tailieunhanh - BRINGING FARMERS BACK INTO BREEDING - Chapter 9

: setting the scene Origin of the initiative This project was initiated by ICRISAT, following the realisation that West Africa’s sorghum breeding | 9 Enhancing farmers access to sorghum varieties through scaling-up Participatory Plant Breeding in Mali West Africa by Eva Weltzien1 Anja Christinck2 Aboubacar Touré3 FredRattunde1 Mamadou Diarra4 Abdullaye Sangare5 andMamadou Coulibaly6 1 Researcher ICRISAT-Mali . 320 Bamako Mali Tel. 223 2223375 Fax 223 2228683 e-mail 2 Researcher Gichenbach 54 36129 Gersfeld Germany 3 Chef du Programme Sorgho IER Bamako Mali Tel. 223 2246008 4 Conseiller Sorgho of the Union Locale des Producteurs de Cereales ULPC in Dioila 5 Agent de Communication of the Association Conseil pour le Développement ACOD in Siby. 6 Agent de Communication of the Association des Organisations Professionelles des Paysans AOPP of Mali in Siby. Introduction setting the scene Origin of the initiative This project was initiated by ICRISAT following the realisation that West Africa s sorghum breeding programme was in need of a complete re-orientation see below . Two plant breeders Dr. E. Weltzien and Dr. . Rattunde with extensive experience in participatory plant breeding were given responsibility for this task. The project is being carried out in collaboration with the NARS NGOs farmer organisations and the University of Hohenheim Germany. Project coordination and scientific leadership is being provided by a team of ICRISAT staff members consisting of the team leaders see above Benoit Clerget crop physiologist Ibrahima Sissoko Striga and pathology specialist and Aruna Sangaré research technician . Leadership for social science activities has been assigned to Sonja Siart agricultural social scientist from the University of Hohenheim. Other collaborating institutions are NARS Institut d Economie Rurale IER Farmer groups Union local des producteurs de céreales à Dioila ULPC Association des Organisations Professionelles Paysannes au Mali AOPP NGOs Association Conseil pour le Développement ACOD Government extension services Service .