Summary Report : USAID MLN Diagnostics and Management Project

Francis Mwatuni/BM Prasanna

CIMMYT, Nairobi, Kenya

Presentation to the Annual Review and Planning meeting - ICRAF Nairobi – Oct 18th -19th 2016

Maize an important food crop in the Region

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Consumption per capita is 98kg in Kenya ( FAO, 2014)

Introduction

• The disease has affected many farmers in the east African region since causing yield loses between 50% - 100%.

• Kenya and Uganda have both registered MLN as a threat to food security in their country reports.

Introduction

• Between 2011 and 2014, MLN was reported by most countries in east Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, South Sudan and unconfirmed reports in Burundi

Current MLN mitigation strategies

• Development and deployment of MLN tolerant/resistant germplasm,

• Agronomic mitigation practices, crop rotations (especially with legumes), vector control and

• Preventing further spread of MCMV from endemic to non-endemic areas

Project Objectives

a) Prevent the spread of MLN, especially Maize Chlorotic Mottle Virus (MCMV), from the MLN-endemic countries in eastern Africa to non-endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa;

b) Support the commercial seed sector in the MLN-endemic countries in producing MCMV-free commercial seed and promote the use of clean hybrid seed by the farmers; and

c) To establish and operate a MLN Phytosanitary Community of Practice in Africa, for sharing of learning, MLN diagnostic and surveillance protocols, and best management practices for MLN control in Africa.

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Target countries 1. Ethiopia 2. Uganda 3. Kenya 4. Rwanda 5. Tanzania 6. Malawi 7. Zambia 8. Zimbabwe

MLN-endemic countries

Non-endemic countries

Need to control the spread and impact of MLN in sub-Saharan Africa

Project Implementation Areas

Achievements, lessons learnt and Challenges

• The Y1 achievements are outlined against the planned activities as per the set objectives

• Lessons learnt as a project implementation team

• Challenges encountered in the Y1 implementation period

Prevention of spread of MCMV through seed from the endemic to non-endemic areas/countries

in SSA. Develop, validate and deploy standardized MLN survey and sampling protocols and digital surveillance tools in the endemic countries

• MLN surveillance and sampling protocols were finalized and adopted

• The protocols are also now available with the NPPOs in the MLN-endemic countries in eastern Africa for use.

• Digital survey forms have been developed and already used in southern Africa for MLN surveillance.

Enabling Tools & Technologies: survey + sampling

Traditional New Options

• Smartphone / tablets (GPS, Camera, Electronic Form, Barcode scanner) •Automatic data transfer

Standardized geo-referenced field surveys across countries

Field to database now possible in near real-time

• GPS + Paper forms • Manual data entry

MLN Surveillance

• Components developed – Standardized surveys / sampling +

diagnostics (already implemented in Southern Africa)

– Data management system

– Web portal

Tablet Survey Examples

• Main ODK menu

MLN Diagnostics protocols

ELISA

Agristrips for MCMV

Conduct systematic and intensive MLN surveys and sampling in five MLN-endemic annually for

understanding the scale and impact of MLN in these countries (and link this data to MLN web portal)

• Existing survey initiatives in each country were evaluated and gaps identified.

MLN Survey

Initiative Period Donor(s) Survey

Protocols in

use

Lead Institution Collaborators Current status

KENYA

MLN

Surveillance

under KAPAP

March to May 2015 KAPAP project KAPAP

developed

checklist

KALRO / KEPHIS Icipe, County govts. MCMV and SCMV

were detected in

all the 9 counties.

SCMV was not very

prevalent like

MCMV

MLN

surveillance for

Coastal Kenya-

KEPHIS

Feb 2016 Government

Kephis

developed

checklist

KEPHIS County

governments of

TaitaTaveta,

Mombasa, Kilifi

and Tana River

MCMV and SCMV

detected in all the

counties surveyed

TANZANIA

MLN

Surveillance in

farmers’ fields -

Mikocheni

June 2015 – 2016 USAID through

iAGRI

Developed

by the MARI

Mikocheni

Agricultural

Research

Institute.

Iowa SU,

SUA,Sellian, Llonga

na WEMA

Fifteen districts in 5

zones; Northern,

Southern Highlands

Lake, Central, ,

Western and

Eastern.

MLN

surveillance in

farmers' fields-

IITA

May -June 2015 USAID through

iAGRI

IITA

developed

IITA CIMMYT Completed in 11

districts in (sub-

humid and semi

arid districts)

MLN surveillance in endemic countries

• Surveillance teams from the five target countries were trained on modern tools for MLN surveillance and diagnostics (June 29-30, 2016).

MLN surveillance in endemic countries

• Surveillance teams to collate and share the MLN surveillance information for posting in the developed MLN web portal.

• All the information will be accredited to the source

Conduct targeted MLN surveys to ascertain MCMV status the commercial seed production and farmers’

Southern Africa

Training of the surveillance teams in the MLN non-Endemic countries in southern Africa.

• Training Workshop on MLN Surveillance and Sampling Protocols were conducted at CIMMYT-Harare on 3rd and 4th March 2016

• MLN survey teams for each of the three countries were constituted

• Sub grant Agreements (SGA) for the NPPOs of the three countries signed by mid April 2016.

• MLN surveillance is complete in the three south African countries for Y1.

Training on Surveillance and testing in Harare

MLN Surveillance and testing in Zambia

MLN Surveillance Reports from the project target countries in southern Africa

Region of survey No. of

farmers’

fields

surveyed

No. of seed

production

fields

surveyed

No. of Agro

Seed Dealers

surveyed

Maize

Trial fields

surveyed

MLN status

(Agristrip test)

ZAMBIA

Southern Province 43 4 1 2 Negative

Central (East) and Luapula 39 1 3 3 Negative

Lusaka, Eastern 52 3 1 Negative

Central(west) and Copperbelt 29 1 1 3 Negative

Total 163 6 8 9 All Negative

ZIMBABWE

Mash central and part of west 68 Negative

Midlands, part of west and part of East 76 Negative

Mash East, Manicaland, Masvingo 77 Negative

Total 221 All Negative

MLN Surveillance maps –Zambia and Zimbabwe

Areas surveyed All -ve for MCMV

MLN Surveillance maps - Malawi

All areas surveyed posted ---ve results for MCMV

Develop and disseminate a well-designed check-list

based on harmonized protocols/best management practices for MLN pathogen-free seed production

• AATF and AGRA have so far jointly held three consultative meetings, one each in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia

Consultative meeting participants, Arusha Tanzania June 23rd 2016

Harmonized Checklists

• Harmonized checklists for MLN-free commercial seed production have been finalized for Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia

• Consultative meeting for Rwanda and Uganda scheduled for Nov 2016

Validate and facilitate access to accurate, rapid and affordable MLN diagnostic kits and service

to the commercial seed sector

• Validation of the sensitivity, accuracy and robustness of available MLN diagnostic options were done by CIMMYT

• Seed companies urged to approach CIMMYT for linkage to Immunostrips providers

• Kenya Seed Company has been linked to the immunostrips for use in their internal surveillance programs. Program ongoing

• Survey shows ELISA preferred for Seed testing in MLN endemic countries

• Planned training for technicians from seed companies on surveillance and testing using immunostrips (Y2)

Establish a pilot CoP in the MLN-endemic countries

• The MLN Phytosanitary Community of Practice (CoP) was established and the first face-to- face meeting was held on 29th February 2016

CoP members - 1st meeting

Establish a pilot CoP in the MLN-endemic countries

• The CoP membership is currently 35

• The first virtual meeting for the CoP was held on 3rd May 2016 and the second one will be held on 4th Aug 2016.

• A CoP communication platform has been developed - Google groups (email based and launched on 21st July 2016)

Design and implement M&E and Communications plans, with specific indicators

• An M&E implementation plan for the project in place and finalized after discussion with relevant stakeholders.

• A communications plan has been designed and is being implemented.

Project sub-grants, collation, synthesis and submission of annual technical and financial

reports

• Sub-grant proposal and reporting templates were customized for the project. Sub-grantees populated them as per identified activities.

• The sub-grant proposals from the project partners were rigorously evaluated, sub-grant amounts negotiated, and awarded by the Project Leader.

• Technical reporting format was designed and sent to partners

• Technical reports received from four partners

Development of a dedicated MLN web portal and MLN information management system

• The development of a dedicated MLN web portal and information management system is been completed and ready for the launch.

• The Web portal will provide a one stop centre for all MLN related information.

• Discussions are ongoing with collaborators to provide their data on various topics for the MLN web portal.

Training/capacity building of Phytosanitary and Extension Agencies in the MLN-endemic countries on MLN surveillance surveys,

sampling and data management. • The NPPOs in the MLN-endemic countries (Ethiopia,

Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda) have been trained on MLN surveillance using modern tools (including MLN diagnostics and modern surveillance tools)

• Participants were trained on how to collect and collate relevant information/data on MLN surveillance for incorporation in the upcoming MLN web portal

• Practical sessions were organized for sampling and testing for MLN-causing viruses at the MLN screening facility in Naivasha.

Training on MLN Surveillance and testing

Sampling demonstration -

ODK App practical use - Naivasha

Testing using Immunostrips

MLN Symptom Identification

Lessons learnt

• Need to facilitate the NPPOs in supplementing their MLN surveillance budgets, especially for those NPPOs with budget challenges. This will ensure quality MLN data collection, analysis and upload on the MLN web portal.

• Basic support (infrastructure and transport) are required by some of the NPPOs for implementing proper surveillance and diagnostics work.

Lessons learnt

• Few seed companies are taking up initiatives for self-regulation for MLN-free seed production.

• Virtual meetings are not so ideal when it comes to CoP communications.

• Need to explore new and cost-effective methods of communications

Lessons learnt

• Need to facilitate the NPPOs in supplementing their MLN surveillance budgets, especially for those NPPOs with budget challenges. This will ensure quality MLN data collection, analysis and upload on the MLN web portal.

• Follow-up programs to be designed for proper implementation of planned surveillance activities.

• Basic support (infrastructure and transport) are required by some of the NPPOs for implementing proper surveillance and diagnostics work.

Lessons learnt

• Time allocated was not adequate for the planned activities, especially training and monitoring of commercial seed producers

• Logistical challenges in targeting seed growers for training. Seed companies contract both large- and small-scale farmers for seed production.

Challenges

• Delays in MLN surveillance activities in southern Africa due to closing of maize cropping.

• Poor response by partners/stakeholders in online survey activities on important issues related to the Project.

• Reluctance by some institutions to provide MLN surveillance data to be incorporated in the designed MLN web portal.

Challenges

• Poor continuity of MLN surveillance in some endemic countries after initial training due to low level of buy-in by NPPOs.

• Some NPPOs may need financial support to undertake these activities on a regular basis.

• The CoP needs to have more number of active members to generate discussion on various topical issues relevant for the project activities

• Uncoordinated MLN-related activities in the region but these are largely due to several initiatives from different donors

Thank you

for your

interest!