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Collaborating
Scientists:
Tanzania:
Emmanuel R. Mbiha and Fredy Kilima, Sokoine University of
Agriculture, Tanzania.
Gelson Tembo and Priscilla Hamukwala, University of Zambia,
School of Agriculture
Summary:
Improving the income
and food security of small-scale sorghum and millet farmers
in Zambia and Tanzania through the identification of new
market opportunities and related constraints in the supply
chain is the focus of this market development research for
the Sorghum, Millet, and Other Grains CRSP. The productivity
and profitability of sorghum and millet in these countries
is low and so is the income of small farmers. Improving
technology and linking producers to markets are important
parts of the solution to the problem.
The research
activities will focus on Tanzania and Zambia. These two
countries are selected because sorghum and pearl millet are
important food crops for low income households and new
commercial markets for sorghum and millet have been
identified that offer opportunities for small farmers to
increase productivity and incomes. The proposed research is
carried out in collaboration with the Department of
Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, Sokoine University
of Agriculture (SUA), Morogoro, Tanzania, and the Department
of Agricultural Economics and Extension Education, the
University of Zambia (UNZA), Lusaka, Zambia, with whom we
have had a successful collaboration with for the past two
years. Research activities will be augmented by a strong
capacity building and training program. Training programs
will support the study of two M.S. students in agricultural
economics at SUA, two senior projects at UNZA, and two M.S.
students in agricultural economics – one each from SUA and
UNZA - at The OSU. We will also support the Ph.D. study of a
faculty member at SUA and one at UNZA through the RUFORUM
regional PhD program at Bunda College, Malawi.Working
directly with universities in the region has proven to be an
excellent way of building sustainable capacity in the
region.
Objectives:
As stated in the
RFP, the overall approach is to increase food security and
promote market development of sorghum and pearl millet
products. This is to be achieved by implementing the project
specific goal of developing marketing strategies through a
complementary applied marketing research program in East and
Southern Africa.
The objectives of
the Sorghum, Millet and Other Grains CRSP are to:
1) Facilitate the
growth of the rapidly expanding markets for sorghum and
millet;
2) Improve the food
and nutritional quality of sorghum and pearl millet to
enhance marketability and consumer health;
3) Increase the
stability and yield level of sorghum and pearl millet
through crop, soil and water management while maintaining or
improving the natural resources of soil (land) and water;
4) Develop and
disseminate information on management of biotic stresses in
an integrated system to increase grain yield and quality in
the field and in storage;
5) Enhance the
stability and yield of sorghum and pearl millet through use
of genetic technologies;
6) Enhance global
sorghum and pearl millet genetic resources and the
conservation of biodiversity;
7) Develop effective
partnerships with national and international agencies
engaged in the improvement of sorghum and pearl millet
production and the betterment of people dependent on these
crops for their livelihoods.
This research will
mainly focus on objective one above (facilitate the growth
of the rapidly expanding markets for sorghum and millet) but
will also contribute to objectives two through seven
directly or indirectly through collaborations with other
interdisciplinary teams of scientists. |
