Browsing by Author "Robin, Buruchara"

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Innovation Opportunities in Bean Production in the DR Congo
(The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), 2018-05) Rebecca, Kalibwani; Sospeter O, Nyamwaro; Benjamin, Wimba; Audry, Muke; Moses M, Tenywa; Josaphat, Mogabo; Robin, Buruchara; Fatunbi, Oluwole
The common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris, is the most important pulse food crop for consumption in the world and one of the most important food crops in the DR Congo. Located in Central Africa, DRC is the fourth most populous country in Africa with an estimated population of 75 million in 2015 and the 11th largest country in the world in geographic size. DRC is among the African Great Lakes countries, which have the highest per capita consumption of beans in the world. The purpose of this research isto inform of the potential innovation opportunities in bean production in the DRC. On agronomic aspects, beans are produced in a range of crop systems and environments and require full sun for good growth and yield with sandy loam soils being the best for growth. North Kivu province is important for the production of beans in which the province produced almost 89% of DRC’s beans during the 2009-2014 period. Compared with neighboring countries, bean production in the DRC is very low. Nutritionally, beans are a nearly perfect food, providing dietary protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates. However, production of beans in North Kivu and DRC is faced with various constraints including use of poor seed and other inputs, land shortage, and poor handling and storage infrastructure. The VCA conducted at the Maendeleo Bean IP showed that small-holder farmers were the main actors in producing and marketing of beans. Although bean production in the DRC is relatively low, innovation opportunities exist that can upgrade the VC and enhance socio-economic benefits of the VC players. Opportunities for improving bean production will include introducing processing of beans through use of existing mills of other staples and promoting milling of beans into production of bean-based products. These opportunities will entail working with existing organizations for intensified provision of relevant services; extension, financial and business entrepreneur development. These would not only increase income avenues for participating farmers especially women but also increase the range of nutritious products for consumption. With the growing urban and rural populations in the DRC, the identified opportunities are worth exploring.
Innovation Opportunities in Organic Pineapple Production in Uganda
(Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), 2018-05) Rebecca, Kalibwani; Sospeter O., Nyamwaro; Moses M., Tenywa; Josaphat, Mugabo; Robin, Buruchara; Fatunbi, Oluwole
Pineapple is an important horticultural crop grown in many tropical countries as a major source of income. It is also consumed as fresh and dried fruit and has been found to have high nutritional and medicinal value. In Uganda, organic pineapple production is practiced as part of organic agriculture (OA) systems that have been found to be particularly suitable for small-scale farmers. The purpose of this research was to conduct a rapid organic pineapple VCA toward identifying innovation opportunities to boost the organic pineapple production and marketing in Uganda. Uganda is leading in Africa with the largest organic area (240,197ha) and highest number of organic producers (190,552), courtesy of NOGAMU, which has been instrumental in organic farming certification in Uganda. Pineapples are produced exclusively as a small-holder crop, either as sole crop or intercropped with other crops such as bananas in a given Ugandan farming system. Organic pineapple production in Uganda is faced with many constraints including lack of national policy to support pineapple production, costly certification, and low soil fertility. Pineapple VCA conducted at the Ntungamo Organic Pineapple IP show that the chain starts with input supply of suckers to small-holder IP farmers as the main players in production and marketing to various actors in local and urban markets. Innovation opportunities exist in Uganda that can boost pineapple VC for enhanced socio economic gains. The identified opportunities among others include increasing farm level production, provision of affordable certification for organic producers, acquisition of advanced solar driers, and introduction of small scale pineapple processing.
Innovation Opportunities in Sorghum Production in Uganda
(The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), 2018-04) Rebecca, Kalibwani; Moses M., Tenywa; Sospeter O., Nyamwaro; Josaphat, Mogabo; Robin, Buruchara; Fatunbi, Oluwole
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) (L.) (Moench) is cultivated worldwide in a wide range of environments. Because of its resistance to drought, high production potential and low inputs use, sorghum is cultivated in the tropical, subtropical and temperate areas in warmer semi-arid regions of the world. In Uganda, sorghum is grown mainly in the southwestern highlands, especially in Ntungamo and Kabale districts, and in the lowland areas of eastern and northern regions of Uganda. The main objective of this research was to undertake a rapid sorghum VCA in Uganda toward identifying innovation opportunities to expand its production and marketing. Although considered a minority crop, sorghum is the third most important staple cereal food crop where it occupies up to 400, 000ha of arable land. While this area has remained stable over the years, sorghum production in Uganda has declined from 457,000 tons in 2007 to 299,000 tons in 2013. Notwithstanding, Uganda is the second largest producer of sorghum after Tanzania, in the EAC. The economic importance of sorghum is given by its large variety of uses. Sorghum grains are used for human nutrition, where it is transformed into flour for producing bread, porridge and other dishes. It is now increasingly becoming the foundation for food and beverage industries. Sorghum has high nutritional value, with high levels of unsaturated fats, protein, fiber, and minerals. Sorghum production in Uganda is faced with many constraints including lack of national policy to support its production and marketing, limited ready markets, pests and diseases, and limited use of inorganic fertilizers. Sorghum VCA undertaken at the Bubaare Sorghum IP points that the chain starts with seed production and distribution to small-holder IP farmers who are the main players in production and marketing. Based on the VCA, innovation opportunities exist in Uganda that can influence expansion of sorghum VC for enhanced socio economic gains of all the actors. Some of the identified opportunities among others include increasing farm level production through enacting supportive policy and providing support to KAZARDI and other NARS in seed production and distribution, introduction of small scale sorghum processing, and increasing their capacity as well as that of the existing processing entities.
Pathogenicity of Pythium species on hosts associated with bean-based cropping system in south western Uganda
(Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Crop Science, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda, 2004-06) Virginia, Gichuru; Patrick., Okori; Robin, Buruchara; Fina., Opio
A pathosystem is a subsystem of an ecosystem and is characterised by the phenomenon of parasitism. The bean-Pythium pathosystem consists of the host (bean), the pathogen (Pythium) and their host-pathogen relation. Of interest is how the pathogen causes pathogenicity on other crops and beans. To investigate this, screen house experiments were set up to test the pathogenicity of Pythium species derived from bean and other crops grown in association with beans. Pathogenicity was tested on maize (Zea mays), millet (Eleusine corcana), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), peas (Pisum satium), susceptible bean variety (CAL 96) and resistant bean variety (RWR 719). The results indicated that distinct symptoms were observed in the roots and shoots of test crop species which are characteristic of Pythium infection. For instance peas had brownish watery stems and roots Also bean-derived pathogenic Pythium spp. were found to be more virulent than Pythium spp. derived from other crop species. 2 Sorghum and peas had the highest disease scores upon infection by Pythium spp. We can conclude that there is cross pathogenicity among Pythium spp. especially affecting sorghum and peas. This phenomenon may account for the current root rot epiphytotics in south western Uganda and other similar agroecologies. An integrated disease management strategy that will deploy multi-non hosts to Pythium root rot is recommended.