Ciara Varley, Angharad Johnston, Charles Spillane
The LEG4DEV team recently visited IITA colleagues on the ICIPE – International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology‘s campus in Nairobi, where the team met with the IITA groups of Dr. Dries Roobroeck and Dr. Danny Coyne.
Dr. Roobroeck briefed the LEG4DEV team on ongoing research into biochar and circular economy approaches within his group. This work is relevant to LEG4DEV’s legume-based circular economy activity areas. After meeting Dr. Roobroeck, the team visited Dr. Danny Coyne’s NemAfrica group, where they saw a showcase of innovative crop nematode research by his enthusiastic, motivated team.
NemAfrica is the joint nematology lab between the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE). The NemAfrica team works on plant parasitic nematodes and entomopathogenic nematodes — two types of nematodes which have significant relevance to the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa.
The LEG4DEV team were briefed on the latest research on the potato cyst nematode, which can cause yield losses of up to 80% in potato crops. NemAfrica is developing affordable nematode protection systems for smallholder farmers, including paper-based coverings that can protect growing potatoes from nematode infection. The team also conduct research on root-knot nematodes, which can infect multiple crops across sub-Saharan Africa, including legumes.
During the visit, the LEG4DEV team were also briefed on the CGIAR research initiative, Resilient Cities Through Sustainable Urban and Peri-Urban AgriFood Systems. The initiative supports small-scale producers and informal food businesses in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, Peru, the Philippines, and in one of LEG4DEV’s focus countries, Ethiopia.
During the meetings with Dr. Roobroeck and Dr. Coyne, Prof. Spillane and his LEG4DEV team identified several research and innovation synergies between LEG4DEV and the two IITA groups. These will guide further dialogue on possible collaborative activities between the University of Galway LEG4DEV team and the IITA groups working on crop nematodes and circular economy agrifood systems.