
Chris OjiewoInternational Maize and Wheat Improvement Center | CIMMYT
Chris Ojiewo
PhD
Leading multidisciplinary, multi-institutional public & private teams on crop improvement research and development
About
183
Publications
151,403
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2,093
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Introduction
Additional affiliations
July 2008 - August 2012
September 2007 - June 2008
September 2012 - present
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi Arid Tropics
Position
- Legume Breeder
Description
- Developing legume varieties for resilience to changing climates
Education
October 2002 - June 2007
Publications
Publications (183)
Chickpea is rich in protein and micronutrients and plays a significant role in human diet especially as accompaniment to staples, but grain yields in Ethiopia are still below the crop potential. Field experiments were conducted during 2007/8-2009/10 to determine relationships among yield and some yield components using correlation and path coeffici...
The genetic progress in seed yield and yield related characters of 10 kabuli chickpea varieties released by the Ethiopian Chickpea Crop Improvement Program from 1974 to 2017 was assessed during the main cropping season. The varieties were evaluated in the Randomized Complete Block design at Debrezeit Agricultural Research Center experimental resear...
Development of irrigation-based chickpea production is considered the most important alternative approach in combating climate change and maximizing productivity, especially in moisture-stress areas and in areas where water and land for irrigation is available. In central Ethiopia, where production of chickpea (especially Kabuli type) is becoming a...
The adoption of improved sorghum technologies by smallholder farmers is still low in Tanzania. Many farmers fail to acquire quality inputs due to different underlying reasons. This article analyzes factors underlining the adoption of improved technologies among sorghum farmers in Tanzania and evaluates profitability of grain production. A total of...
Sorghum is a climate-resilient crop which has been cultivated as a staple food in the semi-arid areas of Africa and Asia for food and nutrition security. However, the current climate change is increasingly affecting sorghum performance, especially at the flowering stage when water availability is critical for grain filling, thus lowering the sorghu...
The multidimensional significance of metabolomics has gained increasing attention in oilseeds research and development. Sesame, peanut, soybean, sunflower, rapeseed, and perilla are the most important oilseed crops consumed as vegetable oils worldwide. However, multiple biotic and abiotic stressors affect metabolites essential for plant growth, dev...
This brief explores Tanzanian farmers' requirements for sorghum seed products as input for discussions by CGIAR and NARES on seed product market segmentation and the design of target product profiles (TPPs). We applied a novel approach to identify the requirements-video-based product concept testing (VPCT). Through multiple engagements with breeder...
Finger millet is a climate-resilient and highly nutritious small grain crop widely grown in the semi-arid tropics. It has multiple uses, including for food, feed and beverage preparations. However, finger millet is an under-utilized and under-researched crop with a mean yield of <1.0 t/ha despite a potential productivity of up to 8 t/ha. The yield...
This study was carried out to analyze mycotoxins of entomopathogenic fungi of fall armyworm ( Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith) and poultry feed safety. An experiment was set up to assess the types of mycotoxins produced by entomopathogenic fungal parasite of fall armyworm larvae and their subsequent effect on the safety of the larvae as a feed ing...
Professor Rajeev K. Varshney's transformative impact on crop genomics, genetics, and agriculture is the result of his passion, dedication, and unyielding commitment to harnessing the potential of genomics to address the most pressing challenges faced by the global agricultural community. Starting from a small town in India and reaching the global s...
Pervasive low productivity in African agricultural systems, is emblematic of its unrealized development potential. Primary agriculture is the key industry that employs most Africans and accounts for 60% of jobs and 25% of GDP. This statistic alone explains why poverty is a very rural phenomenon. It implies that 60% of the working age population gen...
The study was carried out to identify crop management practices favouring entomopathogenic fungi of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda J. E. Smith). An experiment was set up with 24 maize plots measuring 6 m x 5 m in Siaya, JOOUST Campus field during the September to December 2021 short rain season for identification of crop management practices...
The empirical literature on plot-level adoption of sustainable intensification technologies (SITs), as a package comprising improved crop varieties and good agronomic management practices is thin for dryland crops, such as sorghum. In this paper, we analyze the adoption and impacts of SITs on sorghum yield and net revenue using data from a sample o...
Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R. Br.) is a nutrient-dense, relatively drought-tolerant cereal crop cultivated in dry regions worldwide. The crop is under-researched, and its grain yield is low (< 0.8 tons ha⁻¹) and stagnant in the major production regions, including Burkina Faso. The low productivity of pearl millet is mainly attributable t...
Improved agricultural technologies are promoted as cost-effective and sustainable ways of improving rural households' food security and reducing poverty in developing countries. This study evaluates the relationship between improved groundnut varieties (IGVs) and household food security using detailed household and plot level data from a sample of...
Climate change poses daunting challenges to agricultural production and food security. Rising temperatures, shifting weather patterns, and more frequent extreme events have already demonstrated their effects on local, regional, and global agricultural systems. Crop varieties that withstand climate-related stresses and are suitable for cultivation i...
Assessing the genetic diversity and population structure of cultivated sorghum is important for heterotic grouping, breeding population development, marker-assisted cultivar development, and release. The objectives of the present study were to assess the genetic diversity and deduce the population structure of 200 sorghum accessions using diversity...
Innovation platforms have been used for decades to solve the systemic problems
faced by farming communities and value chain actors. Used in a wide variety of
ways and geographies, the power of innovation platforms to unlock opportunities
for various actors is really immense. The multiple actors’ perspective of innovation
platform provides a complem...
The purpose of this report was to document and track progress on the implementation of recommendations from EGS studies that were carried out on selected countries in Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) and West and Central Africa (WCA). The recommendations were designed to ensure a sustainable supply of EGS based on market-specific archetypes involv...
Sustainable access to early generation seed (EGS) is important for efficient supply of quality certified, standard and/or quality declared seed of improved high-performing crop varieties. This study was carried out to establish the best practices and critical factors in the delivery of EGS for grain legume and dryland cereal crops in selected count...
Making quality seed of improved legume varieties sustainably available and accessible to farmers in a timely manner and at affordable price is a major challenge in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Overcoming this challenge requires collective and long-term action through public–private and development organization partnerships (PPDOPs). The PPDOP model wa...
Abstract
There are several hurdles to ensure sustainable seed production and consistent flow of improved legume varieties in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) and South Asia (SA). The unreliable demand, autogamous nature of most of the grain legumes, and slow variety replacement rate by smallholder farmers do not provide strong incentive for private seed c...
Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a grain legume widely cultivated in temperate climates. It is important in the race for food security owing to its multipurpose low-input requirement and environmental promoting traits. Pea is key in nitrogen fixation, biodiversity preservation, and nutritional functions as food and feed. Unfortunately, like most crops, pe...
This working paper provides an overview of government's policy efforts to enhance early generation seed supply in sub-Saharan Africa
Smallholder farmers’ decisions to adopt improved varieties are expected to be critically governed by their preferences and willingness to pay for different traits of these varieties. This study examined farmers’ preferences for sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) variety attributes and estimated their willingness to pay (WTP) for these attributes...
Gender gaps in crop productivity can negatively affect rural socio-economic development of agrarian economies with serious implications for food and nutrition security. We assess productivity in male- and female-managed sorghum plots in Lira, Kumi, and Serere districts in Uganda. We find male-managed plots have higher productivity of 850.6 kgs/ha c...
Improved cultivars and agronomic practices have significantly increased chickpea production in Ethiopia in recent decades.
Enhanced availability of chickpeas in Ethiopia, therefore, contributes to food, nutrition, and income security of the country. However, we know relatively little about the extent to which farmers have harnessed the full potenti...
Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) production has considerable socio-economic values in sub-Saharan Africa for food security and to serve the increased industrial demands due to high population pressure and climate change. However, the production and productivity of the crop are yet to be expounded in Nigeria for economic gains. Therefore, the o...
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an economically important crop grown by nearly one million Ethiopian smallholder farmers. The crop is often considered as “stress‐loving,” but moisture stress at flowering and grain filling stages could be detrimental. Yield of chickpea is commonly affected by terminal drought stress in the rainfed production system...
It is understood that the grain market pulls the seed market. The problem of low quality prompted failure of traders and processors to purchase most of the farmers’ grain to subsequently drive the use of improved variety seed. The aim of this study is to identify drivers that persuade farmers to use improved variety seeds for grain production. It a...
Background
Seed systems are considered as a vehicle through which the sustainable agricultural intensification can be achieved. However, most sub-Saharan African countries have been ineffective to provide sufficient incentives for stakeholders to consistently invest in the seed systems specifically for crops like sorghum. This study was therefore c...
Yields of groundnut in Tanzania are reported to be 2.5 to 3 times lower than other African countries. Use of obsolete varieties, unreliable rains, disease and insect pests' infestation and poor agronomic practices are some of the causes. To address these issues and to contribute to better nutrition and increased incomes of 14 million people depende...
Background
Aspergillus species cause aflatoxin contamination in groundnut kernels, being a health threat in agricultural products and leading to commodity rejection by domestic and international markets. Presence of Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus colonizing groundnut in eastern Ethiopia, as well as presence of aflatoxins have been reported,...
Groundnut rust caused by Puccinia arachidis Speg. is a major cause of yield and quality losses in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in the warm-humid tropics including Tanzania. Breeding and deployment of rust resistant cultivars with farmer-preferred attributes will bolster groundnut production and productivity. The objective of this study was to de...
Abstract
Poverty among rural farming households in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is associated with low
adoption of modern farming technologies, especially improved crop varieties. Most studies that
investigated adoption and impacts of improved crop varieties in SSA are based on farmers’ selfreported adoption status and average treatment effects. Howeve...
Competition over land between food and fodder production, along with recurrent droughts and increasing population, has put mixed crop–livestock farming systems in the drylands of sub-Saharan Africa under pressure. Dual-purpose crops hold huge potential to ease this pressure and simultaneously improve food and fodder availability in these systems. W...
Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a multi-purpose legume serving millions of farmers and their value chain actors globally. Use of old poor-performing cultivars contributes to low yields (< 1 t/ha) of groundnut in sub-Saharan Africa including Tanzania. The objectives of this study were to determine the extent of genetic variation among diverse gro...
Sorghum plot managers in different locations have varying levels of resource endowment that in turn influence technical efficiency (TE). Therefore, plot managers operate at different levels of technology. The present study applied a stochastic metafrontier approach to assess TE and technology gaps of female, male and jointly-managed sorghum plots....
Innovation platform resolves systemic problems and unlock opportunities for farmers and other stakeholders along commodity value chains. It brokers change in a wide variety of areas involving technological barriers for increased on-farm genetic gains, financial services and privileges for smooth running of seed business and other farming activities...
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) funded Tropical Legumes (TL III) project was implemented in seven sub-Saharan Africa countries (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda) and South Asia (India). Shortage of seed of improved varieties has been identified as the greatest hindrance to farmer adoption of new agricu...
The high percentage of farmers (80–90%), including the pro-poor in remote areas, who have no access to recently released and high-yielding varieties proves the failure of various seed delivery models implemented so far. The ideal model to grow a crop commodity business to reach farmers in developing countries with seed of improved legume crop varie...
Chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) is the third important food legume both in area and production after common beans and faba beans in Ethiopia. However, the productivity of the crop was very low compared to the potential as a result of non-use of improved varieties and technologies generated by the research system. To enhance the use of the improved a...
This open access book shares the experiences of Tropical Legumes III (TLIII) project in facilitating access to seed of improved legume varieties to smallholder farmers through innovation platforms. It highlights practices and guiding principles implemented in eight developing countries of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. This book details key pro...
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is grown in a wide range of environments and cropping systems and its maturity ranges from 80 to 180 days.. Time-saving breeding is key to responding to the dynamics of demands and environmental changes. The study employed Single Seed Descent (SSD) technique in advancing the generation, Rapid generation advance in chic...
Low agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa has been associated with poor uptake of modern farming technologies like improved crop varieties. However, actual adoption of improved crop varieties is unclear because past empirical studies have relied on subjective self-reported adoption status that could be inaccurate. Weak seed systems have n...
In the past five decades, constant research has been directed towards yield improvement in pigeonpea resulting in the deployment of several commercially acceptable cultivars in India. Though, the genesis of hybrid technology, the biggest breakthrough, enigma of stagnant productivity still remains unsolved. To sort this productivity disparity, genom...
This study examines the extent of the productivity gap between male and female bean producers, its discriminatory nature and implications for the policymakers in agriculture in Tanza-nia. Generally, women are distinctively "invisible" in agriculture, due to social norms and even from the national agricultural policy perspective. Their discriminatio...
Poverty among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa has been associated with low agricultural productivity emanating from gender yield gaps among other factors. Using data collected from smallholder groundnut producers in Nigeria, we analyzed the gender yield gap by applying the exogenous switching regression (ESR) model and Oaxaca-Blinder (OB)...
Grain legumes are nutritionally important components of smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Unfortunately, limited access to quality seed of improved varieties at affordable prices due to inadequate seed systems has reduced their contribution to improving nutrition and reducing poverty in these regions. This paper analyses f...
Access and use of seed of improved varieties of groundnut among farmers can improve farmers’ livelihoods and contribute to the potential of crop production in Tanzania. This paper analyzes factors underpinning the adoption of improved groundnut varieties among farmers to pave the way for upscaling quality seed used for increased production and comm...
Sustaining crop production and productivity in sub-Saharan Africa requires the availability and use of quality seed of improved varieties by smallholder farmers. The private sector has been considered as the best way to sustain seed supply and crop productivity. Unfortunately, the private sector's share in the seed production and delivery in sub-Sa...
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every area of our daily activities and businesses. After the health crisis, the food crisis is the next battle to encounter, which will need to mobilize all energies to maintain social security and protect the citizens of the world. For sustained support and recovery of rural and urban populations, especially in...