This document summarizes four presentations from a side event at CFS 43 on adopting new technologies to improve food security and agriculture. The first presentation discussed using spectral methods to rapidly diagnose soil micronutrient deficiencies in Africa. The second presented a pilot project in Somalia that combines basic research capacity building with farmer participation. The third discussed how the Tanzania Horticultural Association encourages farmers in Zanzibar to adopt innovations like drip irrigation, greenhouses, and solar pumps. The final presentation was about the GloCal nutrition project, which uses educational videos and mobile apps to promote maternal and child nutrition in Kenya.
1. Benefits from adopting new technologies -
research, innovation and networks for better
food security, nutrition and agricultural
productivity
CFS 43 SIDE EVENT – 20.10.2016
2. Bridge between research and end
users through partnership
•Despite of long-term efforts, it is still challenging to transfer innovations and results from
research to farmers.
•In this presentation we share examples from different projects in Sub Saharan Africa.
•The examples given include management of soil micronutrients, solar panels for
irrigation, inter-sectorial collaboration in Somalia and video-based nutrition program.
•We hope to trigger a rich debate on how to achieve local ownership and gain
acceptance for new technologies and thereby lasting results.
3. Cases to be presented
◦ Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) presents a rapid low cost spectral methods
developed with World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) for diagnosing soil micronutrient - Prof.
Martti Esala
◦ International Solidarity Foundation presents a pilot on how to combine capacity building in
basic research with farmer participation in Somalia - Ms. Jenna Kettunen
◦ Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) jointly with FFD introduces how encourage
adoption on innovations by farmers in Zanzibar – Mr. Anthony Chamanga
◦ The University of Helsinki presents the GloCal nutrition project, which targets mothers and
children in Kenya through educational videos and mobile applications – Ms. Lauriina
Schneider
4. Keith Shepherd, Mercy Nyambura, World Agroforestry Centre, ICRAF
Martti Esala, Riikka Keskinen, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Luke
Michael Gatari, University of Nairobi
New rapid low cost spectral method for
diagnosing soil micronutrient status
5. Global hidden hunger index map (Muthayya et. al. 2013):
The combined burden in preschool children of multiple micronutrient
deficiencies: vitamin A, zinc, iron and iodine.
6. Plant and human deficiencies in Africa - soils are the key
Africa green revolution hampered by variable fertilizer response as low micronutrient contents in some
soils can hamper the effect of NPK fertilizers (Voortman 2010)
Consequences
• Micronutrients can have dramatic impact on crop yield (incl. trees), animal and human health
• NPK fertilizers wasted if micronutrients are limiting
• Fertilizer failure is a high risk to smallholders
• Adoption of modern management practices impaired by high risk of failure
• Amount of research on micronutrients very limited
• Knowledge of spatial distribution of deficiencies is high value information
• But how can we get information over large areas at low cost?
7. Project Objectives
1. To develop new, rapid, low cost soil-plant analytical methods for
diagnosing soil micronutrient deficiencies for crop, livestock and human
health.
2. To establish a baseline on soil micronutrient status in Sub-Saharan
Africa soils.
3. To provide information for various stakeholders on management
strategies and options for tackling key micronutrient deficiencies.
4. To strengthen African capacity on new science and technology for soil-
plant micronutrient analysis, diagnosis and management.
9. The Rural Soil-Plant Spectral Lab
Mid-infrared spectrometer Handheld XRF analyser
• Predicts many soil functional properties
• Plant macro & micro nutrients
• Compost quality
• Fertilizer certification
• Low cost, when compared to traditional chemical
methods
• Reproducible
• Rapid
10. Outputs
• Spectral methods for rapid diagnosis of micronutrient deficiency syndromes
• Prevalence data and maps of soil micronutrient constraints for Sub Saharan Africa
• Intervention options for tackling prevalent constraints
• Dissemination via Africa Soil Information Service
• Farmer groups
• Public and private extension services
• Local natural resource planners, project managers
• Fertilizer companies for manufacturing locally balanced fertilizers
• National policy makers and planners
• International development and aid organizations
• Capacity strengthening
• PhD Programme with University of Nairobi, supported by MTT & ICRAF
• Training inputs form James Hutton Institute (XRD), Bruker AXS, & AfSIS partners.
• Individual and course training of national programmes via AfSIS
12. Civil society, academic institutions, state and private sector
collaboration for developing economic and ecological sustainability of
agriculture in Somalia
Jenna Kettunen, International Solidarity Foundation
13. Value chain
approach
Development programme is
cluster of activities that
supports local livelihood
development.
Knowledge-based
planning on production
system
Who are the actors?
What is their core expertise?
What to develop and with whom?
Entrepreneurship
development in the whole
value chain
Who are the actors?
What is their core expertise?
What to develop and with whom?
14. Enabling factors for innovation acceptance
Association
structure to cooperate with
structure that allows farmers to lead processes
horizontal dissemination structures and services
Cooperation with producers directly
participation in problem and solution definition
own testing and research
Cooperative - private sector actor in value chain
can make business and have commercial cooperation with private sector
can invest in new technologies and methods
Networking and coordination role of CSOs
15. Planning together,
working together in
Somalia
1. Research capacity
development and
international academic
networking – cooperation
among research
institutions.
2. Research agenda and
applied research for
solving jointly defined
problems, and
implementing jointly
defined solutions.
3. Agribusiness - involve local
private sector and develop
local entrepreneurship in
the whole value chain.
16. Impact of Technology Adoption to
Zanzibar Horticulture Sector
Anthony P. Chamanga
Tanzania Horticultural Association with support of
the Finnish Agri-Agency for Food and Forest
Development
17. TAHA’s Zanzibar Horticulture Linkage Project (ZAHLIP)
•TAHA’s main activities as an Apex Private Sector member organisation: to mobilize, connect and
build capacities
•Objective of the ZAHLIP project: To improve livelihoods and enhance food and nutrition security
TAHA/FFD activities in Zanzibar focus on:
• Driving technologies on the ground in order to improve capacity of farmers and other value
chain actors for improved production and productivity
• Addressing business environment challenges so as to reduce operation costs and improve
industry competitiveness and inclusive growth
• Facilitating trade and linkages across the value chains
• As a result of TAHA operations, Zanzibar has significantly expanded the production of
fruits/vegetables (water melon and tomato etc.)
19. • Drip Irrigation
• Solar pump irrigation
• Raised bed
• Greenhouse
• Post-harvest handling
technologies
• Improved seeds
• Pests and disease control
• Etc.
Key technologies and practices
For improved production
and productivities
Facilitating access and adoption
through:
• Farmers trainings
• Practical training Centres
• Farmers Field Days
• Professional nursery production
• Horticulture Knowledge Hub
(underway)
20. Technologies
Drip Irrigation
• TAHA promotes the use of drip irrigation: technical support and training for the installation and management of drip
irrigation system
• Drip irrigation widely adopted in Zanzibar -> as a result of using drip irrigation, yields can increase by 200%
Commercial nursery
• Commercial nursery established => quality seedlings
• Farmers get seedlings at 50% subsidized price
• Over 1 million seedlings distributed to farmers
Solar-powered water pump
TAHA/ZAHLIP introduced solar-powered water pump
-> Minimizes irrigation costs, especially power (fuel or electricity)
• Reduces irrigation costs by 25% for tomato and green pepper crops
• Profit improved up to 50%
21. Adoption of New Technologies
Enabling Factors
• Technologies Knowledge platforms
• Demonstration plots
• Practical Training Centres
• Ease of access of technologies
• E.g. seedlings – commercial nursery
• Results – to crop yields
Challenges
• High Prices
e.g. Irrigation systems, hybrid seeds
• Weather factors – e.g. greenhouses
• Lack of availability – very few technology
companies in Zanzibar; resulting in use
of fake inputs
• Cumbersome registration process for
new technologies – testing, importation
Solutions:
• Establishment of satellite nurseries
• Promote use of demo plots and PTCs
• Engagement of technology companies
• Expand their presence
• Enhance market access of horti products
22. General Impact
• Greenhouse production booming – local technologies suitable for Zanzibar
• Increased production - reducing “import” of fresh produce from the Mainland from 80% to
40%
• Increased government political drive – process to formulate horticultural development
strategy started
• Adoption of technology resulted in increased availability and consumption of horticultural
production in Zanzibar => enhanced nutrition
• TAHA Vision: A vibrant, prosperous, profitable and sustainable horticulture industry in
Tanzania -> US $ 1 billion per year
23. GloCal – Global issues in loCal context
Lauriina Schneider, University of Helsinki
To globally reduce maternal and child morbidity
and mortality through nutrition and health
education in the form of video
To facilitate the work of healthcare workers with
a mobile application
To help mothers in their daily life through a
mobile application
24. Why GloCal?
The lack of knowledge, adverse
traditional believes and attitudes influence
maternal and young child feeding
practices.
Women’s knowledge and attitudes can be
changed through a modern education
model.
Increased understanding on how people
in LMICs accept modern educational
tools.
25. GloCal videos
Short & easily understod
Real video & animations
◦ Local actors and foods
Voiceover in local languages
Targeted at mothers
◦ Also illitterate women
Can be used in training of healthcare
workers
Pregnancy
Breastfeeding
Complementary feeding
Childcare
27. Research
Scientific proof on video effectiveness on changing maternal knowledge,
attitudes and feeding practices
Joint venture with Kenyatta University
6-month intervention
◦ 3 urban & 3 rural health centers
◦ Videos shown on TV screens in health centers
Focus group discussion results:
◦ Mother’s ability to make feeding decisions needs to be strengthened
◦ Need for social support and encouragement
28. Current activities
- Educational videos for Africa
◦ English, Swahili (Kenyan + Tanzanian), French, Portugese, Amahara
- GloCalNurse and GloCalMom application prototypes
- Intervention study in Kenya
◦ Effectiveness of videos, urban and rural areas. Results available by the end of 2016
- GloCal videos as part of Unicef intervention
◦ Western Kenya, 2016-2018
- Kenyan Ministry of Health
◦ Scaling up of the project nationally, usage of GloCal pictures in other MIYCH material
- FoodAfrica project
◦ Video dissemination in Benin, Ghana, Uganda & Senegal
- World Vision India
◦ Indian video set in Indian English and Hindi, dissemination in India
See website: www.glocalnutrition.com
29. Thank you for your attention!
CFS 43 Finnish Side Event was sponsored by:
TAHA Zanzibar project is also supported by:
Hinweis der Redaktion
With just two portable instruments for about $100,000 we can now cover most soil and plant analytical requirements for agriculture, with rapid, low cost and hihgly reproducible spectral methods, including direct determination of plant micronutrient status.
On the left is a portable mid-infrared spectrometer, suitable for estimation of many soil properties and plant nitrogen. On the right is a portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometer for plant and soil total element analysis
This provides opportunity for establishing low cost labs in national institutions, rural soil labs and multiple locations for private businesses.
We provide calibrations and capacity strengthening.
