A typical integrated system in the humid tropics, Kivu Area, DRC. Photo by Piet van Asten/IITA.
Aligning research activities with nature’s cycles is an important reality in Agricultural Research for Development (R4D). With that in mind, Humidtropics’ R4D Platforms members in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Burundi Action Sites gathered over the dry season to determine the R4D activities they will conduct in the upcoming crop season starting in September.
Participants discussed and identified best-fit options for integrated systems research addressing productivity, natural resource management, nutrition, market, and institutional issues, and finalized actions and partnership commitments for the implementation of Phase III of the Consortium for Improving Agriculture-based Livelihoods in Central Africa (CIALCA), which is part of the Humidtropics Research Program.
R4D Platform members discussing best-fit options for integrated systems research for the upcoming crop season in the DRCÂ Action Site. Photo by Chris Okafor/Humidtropics.
These planning meetings, organized by the East and Central Africa Flagship team and moderated by IITA and Bioversity International, were held in the three countries during the months of July and August. Each R4D Platform benefited from the presence of their Action Site Facilitator whose role was to enable group members to search for inclusive solutions and build sustainable agreements: Sylvain Mapatano in DRC, Leon Nabahungu in Rwanda, and Cyrille Hicintuka in Burundi.
In DRC, Platform members identified and prioritized the following research themes to be implemented in the Mushinga Field Site:
- crop-livestock integration;
- improving access to market for beans, soybean and cassava;
- improving banana-based system;
- enhancing dietary diversity;
- developing postharvest activities of preferred crops;
- improving access to credit.
In Rwanda, research themes identified and prioritized for implementation in the Kadahenda Field Site are:
- scaling out nutritious banana and legume varieties;
- legume-banana-livestock and agroforestry integration;
- maize-soybean associations;
- cassava-legume systems.
As for Burundi, the Gitega Field Sites will see the implementation these five research themes:
- cassava-bush beans association;
- rotation of irish potato and bush beans;
- association of maize-soybean in rotation with climbing beans;
- banana-soybean association;
- rice-legume rotation.
In order to ensure the successful implementation of Humidtropics interventions in the different Field Sites, a Convener was identified for each research theme to coordinate the development of the research protocols, and meetings are scheduled for all the Innovation Platforms associated with the Field Sites.
Blog by Rachel Zozo, Program Officer, East and Central Africa Flagship, Humidtropics. Blog edited by Valérie Poiré, Communication Officer, Humidtropics.
Watch Chris Okafor, East and Central Africa Flagship Manager, explain what Humidtropics is all about: