A New Soil and Water Network
A network for the conservation management of soil and water resources in West and Central Africa (GRES) was set
up by a group of scientists from the Institut de recherche agronomique pour le développement (IRAD) of Cameroon,
agricultural universities, and NonGovernmental Organizations. GRES aims to raise public awareness of sustainable
soil and water management issues on a national and regional level. It also intends to focus research on these natural
resources. Finally, it plans to create a documentation center on resource management.
The creation of this network is justified by the continual drop in agricultural productivity and environmental
degradation. Soil degradation due to erosion is the main reason for this drop in production. A colloquium on "Man
and Erosion" is being organized in December 1999 in Yaoundé by GRES and the Institut de recherche pour
le développement (IRD).
Contact: Boli Baboulé Zaché
IRAD, BP 2123, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Fax: +237 22 33 62
West Africa. A Post-Harvest Project for Fonio in Guinea
Fonio is a cereal that is much sought after for its nutritional qualities. It contains an amino acid, methionin,
which helps digestion. In Guinea, the Service national des statistiques agricoles (SNSA) estimates annual fonio
production at one hundred and forty thousands tons. In order to promote its production, the Institut de recherche
agronomique de Guinée (IRAG), the Institut d'économie rurale (IER) of Mali, the Centre national de
la recherche scientifique et technologique (CNRST) of Burkina Faso, and the Centre de coopération internationale
en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), have recently begun a fonio project on the post-harvest
period in Middle Guinea, where the crop is grown successfully.
The project aims to develop appropriate technology, support fonio marketing and producer associations in major
cropping areas, to locate potential markets in the three countries concerned and in the subregion.
The project, which was set up at the request of Food and Agriculture Oganization of United States (FAO), is funded
by the Common Fund for Commodities.
Contact: Marie-Antoinette Haba Sanoussi
IRAG, BP 1523, Conakry, Guinea
Fax: +224 41 57 58
E-mail: irag@mirinet.net.gn
Dromadaries and Tuberculosis in Mauritania
In Mauritania, human tuberculosis of animal origin is a public health problem. There have been two cases of tuberculosis
in dromadaries. Since it is traditional for people to drink fresh milk, there is a high risk of human infection,
particularly in semiurban areas where there are large numbers of dromadaries, cattle, and goats.
In Nouakchott, animals are kept essentially for milk for the dairy industry and direct sales. The Centre national
d'élevage et de recherches vétérinaires (CNERV) intends to help eradicate this fearsome disease
by carrying out research on tuberculosis viruses, contaminated milk, and slaughterhouses.
The World Bank is supporting CNERV through the agricultural services project.
Contact: Ahmed Ould Mouhamed
CNERV, BP 167, Nouakchott, Mauritania
Fax: +22 2 25 28 03
E-mail: cnerv10@calvapro.fr
Mali. Insects Control Water Hyacinth
Water hyacinth is a very harmful and invasive aquatic plant (see fourth issue of Coraf Action). In Mali, it has
colonized a large part of the river Niger from Bamako, creating a thick carpet that disrupts fishing, navigation,
and the operations of the Société d'énergie du Mali's (SEM) hydroelectric dam in Sotuba. It
has obstructed the irrigation canals of the Baguineda irrigated rice perimeter (PRB) along a 15km stretch, blocked
the water distributors, and is a threat to one hundred thousands hectares of the Office du Niger's (ON) rice crop.
The PRB, ON, and SEM have invested over sixty three millions CFA francs to control the invasion.
In support of these efforts, the Institut d'économie rurale (IER) of Mali is carrying out research into
the control of harmful aquatic plants. This includes a study of the degree of infestation of these floating plants,
biological control, and integrated crop management. In September 1997, imported black beetles (insects that attack
plant leaves) were released along the river between Bamako and Segou. At the Kalabankoro site, four months later,
there was a significant reduction in the number of plants/km2. All the beetles survived.
Several Years of Control
These initial results meant that IER has started to breed beetles at the research station. They are then multiplied
and spread out along the river Niger between Bamako and Baguineda. However, it will take several years to halt
the spread of water hyacinth, given the rate of infestation along the river and the fact that still only a limited
number of insects are being released.
Contact: Bouréma Dembélé
IER, BP 258, Bamako, Mali
Fax: +223 22 37 75
An Information System. InfoSys is Evaluated
A workshop on "Information for food security: the contribution of regional information systems to building
the global information system" was organized by the European Initiative for Agricultural Research for Development
(EIARD) in Bonn, from 3-5 May 1999. The aim of the workshop to assess and plan InfoSys, the decentralized internet-based
information system project (see tenth issue of Coraf Action). Representatives from National Agricultural Research
Systems (NARS) in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, international institutions, and donors took part
in the workshop.
The evaluation of the first phase of InfoSys led to the creation of a steering committee. EIARD intends to support
information systems built up by sub-regional and regional organizations from countries in the South. These projects
should take into account the guidelines proposed by the workshop.
The second phase of the InfoSys project (2000-2003) should see more active participation on the part of partners
in the South.
Contact: Dady Demby
CORAF, BP 8732, Dakar-Yoff, Senegal
E-mail: corafact@sonatel.senet.net
The Songhaï Center. Animal Feed Products
In Benin, research into developing and recycling animal and plant by-products carried out by the Centre Songhaï
shows that feathers, chicken droppings, and natural plants can be used to manufacture animal feed. These products
include feather flour, a premix, and dried manure from laying hens.
Flour is made from poultry feathers that are taken from the Center's slaughterhouse and heated for a long time.
The flour is high in protein (about 84%) and also contains several mineral elements. Different classes of animals
can be fed feather flour mixed with other types of feed. However, it is more readily digested by ruminants than
by monogastric animals (pigs, poultry, and rabbits). The Center is carrying out tests on producing animal feed
for rodents. Large-scale production of feather flour is easy for poultry farms where large quantities of feathers
are available.
No Harm to Pig Health or Performance
The premix is a mixture of natural plants, wood ash, bloodmeal, fishmeal (or flour from maggots), and red peppers.
It is very rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins. It is less expensive than imported premix and can be fed to
all types of animals, particularly poultry and pigs. The center incorporates very small quantities of premix into
feed rations (about 0.3 %). Large-scale production is more feasible in areas where it is easy to obtain large quantities
of blood from slaughterhouses. However, blood must come from healthy animals.
Dried hen manure, based on chicken excrement, contains 19% protein and 6% calcium. It is commonly used to feed
pigs, sheep, and rabbits. The center recently carried out trials on two categories of pigs for two weeks: the feed
given to the first group contained 10% chicken excrement and the feed given to the second group did not. The trials
showed that low doses of manure added to pigfeed did not harm health or performance.
Contact: Eliot K. Wilson
Centre Songhaï, BP 597, Porto-Novo, Benin
Fax: +229 22 20 50
E-mail: songhaï.berlin@itnet.bj
The Plantain and Banana Network at Work
Plantain and bananas are staple food crops for the rural and urban populations in the lowland humid forest zones
of West and Central Africa. Yet, Musa sp. research and development is underfunded although farmers are eager to
adopt research results. To remedy this situation, CORAF and the International Network for Improvement of Bananas
and Plantains (INIBAP) created the banana and plantain network (MUSACO) in 1997.
MUSACO is actively carrying out research and development and supporting National Agricultural Research Systems
(NARS). It is evaluating germplasm and conducting trials to improve the efficiency of the split corm method, a
rapid technique for producing plantain suckers. The network is based at the Centre de recherches régional
sur bananiers et plantains (CRBP) in Cameroon. It has been collaborating with other groups so that high-yielding
varieties and disease-resistant hybrids can be introduced and disseminated in semiurban areas in Ghana and Benin.
Building Up a Database
The network supports the NARS in Côte d'Ivoire, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of
Congo, and Senegal, by providing the means to introduce and evaluate high-yielding varieties that are disease-
and pest-resistant. The aim is to increase yields and farmer incomes in these countries.
The network is also looking into the possibility of collecting information on banana and plantain production in
each country with a view to setting up a database.
Contact: Ekow Akyeampong
INIBAP, BP 12438, Douala, Cameroon
Fax: +237 42 91 56
E-mail: inibap@cgnet.com
Increased production leads to higher farmer incomes and greater banana and plantain consumption.
Nigeria Develops Local Sugarcane-Processing Plants
Nigeria produces about twenty five tons of sugar although national consumption is about five hundred tons per year.
One million ton of sugarcane is grown on about thirty thousands hectares of land. Yet well over two hundred and
fifty thousands hectares could be used for growing sugarcane. Two types of sugarcane are grown: industrial cane
(with a hard-rind) and edible sugarcane (which is soft). The latter, grown by small farmers, accounts for fifty
to six five pourcent of production. It is sold for direct consumption (cane is chewed for its sweet juice). Only
a tiny proportion is processed into sweet local products like "alewa" and "mazarkwaila".
The National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) developed a small-scale sugar-processing plant in 1996 to help achieve
national self-sufficiency in sugar. It is used by the sugarcane producers to make sugar. The plant is composed
of a juice extractor, an evaporator, a mixer, and a centrifuge. The juice extractor has a capacity of nearly 3
t/day which produces 1 290 l/t. The open pan (boiling) system is fuelled with bagasse. The combustion chamber is
sunk into the ground which improves heat use by 60%. The water cooled crystallizer recovers 15% more sugar than
the gravity crystallization process.
Technology Adopted Villages
This plant is the most recent model that has been developed. The first prototype, developed in 1989, processed
about 1.7t of cane per day (tcd) and recovered 680 l/juice. In 1990, an improved model was designed capable of
processing about 2 tcd to recover 810 l/juice.
To encourage farmers to use the new unit, chemical additives to clarify the juice were replaced by aqueous extracts
from local plants, such as the stem of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), leaf of sodom (Calotropis procera), seed
of groundnut (Arachis hypogea), etc. The sugar produced is safe and nutritious.
Test runs were organized for the general public. Three cane growing villages-Sara in the Jigawa State, Anchan in
Kaduna State, and Wuya in Niger State-were designated as technology adopted villages.
Contact: Latif D. Busari, Agidi Gbabo, Steve M. Misari
NCRI, P.M.B. 8, Bida, Niger State, Nigeria
Biological Control: Two Researchers Receive Award in Ghana
J.A. Timbilla and H. Braimah of the Crop Research Institute (CRI) of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR) of Ghana, won the Best Agricultural Researcher Award for 1998 for having achieved major advances in the
biological control of Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata), and its harmful effects on biodiversity. The national jury
judged their papers to have been the best contribution to national agricultural development, developing a cost-effective
biological control method posing little or no environmental hazard.
The work used the arctid moth (Pareuchaetes pseudoinsulata) to reduce Siam weed populations. C. odorata releases
noxious substances that suppress plant growth and effectively gradually reduced the natural plant and animal species
that formed the natural ecosystems. The Siam weed has been in Ghana for 26 years and covered about 65% of the total
land area where it constitutes approximately 23% of the flora. The situation is set to worsen as Ghana continues
to experience the fast ratio of deforestation.
Field studies and trials carried out by the two researchers demonstrated the potential of this moth as a bio-control
agent against the weed. They then mass reared the arctic moth and released it on-station and on surrounding fields.
However, the use of other bio-agents in addition to the arctic moth to speed up the control of the Siam weed is
recommended.
Contact: J. A. Timballa; H. Braimah
CRI, P.O. Box 3785, Kumasi, Ghana
Fax: +223 051 60391
Plant Drought Resistance. Professionals in Training
In the ninth issue of Coraf Action, the Centre d'étude régional pour l'amélioration de l'adaptation
à la sécheresse (CERAAS) announced the creation of a specialized higher education certificate (CESS)
on plant drought resistance. The certificate awarded by the Ecole nationale supérieure d'agronomie (ENSA)
of Thiès is the first of its kind in Sahelian Africa. The center also announced the creation of doctorate
degrees (diplôme d'études approfondies and theses) on this subject to be awarded by the Cheikh Anta
Diop University in Dakar (UCAD).
The CESS program, aimed at scientists and researchers, started in February 1999. Eight professionals are being
trained by a team of African and European professors. The trainees come from Burkina, the Central African Republic,
Niger, Chad, and Senegal.
The objective of the course is to train scientists and researchers in the region to draw up and apply agricultural
development policies.
Contact: Harold Roy-Macauley
CERAAS, BP 3320, Thiès, Senegal
Fax: +221 951 49 95
E-mail: ceraas@telecomplus.sn
Internet: www.refer.sn/sngal_ct/rec/ceraas/accueil.htm
Learning by doing is indispensable for African scientists
Fallow Project. Assessment and Future Prospects
A regional project to improve and manage fallow land in West Africa was established in 1994 by CORAF, the Institut
de recherche pour le développement (IRD), the Centre national de recherche scientifique et technique (CNRST),
and the Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD),
(see second issue of Coraf Action). Four years later, the project brought together representatives from member
countries and other partners to present research results and discuss future prospects. This meeting took place
at the international seminar on "Fallow in Tropical Africa: Role, Developments, Alternatives", held in
Dakar in April 1999.
Discussions clearly showed that important research results had been obtained by member countries (Burkina, Côte
d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Cameroon). Participants recommended that the project continue with a second phase
that should use associated research to examine development concerns.
Consolidating Partnerships with NonGovernmental Organizations
The socioeconomic constraints that affect crop and livestock systems are considerable. Therefore, research should
take them into account so that farmers can adopt results. To achieve this, a participatory approach should be developed
so that the link between research and development can be improved. Closer collaboration with nongovernmental organizations
would make it easier to appreciate how farmers perceive changes.
The range of legislation and regulations governing land is often a source of conflict and therefore needs to be
taken into account when it comes to managing fallow. Studies should be carried out on the relationships between
nature and use of fallow, livestock management, changing livestock production systems. The use of cover crops and
woody plants is necessary. Since women play a major role here, they should be given special attention.
Participation of Other Countries
Technical fact sheets on the productivity of natural fallow and species, management conditions, and the behavior
of linear species (live hedges, windbreaks) have to be prepared so that research findings concerning trees and
fallowland can be transferred. The transfer of new fallow practices to farming, the use of livestock for manure
production, the introduction of leguminous and herbacious species are also effective ways of improving soil fertility.
It is hoped that other countries will participate in this regional research.
Contact: C. Floret, R. Pontanier
IRD, BP 1386, Dakar, Senegal
Fax: +221 32 26 98
E-mail: christianfloret@ird.sn
CORAF LIFE
A Strategic Plan for Agricultural Research in Chad
In November 1998, a workshop was organized by the Institut tchadien de recherche agronomique pour le développement
(ITRAD) to draw up a medium-term plan for agronomic research.
This workshop is part of the process of restructuring agronomic research, which, January 1998, transformed the
Direction de la recherche et de la technologie agricole (DRTA) into INTRAD. This restructuring involves the programming
and preparation of research priorities.
Discussions, involving groups of researchers in eight programs are also underway, so that ITRAD can be transformed
into an enterprise that creates technology for rural development.
Contact: Allarangaye Moundibaye, Laokole Déjogueré
ITRAD, BP 441, N'Djamena, Chad
Fax: +235 52 51 19
Opinion. Africa. Food Security in Question
Half of the 88 low-income countries that suffer from food shortages are in Africa. Africa has eleven pourcent of
the world's population but only produces seven pourcent of the world's food crops. It is finding it increasingly
difficult to meet its food requirements. The situation is even more critical in the Sahel where basic foodstuffs
come from the land, the sea, and the forests. The determining factors are: cropping practices that are unfavorable
for cereals, natural constraints, population growth, constant conflicts, and technological underdevelopment.
Since 1990, growth in the agricultural sector has increased by 1.4% (2% in 1980), whereas annual population growth
is 3% on average. Grain imports are increasing by about 7% a year, which has a significant effect on the balance
of trade deficit. If current trends continue, the grain deficit in subSaharan Africa which is estimated at 9 million
t/yr will triple in 25 years. The rural exodus is exacerbating the gap between supply and demand. In 1998, 73.6%
of people lived in the countryside compared to 62.3% today. In addition, there are disruptions to the international
grain market caused by the fact that major exporting countries (such as China) simply become importers.
Farmers must support the promotion of mocal cereals.
Regions of Surplus Experience Deficits
The agricultural policies implemented to achieve food self-sufficiency and security have always encouraged the
export sectors: groundnut, cotton, coffee, and cocoa. However, efforts are now being made to reduce imports (landlocked
countries import 20% of their needs and coastal countries 400%) by strongly promoting local cereals. Since 1989,
the Comité inter-Etats de lutte contre la sécheresse au Sahel (CILSS) and the Club du Sahel have
implemented a program to promote local cereals, PROCELOS. In their new food aid policy, the CILSS donors are insisting
on organizing transfers of surplus food from areas with a surplus to those with a deficit on a national and subregional
level.
Efforts have also been made to process local products so that they appeal more to consumers and are more competitive
against imported foodstuffs. Appropriate technology that is accessible to smallholders is also being encouraged.
Contact: Moustapha Kébé
ISRA, BP 3120, Dakar, Senegal
Fax: +221 834 27 92
A Medium-Term Plan for Research in Chad
In November 1998, a workshop was organized in N'Djamena by the Institut tchadien de recherche agronomique pour
le développement (ITRAD) to draw up a medium-term plan for agronomic research.
This workshop is part of the restructuring process for agronomic research as a result of which the Direction de
la recherche et de la technologie agricole (DIRTA) became ITRAD in January 1998. This restructuring includes programming
and defining research priorities.
The work continues with discussions between researchers grouped into eight programs. Once these programs have been
implemented ITRAD will be transformed into an enterprise for designing technology for rural development.
Contact: Allarangaye Moundibaye, Laokole Déjogueré
ITRAD, BP 441, N'Djamena, Chad
Fax: +235 52 51 19
IN THE FIELDS
Senegal - European Union. Fishing Agreements: How Does Senegal Benefit?
In 1979, Senegal and the European Union signed fishing agreements authorizing European Union boats to fish in Senegalese
waters. In return, Senegal paid financial compensation. There are negotiations every two years to set compensation
payments and the fishing conditions.
These agreements were considered to have little impact on the development of fishing in Senegal and they have recently
been changed. The European Commission decided to increase financial compensation by 33% and the licensing fee by
10%, although stocks in Senegalese waters have dropped by one third. Additional measures have been adopted to help
preserve the country's fish resources, promote the interests of national shipowners, and to create onshore employment,
particularly in the agrifood industry.
Senegal has decided to use 50% of the compensation payments for the sustainable development of the fishing sector.
This has made it possible to draft a program of priority intervention measures within the framework of the masterplan
for fisheries.
Contact: Ndiaga Guèye
DOPM, BP 289, Dakar, Senegal
Fax: +221 821 47 58
E-mail: ngueye@sonatel.senet.net
An Enthusiastic Response to Yam Chips
In the Gulf of Guinea, yam is a very popular food in both rural and urban areas. For the past fifteen years, in
Nigeria, Benin, and Togo, most yams supplied to cities have been fresh. However, conserving fresh tubers is problematic
with major post-harvest losses and year-round shortages. Transport costs, marketing, and product prices are high.
Long tuber varieties require fertile soils and they are more labor intensive than short tuber varieties.
In these countries, markets are now supplied with yam chips. In 1996, the Université nationale du Benin
(UNB), the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) in Nigeria, the Institut national des cultures vivrières
(INCV) in Togo, the Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement
(CIRAD) assessed the impact this sector has on consumers, urban women restaurant owners, traders, and farmers.
The system for processing yam into chips was also assessed. The study showed that chips are made from peeled tubers
that are parboiled and sun-dried. The chips are then ground into meal by crushers and small-scale mills. The flour
is then processed into an elastic paste called "amala" or "telibo-wo". The short tuber varieties
(Drocorea cayerensis-rotinkata) are preferred because they are easier to dry.
Large quantities of yam are eaten, but preparation methods are not very varied.
Technology Transfer
The chips can be conserved in this way for more than a year, which reduces post-harvest losses and improves availability
on the market. The low water content (13% for flakes compared to 65-80% for fresh tubers) has helped reduce transport
and marketing costs as well as retail prices. The elastic paste is highly appreciated by consumers because it is
easy to prepare, it tastes nice, and is nutritious.
Although these processing techniques are accessible to smallholders and are inexpensive, they are limited because
drying difficulties are encountered during the more humid times of year, there is insect damage to stocks, and
the different methods for preparing the flour are not very varied. However, National Agricultural Research Systems,
NonGovernmental Organizations, and economic operators are developing a project to transfer chip technology to other
yam-producing countries.
Contact: Joseph Hounhouingan
UNB, BP 526, Cotonou, Benin
E-mail: houinjos@syfed.bj.refer.org
Contact: Philipe Vernier, Nicolas Bricas
CIRAD, 08 BP 0932 Cotonou, Benin
E-mail: p.vernier@cgnet.com
Voandelaka, a Plant-based Insecticide
In Madagascar, not only are pesticides expensive, but they are also a threat to humans and the environment by contaminating
water courses above and below ground. Farmers in the Lake Alaotra region have found a solution in the form of "melia
azedarch" a local resource, which originates from Pakistan. It is a powder made from the plant and is known
locally as "voandelaka".
The powder is made by pounding the leaves in a mortar. The seeds can also be made into powder once the kernels
have been dried (until the gum disappears) and crushed. When the powder was mixed with rice seed, farmers found
that the rice seedlings were not attacked by white worm. Tests have confirmed that the active ingredients of voandelaka
are effective against the adult white worms and their larvae.
The plant's insecticide properties are at least as effective as commercial pesticides. However, the lack of equipment
for crushing seeds is an obstacle to its more widespread use.
Contact: Charlotte Razafindrakoto
FOFIFA, BP 30, Ambohitsilaozana, Ambatandrazaka, 503, Madagascar
Fax: +261 20 22 402 70
E-mail: fofifa@bow.dts.mg
The Congo Basin.A Fund for Local Initiatives
In the Congo basin, the Progamme régional de gestion de l'information environnementale (PRGIE) has set up
a fund for local initiatives to support local associations and NonGovernmental Organizations with very limited
resources.
The fund helps these organizations improve environmental management. It supports activities that have not been
taken up by national environmental information networks. In order to have access to the fund, the following criteria
have been identified: meet one of the PRGIE objectives, be close to the human population, have limited financial
resources, and have access to just a few hectares. The Program is supported by the Belgian Agence générale
de coopération pour le développement and the Fonds international pour le développement agricole
(FIDA).
Contact: Gaston Andoka
UNGC, Brazzaville, Congo
Milk and Manure from Stalls
Dairy cows, housed in stalls to produce quality manure, also produce milk. This is according to trials conducted
since 1993 in Tambacounda by the Société de développement des fibres textiles (SODEFITEX)
and the Institut sénégalais de recherches agricoles' (ISRA) Centre de recherches zootechniques et
vétérinaires in Kolda. In the cotton-producing eastern area of Senegal, milk production stops during
the dry season because of a lack of available fodder. The animals go through a lean period which may cause feeding
stress and adversely affect production.
This trail has meant that prophylactic treatment can be provided for animals and has improved nutrition and housing.
Initially, milk was produced and transported to Tambacounda on a daily basis. In 1994, production levels reached
22 016l of milk out of which 15 132l were consumed and 6 834l sold. SODEFITEX has given cottonseed to farmers so
that they can build up reserves of fodder, plan rations, and organize veterinary care. This support has also enabled
farmers to receive training in milk hygiene, learn about the research methods used by their clients, and to recover
revenue.
Promoters Interested
The second phase of the trail involved the installation of a dairy pasteurization unit in Kolda with support from
a NonGovernmental Organization Vétérinaires Sans Frontières (VSF). The unit, which cost 2
millions CFA francs, has proved to be of such interest to farmers that new promoters have come forward to buy other
pasteurization units on credit. At the moment six units are operational, each with a processing capacity of 150l/day.
Fresh milk and plain or sweetened curd is produced and packaged in 500ml bags. These units employ 2-3 people each
and are managed by private veterinarians, a group of women, and an association of young unemployed people.
As part of a third phase, credit inkind (cottonseed) was granted to the milk pasteurization unit and the farmer's
organization. The objectives are: to provide enough cottonseed for lactating cows in the program; ensure that there
is a regular supply of milk to the pasteurization units; recover credit in kind from the revenue from milk sales.
These results could be built on by developing: alternative fodder systems to provide varied food rations, artificial
insemination, new technologies for milk conservation and processing, new partners to facilitate access to credit,
and new types of farmer organizations.
Contact: Cheikh Saadibou Sèye
SODEFITEX, BP 92, Tambacounda, Senegal
Mucuna Adopted by Farmers in Benin
In southern Benin, slash and burn techniques are still widely used to prepare ground for sowing. There is a range
of mixed cropping practices. Population density is high at one to two hundred inhabitants/km2. Demographic pressure
has reduced the amount of fallow land and encouraged Imperata cylindrica and sedges. However, in the north of the
country, there are only fifty inhabitants/km2. Cotton cultivation has meant that farmers sow large areas of land
using animal traction. The cumulative effect of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has caused acid soils and water
pollution. During the dry season, wandering animals feed on harvest residues. Striga infestation in the fields
has a detrimental effect on production. Yields of grain, especially maize, are low.
In 1996, the Institut national de recherches agricoles du Bénin (INRAB) and the International Institute
of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) introduced the Bengal bean (Mucuna pruriens) on the Adja plateau in the Mono Department
as a sustainable way of controlling soil fertility losses. Bengal bean can yield 7-9 t/ha of dry matter and 100
kg/ha of nitrogen. In addition, farmers noted that this climbing legume smothers (Imperata cylindrica). In the
north, farmers also found it effective for striga control.
Mucuna Seed on Credit
The Centres régionaux d'action pour le développement rural (CARDER) and the nongovernmental organization
Sassakawa Global 2000 (SG 2000) disseminated this technology throughout the country. This was done in 1995, after
the NGO had purchased 15t of mucuna from farmers. The CARDER then decided to make mucuna available to farmer organizations
on credit so that demonstration plots could be set up (there are 10 000 at present). Farmers have already repaid
these loans and the money has been used by other farmer organizations to set up more demonstration sites.
The livestock development project in eastern Borgou has doubled maize yields after a green manure of mucuna with
no mineral fertilizer applications.
Contact: Marcel Galiba, V. Vissoh
SG 2000, BP 04 1091, Cotonou, Benin
Fax: +229 30 06 89
E-mail: sg2000@intnet.bj
Answer. About Millet and Sorghum
Denis Bartianelli of the Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement
(CIRAD) sent this reply to a request for information (see the eleventh issue of Coraf Action) from Andriantahina
Rakotondranlambo of the Association nationale d'actions environnementales (ANAE) in Madagascar who wants to know
how to prepare millet and sorghum for human consumption.
There is a 1995 Food and Agriculture United nations Organization (FAO) publication on the use of millet and sorghum.
This book describes the species, its composition, variability, conservation methods, examples of technological
processing, and traditional recipes for human consumption.
The reference is as follows:
Les sorghos et les mils dans l'alimentation humaine (Sorghum and Millet in Human Consumption). 1995, /s.p./, FAO
Collection "Food and nutrition, 27". Published by FAO, Via delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy.
Editions Lavoisier, 14 rue de Provigny, 94236 Cachan Cedex, France. Fax: +33 01 47 40 67 02.
Contact: Denis Bartianelli
CIRAD, BP 5035, 34032 Montpellier Cedex 05, France
Fax: +33 04 67 59 38 25
Question. Concerning Poultry Feed
In the eleventh issue of Coraf Action, Maïmouna Cissé presented a study on poultry feed that was carried
out by the Institut sénégalais de recherches agricoles (ISRA) in 1999. Souleymane Guèye, of
the Centre national d'élevage et de recherches vétérinaires (CNERV) in Mauritania, was interested
in the results.
Is it possible to isolate lysine and methionine at ISRA? If so, S. Guèye would be interested in working
as an intern to learn the techniques of analysis. If not, he would like to find out where he could learn the techniques.
Contact: Souleymane Guèye
CNERV, BP 167, Nouakchott, Mauritania
Fax: +22 2 25 28 03
E-mail: cnerv10@calvapro.fr
Beinleu Village. Agricultural Stakeholders Share Responsibilities
In March 1999, researchers from the Centre national de recherche agronomique (CNRA) and extension workers from
the Agence nationale pour le développement rural (ANADER) visited farmers in Beinleu village, in the Anané
subprefectorate, western Côte d'Ivoire. The purpose of the visit was to find solutions to the problems faced
by farmers.
The village's history, the map of the area, and the cropping calendar were reviewed at the start of this participatory
diagnosis. Then, discussions focused on different agricultural activities: cash crops (coffee, cocoa, kola), food
crops (rice, maize, cassava, yam), and new enterprises (rubber, oilpalm, modern livestock production). The constraints
affecting each agricultural activity were identified. Solutions put forward and discussed. In certain cases, the
technology already exists to overcome these constraints. ANADER is responsible for informing farmers of the technology
available. In other cases, CNRA is responsible for suggesting solutions. Research topics were accepted during the
discussions and will be carried out by the researchers, extension workers, and the farmers.
Contact: Konan Ahoutou
CNRA, 01 BP 1740 Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire
E-mail: cnra@africaonline.co.ci
Gambia.Women and the Land
In the Gambia, the majority of farmers in both urban and rural areas are women. However, they do not own their
own land for farming, unlike the men. To remedy this situation, the State has reformed the traditional system of
land tenure. The reform will make it easier for women farmers to have access to credit and supplies of inputs.
They will now be able to use any surplus produce for home consumption or sale.
These incentives for women could lead to increased production of cereals, vegetables, and fruit which would help
reduce rice imports, the country's staple food.
Along with these reforms, research is being carried out on varietal improvements in rice, and on the introduction
and multiplication of improved varieties of maize, millet, sorghum, and groundnuts. Simple methods of water conservation
are being studied to improve rice irrigation. Improved soil cultivation techniques in marshy areas were identified
in order to make animal traction easier.
In addition, the use of grain-processing equipment is being recommended so that women spend less time and energy
processing.
Contact: Amie Sissoko
NARI, P.M.B. 526, Serre-Kunda, Gambia
Fax: +220 48 49 21
E-mail: nari@qanet.gm
Poultry Diseases in Chad
Newcastle disease, ectoparasites, and fowlpox are a major problem for poultry in Chad according to the findings
from a survey of 305 households of poultry breeders of over eight thousands chickens. The survey was carried out
in the east central region of the country in three subprefectorates in Guéra (Mangalmé, Mongo, and
Bitkine).
Each outbreak of Newcastle disease, locally known as "abmarara" or "amissérine", causes
morbidity rates (number of sick birds) of 70% and mortality rates of 59% on average. It occurs during the dry season.
Ectoparasites, locally known as "dalam", occur throughout the year and cause 57% morbidity and 32.5%
mortality. Fowlpox causes morbidity rates of about 50% and mortality of 35%. Its symptoms are locally known as
"kirdesso" or "aboukintèche".
Producing poultry and small ruminants is very important for food security in Chad, as it is in other countries
south of the Sahara. This explains why some development projects have carried out surveys to identify bottlenecks
and propose improvements. The aim of these surveys is to determine the extent of poultry production. The parameters
studied included levels of production, socioeconomic factors, and constraints (linked to health or breeding).
Recommended Corrective Measures
About 1.3 million chickens are produced in this region. Poultry farmers raise poultry for home consumption and
sale. Chicken is mainly prepared for guests. Sales bring in 2-2.5 millions CFA francs depending on the market (urban
and rural). Average household revenue is around 10 000 CFA francs. Income from sales is used to purchase consumer
goods (for example tea, sugar, soap, and condiments), to buy in cereals (in the case of farmers who have experienced
deficits in their cropping year), and to purchase small ruminants for breeding. About 9 kg/yr of chicken meat is
eaten per household, i.e. about 300 t in the area concerned.
Losses due to predators are also considerable. This is because there are no suitable chicken coops and chickens
just wander about. Proper coops should be built and prophylactic action should be taken for health control in order
to improve the situation.
Contact: Mopaté Logtène Youssouf
LRVZ, BP 433, N'Djamena, Chad
Fax: +235 52 83 02
Senegal-Mali. The Livestock Sector
Despite high transport costs and the risk of cattle theft by armed bandits on the border between both Senegal and
Mali, the Senegalese "jula" (cattle traders) still buy cattle from the Kayes region in Mali where the
price of a cow is one hundred and seventeen thousand CFA francs compared to one hundred and thirty five thousand
CFA francs locally.
Yet, in order to sell their cattle in Dahra, in the sylvo-pastoral Louga region, at the country's main cattle fair,
the importers have to pay 14 500 CFA francs per head on each trip, whereas the jula, who buy cattle on the spot,
only pay 4 500 CFA francs. What is more, the importers make four trips a year, while the jula can do up to 40.
To make the sector more profitable for the importers, more cattle (at least 40 per trip) should be imported and
the authorities should guarantee security on the border.
Contact: Cheikh Mbacké Ndione
ISRA, BP 3120, Dakar, Senegal
Fax: +221 832 27 92
Isabelle Tiendrébéogo
Coraf Action. Isabelle Tiendrébéogo, Burkina Coordinator
Isabelle Tiendrébéogo is editor-in-chief of EUREKA, a journal published by the Centre national de
la recherche scientifique et technologique (CNRST). She coordinates the Burkina national communications network
of the CORAF regional newsletter Coraf Action. She is responsible for collecting, writing, and editing articles
written by different authors. In each network member institution, a correspondent is chosen to assist her, essentially
by providing articles.
Articles for Coraf Action have to be checked by her. All the authors in Burkina are requested to try and send their
articles to this address:
Contact: Isabelle Tiendrébéogo
CNRST, 03 BP 7947 Ouagadougou 03, Burkina
Fax: +226 31 50 03
Tel.: +226 32 46 48
+226 32 45 04
Coraf Action. Rose Ekindi-Mbonga, Coordinator from Cameroon
Rose Ekindi-Mbonga is head of the scientific and technical department of the Institut de recherche agronomique
pour le développement (IRAD). She is coordinator of the national communications network of CORAF's regional
information newsletter Coraf Action in Cameroon. She is responsible for collecting, writing, and editing articles
written by different authors. In each network member institution, a correspondent is chosen to assist her, essentially
by providing articles.
Rose Ekindi-Mbonga
Articles destined for Coraf Action have to be checked by her. All the authors residing in Cameroon are requested
to try and send all their articles to this address.
Contact: Rose Ekindi-Mbonga
IRAD, BP 2123, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Fax: +237 22 33 62
Tel.: +237 22 33 62
E-mail: iradhq@sncm.undp.org
To Be Read
The third international symposium on tilapia in acquaculture. By R. S. V. Pullin, J. Lazard, M. Legendre,
J. B. Amon Kothias and D. Pauly. 1996, 630 pages, "ICLARM Contribution n8 1325" collection, ISBN 971-8709-88-6,
ISSN 0115-4435. Jointly published by the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM),
MCPO Box 2631, 0718 Makati City, Philippines, the Centre de recherches océanologiques (CRO), BP V18, Abidjan,
Côte d'Ivoire, and the Institut français de recherche scientifique pour le développement en
coopération (ORSTOM, now IRD), 213 rue La Fayette, 75480 Paris Cedex 10, France.
Abstract.
Tilapia production goes back 2 000 years. Most research on this fish is related to the ichtyology of populations
in the wild and pond rearing. This publication is proof of the keen interest that there is in research on the production
systems and socioeconomics of tilapia rearing.
Risques et conséquences de la mauvaise utilisation des pesticides pour le traitement des denrées
stockées (Risks and Consequences of the Misuse of Pesticides for Treating Stored Goods). 1996, 17 pages,
"Bulletin technique n° 2". Published by the Centre technique de coopération agricole et rurale
(CTA), Postbus 380, 6700 AJ Wageningen, the Netherlands.
Abstract.
Numerous information campaigns on pesticide use have been carried out by national and international organizations
as well as different industries. These products still cause accidents. This publication targets extension workers,
trainers, shopkeepers, and industrialists so that they can actively participate in encouraging better pesticide
use.
Scheduled of Events
The twelfth Plenary Meeting of CORAF will be held in Bangui, from 5-12 July 1999.
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