IITA IPM project 15: Challenges and opportunities for post-harvest maize in the Guinea Savanna: A case study in the Republic of Benin.

Duration: 4 years (2003 – 2006)

Purpose: The project focuses on the ecology of a key pest of stored maize in the Northern Guinea Savanna, the Angoumois grain moth, and on the economics of maize storage in this environment. The impact of existing biological control will be examined in the context of integrated store management strategies. An emphasis will be placed on continuing the development of decision-support tools for stored maize, in particular rapid store assessment procedures for use by farmers and extension agents, based on the pest population and damage models.

Background/description: a) Examine the ecology of Sitotroga cerealella in the Guinea savanna of Benin, particularly with respect to biological control (especially parasitoids and pathogens), and to its interaction with P. truncatus (and its natural enemies). Develop a sampling plan for shelled grain. Construct a population simulation model of S. cerealella, using the paradigm already developed by DIAS and IITA, and incorporate it into the postharvest system model (and associated decision-support tools) already developed; b) Evaluate the changing socio-economic context of maize storage in the Northern Guinea Savanna, examining changes in agricultural practices and investment, and investigating commercial opportunities and constraints on maize storage by farmers (especially considering market prices, their seasonal dynamics and their sensitivity to grain quality); c) Evaluate the feasibility of introducing decision-support tools to extensionists and farmers, as a basis for encouraging them towards a market-orientated approach to store management.

Agroecozone(s) and location(s): The savannas of Benin

Expected outputs: a) Decision-support tool for post-harvest maize in the savanna is developed; b) Opportunities for maize farmers in the savanna evaluated; c) Extension approaches for market-orientated post-harvest maize management developed

Potential impact and beneficiaries: The ultimate beneficiaries of the project will be maize farmers in the savanna zones of Benin (and eventually, through networking and cross-fertilization with other projects, elsewhere in West Africa) who will be empowered to better manage their maize, post-production, to respond to market opportunities and so improve their livelihood. Farmers, their families, consumers and their environment will also benefit from the reduced use of pesticides in post-harvest systems in the savannas (where abuse of pesticides is currently prevalent). The immediate beneficiaries will be researchers and extensionists of INRAB, PADSA and collaborating NGOs (to be identified) in Benin, who will gain a new understanding (through formal and informal training, at various levels) of the use of modeling, and decision-support tools based thereon, in research and extension relating to improving post-harvest systems.

Partners: a) National Agricultural Research Organization, Benin;

Development investor(s): DANIDA (Denmark)

IITA contact person(s)/principal investigator(s): Kerstin Hell K.Hell@cgiar.org website http://www.iita.org