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Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, Vol.2 (3&4), August&December 2004 107
Strategies of WECAMAN to promote the adoption of sustainable maize production
technologies in West and Central Africa
Baffour Badu-Aprakua, *, Dele Fakoredeb , Samuel O. Ajalaa and Lum Fontema
a IITA, c/o Lambourn (UK) Limited, Carolyn House, 26 Dingwall Road, Croydon CR9 3EE, UK.
e-mail: B.BADU-APRAKU@cgiar.org, bDepartment of Plant Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Received 2 April 2004, accepted 10 August 2004.
Abstract
The West and Central Africa Collaborative Maize Research Network (WECAMAN or Network) was established in 1987 with the overall objective
to increase maize (Zea mays L.) productivity, production and income of farmers of West and Central Africa (WCA). In addition to developing new
technologies adapted to the sub-region, the network organized, executed, coordinated and funded several maize production activities. These are
national maize workshops and annual planning sessions, regional uniform variety trials, on-farm demonstrations, training courses and workshops,
enhancement of exchange of ideas and technical experience among NARS scientists and promotion of community level seed production. The network
also used farmer participatory testing of varieties and crop management practices in addition to the Production Test Plot (PTP) program to
demonstrate new technology, strengthen research-extension-farmer linkages and train extension agents. Improved technologies adopted by farmers
through network efforts have helped in extending maize area in the savanna belt across WCA. Impact studies in most of the member countries showed
that maize was rapidly being adopted in many marginal areas because of the availability of early and extra-early maturing varieties with high yield,
better taste and high market prices. Generally in the sub-region, maize technology adoption rate, social rate of return and the social gains from maize
research and extension have been positive. The result is that during the past two decades, maize production has increased dramatically in the
sub-region as a whole and in most of the individual network member countries. We conclude that investment in maize research and technology transfer
during this period was well justified.
Key words: Networking; research-extension-farmer linkages, technology generation and transfer, maize revolution, farmer participatory testing,
technology adoption rate, production test plot, community-based seed production, maize, West and Central Africa.
Introduction
Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important staple food
crops in sub-Saharan Africa and its importance in the food basket
in West and Central Africa (WCA) has been increasing steadily
during the last few decades. Therefore, improvement of its
productivity potential will play a critical role in feeding the African
population that is expected to double during the next two
decades 1.
In an effort to boost maize production in WCA, the Semi-Arid
Food Grain Research and Development (SAFGRAD) project was
established in 1977. The United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) funded the SAFGRAD project under the
auspices of the Scientific, Technical and Research Commission
(STRC) of the Organization for African Unity (OAU). The
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) was the
executing agency for the cowpea and maize components of the
project. In March 1987, the West and Central Africa Collaborative
Maize Research Network (WECAMAN) was created as one of
the four collaborative research networks of the SAFGRAD project.
The objective of WECAMAN is to assist national maize programs
in WCA to harness their resources together in order to tackle
production problems common to countries in the sub-region
through the development and transfer of appropriate and
sustainable technologies. WECAMAN involves national
agricultural systems (NARS) of eleven countries; namely Benin,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Togo,
Tchad, Guinea and Senegal. The activities of WECAMAN cover
all ecological zones in WCA. To achieve the objectives of the
network, the following strategies have been employed: (i)
assignment of collaborative research projects on competitive
basis, (ii) regionally oriented resident research by the coordinator,
(iii) exchange of scientific information, (iv) regional uniform variety
trials and exchange of technologies, (v) human resources
development and (vi) impact assessment.
Through the collaborative research efforts among IITA,
SAFGRAD, WECAMAN and the NARS, national programs have
released many technologies for adoption by farmers in WCA,
resulting in increased maize production. WECAMAN has used
several strategies to promote the adoption of available maize
technologies for increased productivity in member countries.
These include national maize workshops and annual planning
sessions, regional uniform variety trials, on-farm tests and
demonstrations, training courses and workshops, enhancement
of exchange of ideas and technical experience among NARS
scientists and development agencies and promotion of community
level seed production. We summarize in this paper the
achievements of WECAMAN for each of the endeavors.
Methods Used to Promote the Adoption of Improved Maize
Technologies
WECAMAN attaches a lot of importance to promoting the
adoption of improved technologies. For example, from 1994-2002
about 30% of WECAMAN’s funds were allocated to technology
transfer (TT) projects (Fig. 1). The combination of transfer of
technology and community seed production (CSP) was allocated
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108 Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, Vol.2 (3&4), August&December 2004
46-55% of the total network funds from 1996-2002. Whereas most
of the other projects were awarded on competitive basis, TT
projects were assigned under certain guidelines that made it
possible for all member countries to participate.
The main methods used for the promotion of the adoption of
available improved varieties and crop management practices were
national maize workshops and annual planning sessions, regional
uniform variety trials (RUVT), on-farm tests and demonstrations,
training courses and workshops, enhancement of exchange of
ideas and technical experience among NARS scientists and
development agencies and promotion of community level seed
production. These methods are reviewed in the following sections.
National maize workshops and annual planning sessions: The
success of any agricultural research enterprise depends on
effective linkages with agricultural extension and development
institutions as well as with national and international agricultural
research institutions. Some of the national research and
development institutions in WCA are well linked in country as
well as with international research and development systems.
However, the national research and development institutions of
other countries are not well linked. Since 1994, WECAMAN has
been encouraging and assisting member countries to organize
national maize workshops and annual planning sessions in member
countries to foster linkages among researchers, extensionists and
farmers. This approach has enabled researchers, extensionists
and farmers to collectively review research findings, grower
recommendations and agricultural policies. WECAMAN has been
providing modest financial support to member countries that had
not been organizing maize workshops and annual planning
sessions to initiate and sustain these activities. This annual activity
is increasingly driving research agenda in member countries. It is
expected that the annual planning sessions would provide a firm
foundation for an active farmer participatory research endeavor
with the network 2.
Regional uniform variety trials (RUVT): Availability and use of
improved germplasm is an integral part of the overall strategy of
WECAMAN aimed at improving maize production in the
sub-region. An important vehicle for the direct exchange and
evaluation of elite germplasm and other technologies is the RUVT
conducted by all WECAMAN member countries. RUVTs serve
two purposes: (i) accelerates the process of verification and
validation of the performance of technologies under different
environmental and socio-economic conditions and (ii) publicizes
germplasm and related technologies available in the NARS and
IARCs. WECAMAN coordinates two types of regional variety
trials, namely RUVT-Early and RUVT-Extra early. RUVT-Early is
composed of drought tolerant varieties that mature in 90-95 days.
The RUVT-Extra early trial is made up of entries that mature in
80-85 days. Maize breeders from within the region contribute
their best newly developed varieties into these trials. The trials
are packaged and distributed by WECAMAN to interested
scientists on request. From 1993 to 2002, a total of 547 such trials
were conducted in the sub-region (Table 1). In addition,
WECAMAN helps to distribute international trials composed of
medium-to-late maturing varieties from IITA to interested
countries. This mechanism of germplasm exchange has contributed
to the rapid renewal of varieties in some countries having limited
or no capacity for variety development and has also resulted in
increased maize cultivation especially in the drier areas.
Outstanding varieties identified from RUVTs are further
evaluated in national adaptive trials and demonstrations. Fig. 2
provides information on the on-farm tests and demonstrations
funded by WECAMAN in member countries from 1994-2002.
Through the on-farm tests and demonstrations, new streak
resistant, Striga and drought tolerant high yielding maize varieties
and improved agronomic practices have been identified and such
information has been shared among WECAMAN member
countries. Some of the varieties have been released to farmers
(Table 2). For example, the extra-early variety TZEE-W SR BC5
has been released in seven countries; that is, Benin, Burkina Faso,
Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal and Tchad. Similarly,
Pool 16 DT has been released in six countries. To date, a total of 16
extra-early and 24 early varieties are available to farmers in WCA
through WECAMAN. The release and cultivation of early and
extra-early maize varieties have aided the movement of maize into
new frontiers especially drought prone areas and have resulted in
the increased maize productivity observed in the region in the last
decade.
Table 1. Number of sets of regional uniform variety
trials (RUVT) conducted by WECAMAN
collaborators during 1994-2002.
Year Number of trials
Total
RUVT-Early
RUVT-
Extra-early
1994 34 25 59
1995 30 27 57
1996 37 34 71
1997 22 24 46
1998 33 36 69
1999 33 33 66
2000 35 33 68
2001 30 30 60
2002 25 26 51
Total 279 268 547
Allocated funds, %
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Year
GE
B&C
C
AR
M&U
CSP
TT
Figure 1. Proportion of funds allocated to different WECAMAN projects, 1994-2002.
(GE=Genetic Enhancement, B&CC=Biological & Cultural Control,
AR=Agronomic Research, M&U=Marketing and Utilization, CSP=Community
Seed Production, TT=Technology Transfer.
Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, Vol.2 (3&4), August&December 2004 109
Recognizing the fact that agronomic recommendations are
variety and location specific, WECAMAN encourages and
supports through competitive grants the conduct of agronomic
trials to maximize maize yields on-farm. Agronomic trials supported
in-country include optimal planting time, density and time of
fertilizer application. WECAMAN has also supported the conduct
of maize-legume rotation or inter-cropping trials for Striga control
and improved soil fertility management. Results from such trials
that address cross-cutting problems are shared and used in the
formulation of on-farm research themes for the strategic
deployment of improved varieties and complementary crop
management options in the sub-region. WECAMAN actually
encourages participating member countries to conduct and identify
appropriate complementary crop management options to maximize
yield of the identified varieties on-farm. WECAMAN provides
research grants through the competitive grant scheme to promote
the conduct of crop management on-farm trials. Through this
scheme, technologies such as appropriate plant density, earlier
date of fertilizer application and the use of maize legume rotation
to improve soil fertility and maize grain yield have been identified.
An important spillover advantage of networking is the
willingness among the various partners to share useful
technologies. For example, Obatanpa, an N-use efficient quality
protein maize developed in Ghana, is being vigorously promoted
by WECAMAN in the region and has been released or slated for
release in almost all the member countries. Similarly, cultural
practices identified in some countries have been tested and
adopted in others (Table 3). For example, the use of about 67,000
plants/ha for early maize, although identified in Cameroon, Nigeria,
and Benin, has been adopted also in Ghana, Togo, and Burkina
Faso.
The use of competitive grant scheme has significantly aided
the identification of appropriate technologies including stress
tolerant varieties and complementary crop management options.
Some of the identified technologies are in the pipeline at the
network and the NARS levels for release and promotion by
network member countries through funding support from
WECAMAN. These include integrated control measures for
Striga especially the use of Striga resistant varieties in
combination with other control options for sustainable Striga
control. In the extra-early maturity group, there are nine Striga
resistant varieties available at the network level for testing through
the RUVT. In the early maturity group, there are ten Striga
resistant varieties and six new non-Striga resistant varieties still
undergoing on-farm testing in WECAMAN member countries. In
addition, six cultural practices are being tested on-farm by NARS.
A major emphasis of WECAMAN at present is to promote the
adoption of the available Striga resistant varieties and other control
methods such as maize-legume rotation or mixtures to ensure
sustained high maize production in the long-term.
On-farm tests and demonstrations: On-farm tests and
demonstrations are important avenues to show the effectiveness
of new technologies to farmers. Therefore, WECAMAN provides
funds to all its member countries for the conduct of on-farm trials
and demonstrations, including farmer participatory methods of
testing varieties and agronomic practices. All on-farm trials funded
by the network include field days at different stages of crop
growth. This approach enables the researchers and extension
workers to visit farmers’ fields and to obtain feedback on the
performance of new technologies evaluated by the farmers.
WECAMAN has adopted the production test plot (PTP)
approach successfully used by SG 2000 because it is an effective
tool to demonstrate and convince farmers to adopt new
technologies. The PTP embodies the “learning-by-doing” principle
and allows the farmer to weigh the risks, costs and benefits of the
new technology under their own circumstances. The PTP is
Table 3. Improved cultural practices exchanged among WECAMAN countries through
networking, 1994-2002.
Cultural practice Country adopting technology Source of technology
1. Increased plant population Ghana, Benin Cameroon
for higher grain yield of early Togo, Cameroon, and Nigeria
and extra-early varieties Burkina Faso Benin
2. Earlier date of fertilizer application Benin, Togo, and Cameroon
(top dressing) for increased yield of Burkina Faso, Benin
early and extra-early varieties Ghana, Cameroon
3. Use of maize-legume rotation Benin, Ghana, Benin,
to improve soil fertility and Cameroon Ghana
maize grain yield Cameroon
Table 2. Improved maize varieties transferred across countries among
researchers or research systems through WECAMAN during
1994-2002.
Improved varieties Countries adopting Source of
varieties varieties
1) DMR-ESR-Y Cameroon, Mali, Tchad, Guinea IITA
2) Ikenne 8149 SR Togo Togo/IITA
3) AB11 Togo, Nigeria Togo
4) DMR-ESR-W Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon IITA
5) Pool 16 DT Cameroon, Benin, Togo WECAMAN
Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire
Burkina Faso, Senegal
6) TZEE-W SR BC
5
Benin, Côte d'Ivoire WECAMAN
Ghana, Cameroon WECAMAN
Senegal, Tchad
7) Maka SR Burkina Faso WECAMAN/
Mauritania
8) TZESR-W X Gua 314 Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria WECAMAN
9) CSP SR BC
5
Côte d'Ivoire WECAMAN
10) TZEF-Y SR Nigeria, Mali WECAMAN
11) TZE Comp 4 Guinea, Tchad, Côte d'Ivoire IITA
Senegal
12) Obatanpa Mali, Benin, Ghana Ghana
Burkina Faso, Togo,
Cameroon, Senegal, Tchad
13) 95 TZEE-Y
1
Nigeria, Senegal, Tchad WECAMAN
14) 95 TZEE-W
1
Nigeria WECAMAN
110 Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, Vol.2 (3&4), August&December 2004
usually about 0.4 ha (1 acre) in size and it is located adjacent to the
farmer’s fields for comparison purposes. Under the scheme,
researchers/extensionists hold several planning sessions at
central locations and at the regional level to plan the PTP program
for the year. The PTP planning sessions have helped to strengthen
the “research-extension linkage” by providing a forum that
facilitates contributions from technical staff of the various
participating organizations. During the planning process,
“technology gaps” are identified and the researchers are
encouraged to focus their efforts on filling the gaps. The extension
staff carefully selects farmers that would participate in the PTP
and a contract is then signed with the farmers, specifying the
inputs received from the program, the value and the repayment
schedule.
SG 2000 is presently promoting the adoption of maize
technologies in Ghana, Benin, Mali, Guinea, Nigeria and Togo
using the PTP program. Other WECAMAN member countries are
being exposed to the PTP program and encouraged to adopt it for
promotion of new technologies.
Training courses, workshops and exchange visits: WECAMAN
has organized several workshops, training courses and scientific
monitoring tours in an effort to promote technology exchange
and transfer in member countries. Among the courses and
workshops were production of training and extension materials,
Striga control and technology transfer, maize quality, processing
and utilization and participatory on-farm testing and variety
selection. Details on the training courses and workshops have
been presented elsewhere 3, a brief summary is presented in Table
4. Generally, the training courses and workshops organized by
WECAMAN have improved the capacity of the NARS to
effectively transfer new technologies to farmers in the sub-region.
Enhancement of exchange of ideas and technical experience
among NARS scientists and development agencies: Monitoring
tours involving scientists from WECAMAN member countries
are organized biennially to visit maize-related research and
development activities of two selected countries at a time. The
monitoring tours have provided unique opportunities to appraise
in situ the efforts of member countries and have led to a culture of
active sharing of ideas. Concurrent with monitoring tours, selected
members of the steering committee pay consultation visits to the
maize programs of the other countries to assess progress being
made in the implementation of the approved work plan and to
exchange expertise. This has contributed to the development of
national experts with broader horizon and depth. It has also
improved the capability of national scientists to generate and
transfer technology. Other mechanisms to ensure the exchange
of scientific information, technologies and promote technology
transfer include publication and distribution of Network Steering
Committee reports, Network annual technical reports and
proceedings of the Regional Maize Workshop for West and
Central Africa published by WECAMAN.
Promotion of community seed production in WECAMAN
member countries: Several maize varieties have been released in
the individual network member countries; however, the adoption
of the improved varieties by farmers is not high enough partly
due to lack of well-organized seed industry in the member
countries. Seed industry in the sub-region is not well developed
and most farmers still recycle grains as seed. The problem of seed
availability is most serious with the early and extra-early varieties;
especially because seed production in these types is not as
profitable as in other types due to relatively lower grain yield
potential. WECAMAN has therefore taken the unique approach
of encouraging the development of community based seed
production schemes to make seed of improved varieties available
to farmers. Towards this end, WECAMAN has been funding
community seed production projects in member countries since
1993, with the objective of empowering farmers to produce good
quality seed. Activities in the scheme include training of farmers
in the techniques of maize seed production, strengthening the
capacity of seed producers to produce good quality seed and
encouraging NARS scientists to work with selected farmers and
non-governmental organizations in the development of on-farm
community level seed production schemes.
Success of the community seed production scheme is dependent
on the seed production skills of the collaborating farmers,
extension and seed service staff. Therefore from the initiation of
the project, emphasis has been placed on the training of the
collaborators. In these training programs, the collaborating
farmers, extension and seed service staff learn more about the
techniques of seed production, processing, storage and packaging.
In addition, field days and on-farm demonstrations have been
organized for the communities involved in this activity 4. Many
farmers have been trained in the techniques of seed production
(Fig. 3).
0
300
600
900
1200
Senegal
Cote d'Ivoire
Tchad
Togo
Mali
Benin
Ghana
Nigeria
Cameroon
Count ries
No of OFT
Figure 2. Total number of on-farm trials (OFT) funded by WECAMAN in
member countries 1995-2003.
0
100
200
300
400
500
Number of farmers traine
d
94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 2001 2002 2003
Years
Figure 3. Number of farmers trained in seed production in WECAMAN member
countries under the community seed production scheme, 1994-2003.
Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, Vol.2 (3&4), August&December 2004 111
Table 4. Workshop, training courses and scientific monitoring tours organized by WECAMAN to promote technology transfer, 1988-2000.
Type of workshop Output Potential impact on technology transfer
Striga control and technology transfer (1995)
8 scientists exposed to practical experience in the analysis of Striga
problems, control techniques, dissemination of information and transfer of
technologies using the accelerated participatory research method.
Farmer participatory methods of on-farm
testing and variety evaluation (1998)
11 scientists trained in the use of selected participatory rapid appraisal
(PRA) methods to communicate with farmers, identify their constraints,
opportunities, and prioritize research and extension themes. PRA tools were
also used to analyze problems at different stages of the research process.
Following the course, Ghana, Benin and Cameroon have
adopted the farmer participatory methods of on-farm testing
and varietal evaluation
Maize Quality, processing and utilization
(1998)
A forum was provided to 13 utilization experts from WECAMAN member
countries for the exchange of information on improved methods of
processing and utilization of maize. Also, functional linkages were
established between WECAMAN and post-harvest technologists of
WECAMAN member countries in order to promote the expansion of
demand for maize processing and utilization.
The workshop has facilitated the exchange of information on
the available improved post-harvest technologies. It has also
provided an opportunity for WECAMAN to link up with the
maize transformation initiatives in member countries and to
explore ways of improving maize storage in order to stimulate
the dissemination of appropriate post-harvest technologies.
Preparation of extension materials (1996)
15 researchers and communication specialists from WECAMAN member
countries trained in the development of appropriate extension materials to
promote the transfer of maize technologies in WECAMAN member
countries.
Following the workshop, WECAMAN provided financial
support to Benin, Togo, Cameroon and Burkina Faso for the
production of extension materials. Extension bulletins that
characterize released maize varieties in Benin, Togo,
Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria and Ghana are in use
by both farmers and extensionists of the respective countries.
Scientific monitoring tours (1989, 1991,
1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000)
62 NARS and IITA researchers have visited Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria,
Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, Togo and Mali. During the tours the
scientists evaluated the entries of the regional trials and monitored the
progress of the collaborative research projects. The tours gave the
participants the opportunity to know each other's programs.
Facilitated the exchange of technologies, improved research
collaboration and understanding of problems common to
agricultural production.
Biennial regional maize workshops (1987,
1989, 1991, 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2000)
366 NARS scientists have attended the Biennial West and Central Africa
Regional Maize Workshop from 1987 to 2000. The workshops provided
the forum for national scientists to acquire skills for communicating
research findings.
Motivated scientists towards professionalism and fulfillment
as well as promotion of exchange of information, techniques
and technologies.
112 Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, Vol.2 (3&4), August&December 2004
The strategy of network members involved in the community
level seed production scheme has been to provide technical advice,
seed and other inputs to the collaborating farmers. At harvest,
the farmers are required to pay back either with seed or money
from their seed sales. The member countries have established
revolving funds to ensure the sustainability of the project and
also to reach more farmers each year.
Several seed production models have been adopted in
WECAMAN member countries for the community seed production
scheme 4. In all cases, the need to make improved maize seed more
accessible to farmers and also to get farmers involved increasingly
in seed production and distribution has been taken into
consideration in the design. Using the various seed production
models, large quantities of seed of the released maize varieties are
produced annually in Cameroon, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali
and Ghana.
The community seed production project has made significant
positive impact on the availability of good quality breeder,
foundation and commercial seed of early and extra-early varieties
in the member countries (Table 5). Also, the availability of good
quality seed has promoted rapid diffusion and adoption of the
extra-early and early varieties (see inter alia 5-7).
Discussion
WECAMAN has made remarkable progress in combating maize
production constraints in the WCA sub-region during the last
decade. High yielding, drought and disease resistant maize
varieties have been developed through collaborative research
efforts of the network member countries. Striga, soil fertility
maintenance, improved agronomic practices and post-harvest
technology have received considerable research attention
throughout the sub-region. Apart from generation of sustainable
technologies, WECAMAN has positively supported the
promotion of seed production and technology exchange and
transfer activities.
Results of impact studies in most of the member countries clearly
justify the research investment in WECAMAN. A few examples
will suffice. In Burkina-Faso, an economic model was used to
determine the impact of maize research and extension in improving
social welfare 8. The results showed an internal rate of return
(IRR) of 35.3% during the period 1982 to 1998.
These results revealed high adoption of the released improved
maize varieties to satisfy the needs of farmers. Using a combination
of cross-sectional and time series data, economic surplus methods
were employed to estimate varietal adoption rates, social rates of
return and net social gains from maize research and extension
during the 1986-97 period in Nigeria 9. Analysis of the basic data
indicated varietal adoption rates of 7.8, 49.6 and 42.6% per annum
for local, improved OP and hybrid varieties, respectively. The IRR
was 23% and the net present value (NPV) was about $330,000
during the 1986-1997 period. Although the model was unable to
support increasingly high adoption rate of hybrid maize under the
observed on-farm and macro-economic conditions, incremental
yield gains by both open-pollinated and hybrid varieties improved
both the IRR and NPV. In Mali, the adoption rate of the improved
varieties during the period 1991 to 1996 was 74%. Improved maize
varieties such as Tiamante was adopted by more than 50% of the
producers, Tuxpeno by 38%, TZE-SR-W by 22%, EV8422-SR by
15% and Sotubaka, by 10%. The reasons mentioned by the farmers
for the adoption of the improved varieties are: high grain yield,
early maturity, desirable taste, ease of processing and storage,
good flour yield and increased income. The net income of the
maize producers was about $200/ha for improved varieties
compared to about $95/ha for local varieties, an increase of about
110% for the improved varieties. The constraints to a wider
adoption of the improved varieties included ignorance of farmers
of the importance of seed of improved varieties and lack of
information on the improved varieties 10. Using structured
questionnaire and focus group interview 11 conducted a detailed
farm level survey of 345 farm households in 16 villages in the
Northern Province of Cameroon. The results showed that maize
was quickly replacing sorghum in the diet and cropping systems
of the rural dwellers. The rapid displacement of sorghum, the
traditional staple food crop in this province, by maize was found
to be linked to several factors including mainly early maturity,
high yield, better taste, high market prices, availability during
hunger period and color. These results and others not presented
in this paper show that generally in the sub-region, maize
technology adoption rate, social rate of return and the social gains
from maize research and extension have been positive. We
conclude that investment in maize research and technology transfer
during this period was well justified.
The goal of WECAMAN is to strengthen the capacity and
capability of NARS of the member countries to conduct high
quality research and generate and transfer appropriate
technologies for use by farmers. The objectives of the
collaborative research projects conducted by WECAMAN were
to (i) optimize the strength and comparative advantage of strong
NARS to solve specific production problems, (ii) motivate
participating scientists to increase research output and be creative,
(iii) enhance the capacity of the scientists to generate and transfer
technology and (iv) improve the research management capability
of participating scientists. Data and the different types of analyses
presented in this paper show rather convincingly that the network
has gone far into achieving the objectives. Some of the
crosscutting constraints tackled by the network were too
formidable for any individual NARS to handle single-handedly. It
was also quite convenient for the member countries to have access
to expertise, services, commodities and supplies from international
agricultural research centers (IARCs). Research facilities at IITA,
for example, and the germplasm from IITA and CIMMYT were
made readily available to network members through the
Table 5. Breeder, foundation and commercial seed production of
early and extra-early varieties in WECAMAN member countries
under the community seed production scheme, 1994-2000.
Quantity of seed produced
Year
Breeder seed
(kg)
Foundation seed
(tons)
Certified/Commercial
seed (tons)
1994 531 54 102
1995 1 015 79 126
1996 544 40 343
1997 1 013 22 344
1998 660 21 219
1999 850 37 197
2000 554 6 226
2001 4 084 24 202
2002 5 034 36 123
2003 3 044 17 203
Total 17 329 336 2 085
Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, Vol.2 (3&4), August&December 2004 113
coordinating office. The network approach therefore is a
cost-effective means of solving maize production constraints on
a regional or sub-regional basis.
The collaborative research and regional trials coordinated by
WECAMAN have resulted in the development of a large number
of improved maize varieties and related technologies which have
been exchanged within the network. The availability of early and
extra-early varieties has created niches for maize production,
consumption and improved food security in WCA. The
extra-early varieties are ready for harvest as green maize (eaten
boiled or roasted) in about 60 days or as dry grains in 75-80 days.
The extra-early varieties can therefore be harvested at a time when
the previous harvests are depleted and when all other staples are
not ready and as a result, they are useful for filling the hunger gap
in July. Early and extra-early varieties promoted by WECAMAN
have contributed to increased maize production and productivity
through movement of maize into new frontiers.
Furthermore, the promotion and high adoption of intermediate
maturing varieties for high yield in the northern fringes of the
moist savanna has resulted in phenomenal increase in maize
production in WCA for the past ten years with an average annual
growth rate of 4.1%. High annual growth rates have been recorded
in Burkina Faso (17.1%), Ghana (8.3%) and Mali (7.5%).
WECAMAN has clearly stimulated national scientists to solve
maize production problems with significant returns to investment
in the maize programs estimated to be 74% in Ghana, 78% in Burkina
Faso and over 100% in Mali during the past decade 12.
One secret of the resounding success of WECAMAN is its
management structure. A democratically elected steering committee
(SC) manages the network. All member countries are represented
on the SC. An ad-hoc research committee (ARC) screens all
research proposals and recommends to the SC those to be funded.
The ARC also evaluates the reports of the funded research
projects and recommends to SC projects the network should
terminate or continue funding. Members of the ARC are
experienced scientists from non-WECAMAN member countries.
It is evident that the ARC has been an important player in
WECAMAN activities. The idea of SC as the decision-making
entity had been in operation in earlier regional projects such as
SAFGRAD, but the WECAMAN steering committee introduced
the research committee system.
Despite the success in improved maize production so far recorded
in the sub-region, the network is still faced with the challenges of
pushing up the maize yield curve of WCA in the new millennium.
Although total maize production has increased in the sub-region,
the increase has resulted from extensive rather than intensive
cultivation 13. FAO statistics showed that average maize yield in
the sub-region has increased from the long-standing 1.0 t/ha to
about 1.4 t/ha during the 1983-1992 decade. Average yield in
researcher-managed on-station and on-farm research is about 6
t/ha. Therefore, one of the challenges for researchers in the new
millennium is to reduce the yield gap between research and
production. New research tools and facilities, such as
biotechnology, geographical information systems (GIS), remote
sensing and crop simulation modeling, that are now in vogue in
the developed world, will be of tremendous advantage in maize
research in WCA.
Our experience over the last several decades has led us to
conclude that a multi-disciplinary systems analysis approach to
prioritizing and solving maize production constraints in the
sub-region is of paramount importance. Maize researchers in the
sub-region, therefore, must necessarily be trained in research
management, computer skills and information management. Most
important, perhaps, is the challenge of putting in place policies
that would provide enabling environments conducive to rapid
adoption and utilization of sustainable technologies. This,
unfortunately, is beyond the mandate of maize researchers. We
use this medium to call on the governments and policy makers in
the various WCA countries to seriously look into important policy
issues relating to maize production. The interjection should
consider inputs such as fertilizer, conservation, trade, marketing
and product utilization as early as possible in the new millennium
if the full potential of maize is to be achieved in the sub-region.
Conclusions and Future Challenges
Over the last two decades, the development, promotion and
adoption of high yielding, disease and pest resistant maize
varieties have resulted in increased maize yield in several countries
in WCA, especially in Ghana, Mali and Burkina Faso.
WECAMAN has played a catalytic role in the dissemination
of the improved maize cultivars among NARS. However,
WECAMAN should not be complacent until adequate food is
made available to the growing population in sub-Saharan Africa.
To achieve this goal, there is a need for increased emphasis on
farmer participatory methods for the transfer of agricultural
techniques and knowledge to farmers. There is also a need for
flexible, pluralistic and demand-driven national extension systems
to promote the adoption of the available maize technologies. Such
extension systems would need to be complemented with the
correct mix of public and private sector roles in the production,
procurement and supply of inputs such as seed, fertilizer and
agro-chemicals 14.
To facilitate the effectiveness of adoption, the network must
endeavor to develop appropriate linkages of NARS with
producers, extension services, NGOs, processors and markets for
agricultural produce thereby facilitating rapid adoption of
improved technologies. An area of immediate concern is the
transformation of successful community-based seed production
schemes into micro-enterprises with participating farmers as
shareholders for sustainability. Furthermore, the network must
try to improve the research capacity of national agricultural
research and extension systems (NARES) for policy analysis. It
must also promote the use of such analysis to influence policies
that will strengthen the linkages between maize production and
marketing and obtain the support of various stakeholders for maize
research.
Acknowledgements
The contribution of the national maize scientists of WECAMAN
member countries from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte
d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Tchad and Togo
is highly acknowledged. The authors are also grateful to USAID
for the financial support to WECAMAN for the activities reported
in this paper. The manuscript has been submitted with the approval
of IITA as manuscript number IITA/02/JA/32.
114 Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment, Vol.2 (3&4), August&December 2004
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