Presented at the COMESA Experts Meeting on Increased Cassava Production, 12th – 13th May 2015, Lusaka-Zambia

1. Cassava Seed Multiplication and Distribution
of Improved New Varieties: ASARECA
Regional Experience
Presented at the COMESA Experts Meeting on Increased Cassava
Production, 12th
– 13th
May 2015, Lusaka-Zambia
Brian E. Isabirye, Ivan Rwomushana, Anthony Bua, T. Munga, Tesfaye
Tadesse, E. Warinda and Edward Kanju

2. Eastern and Central Africa
(ECA)
……
• Countries in the region are facing
similar challenges to improve
agriculture’s performance.
• Food production in the region is
consistently lower than population
growth.
• Agro-ecological zones cut across
political boundaries, and therefore,
technologies developed in one country
frequently find application in similar
environments of other countries.
• Great opportunities to promote
agricultural led growth through
sharing of Agricultural research results
as a result of regional collective action,
collaboration and specialization exist
but these yet to be tapped into.

3. ASARECA
……
Vision
Regional leader in agricultural research and
development for improved livelihoods in
Eastern and Central Africa
Mission
Enhance regional collective action in
agricultural research for development,
extension and agricultural training and
education to promote economic growth, fight
poverty, eradicate hunger and enhance
sustainable use of resources in Eastern and
Central Africa.
Goal
Enhanced sustainable productivity, value
added and competitiveness of the sub-
regional agricultural system

4. • Facilitate the generation of appropriate
technologies, innovations and management
practices for the sub-region.
• Disseminate and up-scaling of appropriate
TIMPs across borders.
• Ensure an enabling policy environment for
agricultural transformation.
• Enhance institutional and stakeholder capacities
for innovation generation
• A regional hub and think tank for agric
knowledge, information and learning.
ASARECA does

5. Cassava in ASARECA

6. Multiple benefits
CASSAVA STARCH
CASSAVA CHIPS /
PELLETS
FOODFOOD
TEXTILETEXTILE
MONOSODIUM
GLUTAMATE
(MSG)
MONOSODIUM
GLUTAMATE
(MSG)
PAPERPAPER
PLYWOODPLYWOOD
BIO-DEGRADABLE
PRODUCTS
BIO-DEGRADABLE
PRODUCTS
SWEETENERSWEETENER
MEDICINEMEDICINE
GLUEGLUE
ALCOHOLALCOHOL
Cassava is also used to produce liquor,
industrial and medical alcohol.
ANIMAL
FEED
ANIMAL
FEED
Cassava is a prime raw
material in making MSG.
Cassava is used to make glucose,
fructose, lactose, substitute for
sucrose in making beverages, jams
and canned fruits.
Cassava is used in paper
pressing, flattening and polishing.
Good-quality glue for plywood
binding is made from cassava
Cassava is used to mix with
active pharmaceutical materials
to make capsules and tablets.
Cassava Starch can be mixed with biodegradable
polymer to produce a packaging material.
Cassava is an important material
in making quality glues.
Cassava is one of the ingredients
for animal compounding.
Cassava starch is widely used in
food production, such as instant
noodle, tapioca pearl and seasoning
sauce.
Cassava is used in yarn
sizing and material printing.

7. Current constraints to cassava production in ECA
CGM: since 1970s;
1st
report in Africa
CM: since 1970s;
from DRC
CMD: since 1928 CBB: since 1970s
CBSD, since 2004B. Tabaci (whitefly) : high #,
since early 1990s
Drought, since 2000
(Alfredo et al.)

8. Cassava Brown
Streak Disease
(CBSD)
Losses 74%
Cassava Mosaic Disease (CMD)
Losses 25-100%
Cassava Green Mite (CGM) +
others
Losses 25-
The big three….

9. Our Cassava Research themes
1. Identification and management of (Germplasm)
information and technology of regional importance on
cassava; knowledge management, utilization and
learning.
2. Addressing regional threats to sustainable improvement
in the productivity and competitiveness of cassava in
ECA; frameworks for response, and strategic agricultural
research to address the region’s agricultural production
threats.
3. Enhancing productivity, value addition and improving
access to regional and global markets of cassava in ECA;
Support to regional trade and value chains

10. PAST: 1994-2006
• Worked in networks based in CGIAR: East and Central
African Root Crops Research Network (EARRNET-IITA).
Transform cassava from a “poor man’s crop” ……….
1.Technologies and innovations: Improved cassava varieties, pre-and
post harvest technologies and germplasm developed through regional
collaboration
2.Facilitated policy options for cassava transformation: 15 draft policies on
different aspects of cassava value addition for Kenya, Uganda and
Madagascar. Standards for Uganda were gazetted (2011).
3.Strengthened regional and national human and infrastructural capacities
for the NARS.
4.Enhanced availability of information systeme for research and
development.
Overall…raised the cassava profile in the region……..

11. PRESENT: 2007-DATE
• Cassava mega project: DRC, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Tanzania,
Uganda and IITA (IARC)
1. Improved cassava varieties resistant to CBSD and CMD, BUT incorporating
root desired qualities in ECA: 1200 genotypes were evaluated and improved
varieties evaluated for possible release. Rwanda and Madagascar also
acquired some
2. Promote use of clean and quality planting materials: In Uganda 7 varieties
(NASE 13-NASE 19) were released, in Kenya 3 varieties (KME2 – KME4) are
released and in Tanzania 4 varieties (Pwani, Mkumba, Dodoma and
Mukulupola) have been released.
3. Scaling up improved cassava technologies and marketing improved cassava
technologies in the ECA sub-region.
4. Promote cassava product diversification technologies for business
5. Build capacity for enhancement, promotion and utilisation of cassava and
products in the ECA sub-region.
6. Develop and support promote the formulation and implementation of policies
and standards for cassava in ECA.
Follow-up efforts incorporated into EAAPP (2011) which ASARECA coordinates………….

12. 1. Increase in turn out of scientific
innovations resulting from increased
research capacity.
1. Increase in cassava acreage and
productivity resulting from adoption of
elite varieties, good agronomic practices
& effective management of pests &
diseases.
1. Improvement in food & nutrition
security and HH income.
1. Expanded cassava markets arising from
production of novel cassava value added
products.
1. Reduction in genetic erosion through
sustainable conservation of cassava
genetic material.
1. Increased research capacity through
integration of best research tools and
methods.

13. Key achievements, Uganda
19 improved varieties released, CMD contained
Crossing blocks On-farm trials
Several candidate varieties in pipeline…
NASE 14 NASE 15NASE 3NASE 14

14. Varieties released in Kenya
Shibe
Tajirika
Siri Nzalauka
28 t acre-1
25 t acre-1
23 t acre-1
21 t acre-1

15. Officially released varieties, Tanzania…IITA
Clone Official
name
Pedigree Yield (t/ha) Proposed
area for
cultivation
Year of
release
HBL 95/05 Hombolo 18 Semi-arid 2002
KBH
2002/477
Kama Kiroba-HS 23 Zanzibar 2007
KBH
2002/482
Kizimbani Kiroba-HS 28 Zanzibar 2007
KBH
2002/494
Mahonda Kiroba-HS 19 Zanzibar 2007
KBH
2002/517
Machui Kiroba-HS 23 Zanzibar 2007
MM 96/4684 Mkombozi ? 20 Lake Zone 2009
Red font = CBSD tolerant

16. Officially released varieties, Tanzania
Clone Official
name
Pedigree Yield (t/ha) Proposed
area for
cultivation
Year of
release
MM 96/4619 Meremeta ? 20 Lake Zone 2009
MM
96/3075B
Belinde ? 20 Lake Zone 2009
MM 96/8233 Rangi mbili ? 23 Lake Zone 2009
MM 96/5725 Nyakafulo ? 25 Lake Zone 2009
MM 96/8450 Kyaka ? 25 Lake Zone 2009
I91/0063 Kasala ? 25 Lake Zone 2009

17. Officially released varieties,
Tanzania
Clone Official
name
Pedigree Yield (t/ha) Proposed
area for
cultivation
Year of
release
I92/0067 Suma ? 25 Lake Zone 2009
B2C80-42 Makutupora AR 11 x
Namikonga
30 Semi-arid 2012
BC231-2 Dodoma Kiroba x AR
3x-1
36 Semi-arid 2012
3C20-10 Mkumba Namikonga
x AR 42-4
23 Coastal
lowlands
2012
B2C20-65 Pwani Namikonga
x AR 42-4
50 Coastal
lowlands
2012
Red font = CBSD tolerant

18. Variety Evaluation and promotion in Ethiopia.
Clones Mean total root yield (t/ha)
Hawassa Amaro Sekota Grand
Mean
2012 2013 Mean 2012 2013 Mean 2012 2013 Mean
AWC-1 46.04 45.63 45.83 41.67 44.45 43.06 23.80 21.08 22.44 37.11
AWC-2 29.92 36.75 33.33 28.92 50.79 39.85 24.10 27.43 25.76 32.98
AWC-3 32.08 32.79 32.44 25.79 47.46 36.63 19.04 21.07 20.08 29.71
AWC-4 28.13 25.04 26.58 26.92 41.08 34.00 23.23 22.58 28.91 27.83
AWC-5 35.21 43.13 38.38 23.67 39.63 31.65 24.70 19.62 22.16 30.75
Kello 31.88 34.79 33.33 32.63 30.29 31.46 18.26 20.23 19.25 28.01

19. Introductions at Jima-Ethiopia

20. MULTIPLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION INITIATIVES

21. The Regional Cassava Initiative (RCI)
Purpose: To restore cassava yields by reinforcing the capacity of food
insecure farmers to prevent, mitigate, prepare for and respond to CMD and
CBSD.
Budget: € 4 761 046
Time frame: Nov 2009 – Oct 2013
Results:
1) Improved cassava varieties made available to about 500,000 farmers in
Eastern and Central Africa;
2) Preventive capacity and interventions enhanced through availability of
cassava-disease surveillance information to Government authorities, NGOs
and Producers;
3) Movement of cassava vegetative material better regulated through
operational cassava commissions.

22. RCI- Multiplication & Promotion
Burundi
•Distribution to vulnerable (returnees,
IDPs, biotic and abiotic hazards, BXW):
•5 new varieties: MM01/1641,
MM96/1744, MM96/1666, MM97/2961,
MM96/4463
Central African Republic
•Three varieties (M61/033; C96/055 and
ATU) promoted
•654,000m linear healthy cuttings of 20
cm each distributed; 327 hectares planted;
•272 Groups and NGOs multipliers
healthy cuttings trained and served;
• DRC
• Five (5) varieties (Sawasawa, LIYAYI,
MAYOMBE AND BUTAMU)
• 300 Ha of seed planted and 18 million
linear meters of cuttings produced (72
million cuttings of 25-30 cm).
• 5,760 ha for production fields & 57,600
people as direct beneficiaries.
Tanzania.
•18 million cuttings distributed.
•established 3330 ha of cassava and
149FFS.
Uganda
•Established 3330 ha of cassava and
149FFS.

23. New Cassava Varieties and Clean Seed to Combat CBSD and
CMD (5CP Project) – 4 Years
To improve cassava productivity and food security in Eastern and Southern
African region by deploying new virus-free cassava varieties that have dual
resistance to cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak
disease (CBSD)

24. Country Variety name Fresh Root
Yield (t/ha)
DM content
(%)
Reaction to diseases Release status
CMD
resistance
CBSD
resistance
Tanzania KBH 2002/066 34.1 28.0 Moderate Moderate In pipeline
B2C20-65 50.8 29.2 Moderate Moderate In pipeline
3C20-10 23.3 27 Weak Moderate In pipeline
KBH 2006/026 30.0 29.0 Moderate Moderate In pipeline
Kizimbani 28.6 28.0 Moderate Moderate Released
Kiroba* 20.0 32.0 Weak Moderate Released
Malawi Sangoja 35 33 Moderate Moderate Released
Sauti 30 34 Moderate Moderate Released
Yizaso 35 33 Moderate Moderate Released
Kalawe 28 36 Moderate Moderate Released
CH 05/203 33 34 Moderate Moderate In pipeline
Mbundumali* 25 37 Susceptible Susceptible Recommended
Mozambique Colicanana 20.0 33.0 Weak Moderate Released
Nziva 22.0 35.1 Weak Moderate Released
Okhumelela 20.0 32.8 Moderate Moderate Released
Orera 23.0 32.0 Weak Moderate Released
Eyope 25.0 32.0 Moderate Moderate Released
Tomo* 12.2 32.7 Weak Susceptible Not released
Kenya LM 08/363 69 27 Moderate Moderate In pipeline
F19-NL 39.4 25 Moderate Moderate In pipeline
Tajirika 61 25.7 Moderate Moderate Released
Shibe 68 26 Moderate Moderate Released
F10-30-R2 58 40 Moderate Moderate Adv. yield trial
Kibangameno* 26.1 40 Susceptible Susceptible Not released
Uganda TZ 130 - - Strong Moderate In pipeline
MM 96/4271 31.2 35.0 Strong Moderate Released
72-TME 14 26.9 31.5 Strong Moderate Released
109-TME 14 38.6 35.5 Strong Moderate Released
NASE 1 14.9 32.5 Strong Moderate Released
NASE 3 <10 30.0 Moderate Moderate Released
TME 204* 22.4 36.9 Strong Susceptible Not released

25. Multiplication at ASARECA-EAAPP

26. Number of cultivars for selected
commodities registered in more than 1
EAAPP country
Σ = 41

27. Number of Cassava Cuttings produced
& sold by farmers, seed companies, etc
Σ = 35% sold
•NASE series and other (20)
IITA improved varieties have
been bulked and distributed to
famers across major cassava
states in South Sudan.
•Multiplication & Maintenance
of two improved varieties in
Alemata, Bako, Hawassa,
Werer, Mytsebri, Arbaminch,
Areka, Gog, Gode, Jima,
Sokota, Assosa, Pawe-
Ethiopia.

28. Towards an
Integrated Cassava
Seed System

29. Seed Distribution Challenges…Tz Experience
• Persistent viral diseases – lowers progress towards genetic gains in other
consumer-tagged traits
• Gap in human and infrastructural resources – should be filled to allow for
increased specialization
• Lack Biosafety and Biotechnology Act and Limited general awareness on
biotechnology
• Lack of a functional seed system for vegetatively propagated crops –
limited supply of quality seed, low production
 Weak farm-saved seed production and community based seed systems;
 Weak seed producer community (low levels of local seed business
development)
 Weak and/ or poorly implemented seed policies and regulations for a
functional, diverse, dynamic and integrated seed sector.

30. ECA seed systems
Informal Intermediary Formal
Cassava Seed system is predominantly informal (97% in Tanzania)!

31. Cassava ISSD
Integrate informal and formal systems
Recognize the relevance of informal seed
systems
Recognize complementary roles of private
and public sector
Build programmes upon a variation of seed
systems and foster pluralism
Work according to structure of the
seed value chain
Enabling and evolving policies supporting a
dynamic seed sector
Promote entrepreneurship and market
orientation
Promote seed sector innovation

32. Plant genetic resource conservation
• Support participatory variety selection in collaboration with local seed
businesses and community-based seed producers to respond to local
demand.
• Stimulate further recognition of local agro-biodiversity as a source for new
varieties.
• Develop a robust and cost effective system of local and central
conservation of plant agro-biodiversity.

33. Variety development and screening
• Longer term public-community-seed business collaboration in variety
screening of the selected under-resourced crops
• Support participatory variety selection in collaboration with local seed
businesses and community-based seed producers to respond to local
demand (see also plant genetic resource conservation).
• Fast-track the registration of popular landraces as official varieties.
• Performance based incentive structures for breeders in the public
domain.
• Improve facilities for variety selection of under-resourced crops.

34. Early generation seed production
• Improve the balance between public and private roles in the seed sector,
based on the principle that what the private sector is willing to invest in,
the public sector can gradually withdraw from.
• Support the development of private seed enterprises that produce early
generation seed.
• Improve the capacity of public institutions to produce early generation
seed of cassava, to better respond to local demands.
• Develop a pre-season order and payment system to allow for a better
response to demands.
• Develop the early generation seed production of vegetative propagated
crops such as cassava

35. Seed multiplication
• Support seed producers’ investments in supplementary irrigation facilities to reduce the
risks to their business and ensure the availability of seed for peak demands
• Support existing, emerging and new seed producers with seed extension, so that they
have access to the most appropriate technologies
• Provide existing and emerging seed producers with seed business support, so that they
can improve their response to market demands
• Support decentralisation of seed crop inspections to local level offices.
• Seed health: indexing of tissue culture materials;
• Build on the QDS system to ensure quality control of seed, and allow for marketing of
seed beyond local boundaries.
• Fast track the development and operationalization of QDS certification standards,
protocols and quality control mechanisms

36. Marketing and distribution
• Develop market information systems that make the availability of local
businesses’ seed stocks known in real-time, to allow for the flow of quality
seed to areas where high demand exists.
• Help local seed businesses develop brands for their seed.
• Promote the collaboration between local seed businesses and private seed
enterprises, through contract farming and other means.
• Promote seed fairs during times of peak demand and pilot marketing of
QDS seed in open markets.
• Investigate and pilot opportunities for seed source traceability to fight
counterfeit seed.

37. Marketing and distribution…
• Provide seed advisory services to ordinary farmers to create a larger
market for quality seed and to promote locally produced quality seed.
• Provide technical and business training to emerging seed businesses.
• Develop suitable financial products for seed multipliers.
• Develop quality control systems in seed marketing channels.
• Fast-track the registration of popular landraces.
• Train ordinary producers on seed quality maintenance and improve the
quality of self-supply of seed through seed extension services to ordinary
farmers.