted DNA proved to be unusable. In total, 111, or 29.36%, possessed novel profiles relative their parent for these markers. To stabilise these lines, it is essential that Ph1 is re-introduced via backcrossing to the wheat parent.

All 383 F2 generation plants above were selfed, with the original set target being exceeded at maturity, since only 75 exhibited brittle rachis. 37 plants did not set seed, of which 3 were brittle.

Of the 111 novel F2 generation recombinants, 37 (exactly 33.33%) exhibited brittle rachis, but of course their tolerance to aluminium remains untested. Fourteen of the 111 (12.61%) failed to set seed.

At JIC, twenty-eight wheat homoeologous group 3 STMP markers were tested but no 3N specific product was forthcoming with any of these. A further seven wheat homoeologous group 3 SSR markers were identified and tested. Of these, barc 1040 exhibited apparent association with the four existing tolerant recombinants, as indicated by glasshouse hydroponic testing at JIC. A fifth line with a lesser hydroponics score for tolerance does not carry this marker, hence the necessity for verification as suggested above. SSR marker barc 1044 also matched 4 of the 5 above lines.

At CIMMYT the major new and commercial wheat varieties from Brazil (CEP 30, BRS 179, ONIX, and IAPAR 78), Nepal (Annapurna 1, Annapurna 4, Phasang Lamu, BL 1813, and BL 1473), Ethiopia (Tura, Sirbo, Bobitcho, Simba, and K6295.4A) and Kenya (Kenya Heroe, Kenya Yombi, Njoro BW1 (KM14), and Njoro

Strengthening capacity for impact assessment in agricultural research

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed The project has arisen from previous discussions and involvement by NRI in the ASARECA programme development, including monitoring and evaluation of research outputs, arising from experience with support to DFID's natural resources research programmes, and transferring this experience into designing M&E and impact assessment strategies appropriate to regional and national research systems, including those in the ASARECA member countries. This takes account of practical and output orientated M&E systems that will effectively assist research managers to track likely impact of ongoing and planned research on the livelihoods of resource poor households in the target regions and countries. The objectives of this mission are to contribute to a participatory process of project design in order to improve the capacity of national and regional research programmes to target their research programmes more effectively to address the priority constraints and opportunities facing resource-poor households with agriculturally based livelihoods, and to monitor the impact of ongoing research activities on the key stakeholders. . Situation analysis of impact assessment capacity in the research services of East and Central Africa.

. Project strategy for capacity development in impact assessment in these research services.

. Planning matrix for project implementation to strengthen capacity.