Table of Contents BACKGROUND. Introduction 3. Why Potatoes? 4. Ethiopian Perspective 5. Principles for a Collaborative Approach 6

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3 Table of Contents BACKGROUND Introduction 3 Why Potatoes? 4 Ethiopian Perspective 5 Principles for a Collaborative Approach 6 The Potato Value Chain 7 ACTIONS The Ethiopia Potato Center of Excellence 9 Research Led Approach 10 PhD Cluster 11 Quality Approved Planting Material 12 Farm Management & Extension 13 Farmers Cooperatives 13 BUILDING ON SUCCESS 11 Irish Potato Coalition Partner Profiles 17

4 3BACKGROUND Introduction The development of agriculture is a key building block to healthy economies for countries in Africa. Ethiopia, a country of 85 million people, has for example the potential to develop the agricultural sector to provide a sustainable food source for its own population and surplus for export. However, in Ethiopia and across Africa, the balance between food, water and climate change is fragile and increasingly under threat. Recognising the value of collaboration, Vita has with its partners initiated; Potato Centre of Excellence in Ethiopia Irish Potato Coalition in Eastern and Southern Africa The Potato Centre of Excellence, started in Ethiopia provides a means to combine the knowledge and skills from the Science, Business and the Development sectors. The Irish Potato Coalition for Eastern and Southern Africa enables like minded NGOs operating in six countries (with 4 million potato farmers) together with the International Potato Centre (CIP) to create a common approach in creating and sharing best practice models and to share and learn from each other. The collaborative approach provides potential to access and leverage the extensive expertise in potato development that Ireland has built up over the previous decades which can provide immense added value to potato farmers in Africa today. Larry O Loughlin Chairman of Vita Programme Sub Committee Member of Teagasc Food Security Committee

5 Why Potatoes? The potato is the fourth most important food in the world. But so far, it has not featured prominently in the debate on food security. Over one million highland farmers could grow potatoes in Ethiopia, and this extends to several million across East Africa. The potato crop is of key importance in that it provides high nutrition and is an adaptive species for climate change. Potatoes use less water per nutritional output than all other major food sources and can be grown across Africa. The potato provides more food per unit area than any other major staple crop, three or five times that of wheat or rice. Potatoes are the perfect food and one of the few that can actually sustain life on its own. One medium-sized potato has 110 calories and provides complex carbohydrates, amino acids and anti-oxidants. One 5.3 ounce (150grams) potato provides 620 milligrams or 18% of the recommended daily value (DV) of potassium and 8% of the DV of fibre. Potatoes are also an excellent source of vitamin C with 45% of the DV, vitamin B6 with 10% of the DV and iron providing 6% of the DV. Potatoes have potential to double or treble current yields of 8 tonnes/ha using quality approved seed, improved varieties and more effective farm practices. This provides significant impact on providing nutrition to families, increasing household income and providing surplus to the wider market. Rural women provide most of the labour in both small- and large-scale potato production, from conservation and seed selection to planting, harvesting, storing and marketing making potatoes a very gender sensitive crop. Along with bigger harvests and more food and nutrition, potatoes are a great cash crop for smallholder farmers. Due to its bulk and high seeding requirement, potatoes are not easily traded internationally, making them less vulnerable to price volatility and the vagaries of international markets than cereals. Farmers can keep harvested potato in inexpensive home-made stores for most of the year, safe in the knowledge that they can make consume or sell decisions based on their own needs and not dictated by market forces. 4

6 5BACKGROUND Ethiopian Perspective Ethiopia has possibly the highest potential for potato production of any country in Africa with 70% of the 13.5m ha of arable land suitable to potato cultivation. However, the potato is widely regarded as a secondary non-cereal crop in part because it has never reached the potential that it has in supporting food security. It is estimated that 160,000 ha are now planted annually by approximately one million potato farmers. Potato is grown mainly on small, half hectare farms in the central highlands where the potato grows well. Fertilisers are not generally used and crop management and crop rotation practices are very traditional and do not exploit the yield potential. Given the diversity in Ethiopia there are no certified or universally recognised varieties being used but all varieties are generally low yielding (8 tonnes/ha) and susceptible to disease and pests. Currently less than 3% of Ethiopian farmers have access to improved or uncontaminated seed. The International Potato Centre (CIP) has an office in Ethiopia which is a member of the Potato Centre of Excellence, the Potato Coalition and works with national government institutions. Importantly, CIP have based its African Potato Breeding Programme in Ethiopia, the first such programme in Africa. Ethiopia has considerable resources and skills in agricultural research but as in many African countries the transfer of research into use is limited.

7 Principles for a Collaborative Approach To realise the potential of potatoes as a staple crop we need to develop, test and scale up best practice and processes across the value chain using a Collaborative Approach between Development, Science and Business. MAXIMUM COLLABORATION PRINCIPLES OF COLLABORATIVE APPROACH Local ownership & community empowerment Shared learning and transfer of best practice Promotion of research into use and transfer of technologies. Active engagement with the private sector Focus on delivery and on measurement of results 6

8 BACKGROUND The Potato Value Chain Understanding the value chain is central in determining where interventions are required and how best to leverage the value of collaboration at critical points on the value chain. Land Production Storage Markets Processing Development, Business, Research The Value Chain exists within a wider operating environment which is defined by social customs and practices together with governmental legal and regulatory frameworks. Working to create an enabling environment in which change can occur is an important aspect of value chain development. THE GREATEST BARRIERS TO AN EFFECTIVE VALUE CHAIN AT PRESENT ARE Lack of availability of quality approved seed Poor farm practices Lack of storage for ware potato Limited capacity of cooperatives When looking at the entire Value Chain it is very evident that Development, Research and Business sectors must work closely and coordinate their efforts. For example if production increases threefold it is critical that access to market is developed at the same time for this produce. 7

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10 ACTIONS The Ethiopia Potato Centre of Excellence The term Centre of Excellence conveys different meanings to different people. However, the Potato Centre of Excellence is merely a platform that enables collaboration for Vita and its partners to develop, share and scale up best practices and models to maximise the benefit that potatoes can provide to rural communities. Launched in Ireland by the Minister of Agriculture in 2012, the Centre adopts the Collaborative Approach. It is based in Gama Gofa, Ethiopia and current partners include Vita, Teagasc, Gama Gofa Administration, Irish Potato Federation, Gama Gofa Cooperative Union, Concern Worldwide, Wageningen University, Ethiopian Agricultural Institute for Research and Arba Minch University. Over the next 5 years the Centre will develop sustainable, equitable and effective potato value chain systems, initially for the 60,000 potato farmers of Gamo Gofa Zone in the Southern Region. It promotes and shares best practice across Ethiopia s one million potato farmers and introduces, encourages and supports initiatives wherever possible The Centre has a long term programme of work and has already made progress on a number of fronts across the Value Chain. Research Led Approach Quality Approved Planting Material Improved Crop Management Farmer Cooperatives 9

11 Research Led Approach Ethiopia is a microcosm of both the opportunities and the challenges that many parts of the world are facing today. The population is growing at a rapid rate and there is an urgent need to increase food production. Countries such as Ethiopia, have a much higher potential to increase agricultural production than countries in Europe, where crop yields have already approached their maximum potential. At the same time, there are concerns that agriculture worldwide is unsustainably using natural resources. Inappropriate use of these resources can impact on the environment that we live in, in the form of greenhouse gas emissions and impacts on water quality, soil quality and biodiversity. This twin challenge increasing food production while at the same time reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture is one of the most formidable challenges that we face in the 21st century. This challenge can only be met through the Sustainable Intensification of farming, where we increase crop yields and farm output by using two major inputs on the farms: knowledge and skills. Many solutions for higher crop yields are available on paper, specifically in scientific papers. The practice of transfer of research into use is one that Ireland has developed so successfully in Teagasc. Led by Teagasc and other science partners the Potato Centre of Excellence is tailoring solutions to local conditions which is resulting in research that is embedded within the everyday reality of farming and is finding solutions with farmers and for farmers. 10

12 ACTIONS PhD Cluster The PhD Cluster is one example of an integrated research led approach started in The objective is to support development of an informal seed system for the Chencha district in Ethiopia combining research on: 1) the technical aspects of potato production; 2) the farming systems in which the potato is grown and 3) the social community approach to the cultivation and trading of potatoes PhD1 (funded by Wageningen University) is aimed at improving seed potato quality: through technology and systems, optimising the physiological age of potatoes and improving seed tuber health. Areas of investigation include positive selection, the use of diffuse light stores and the requirements for an informal certification scheme for Quality Declared Planting Material. PhD2 (funded by Vita) is aimed at optimising the farming systems that the potato is part of. If potato production practices are changed, then what impact does this have on the cultivation of other crops, labour requirements, nutrient management and household income? In addition, what is the impact of the production system on the environment, in terms of nutrient efficiency and greenhouse gases? PhD 3 (funded by Teagasc) focuses on Programme Delivery: the efficiency of knowledge transfer, research farmer interactions, transferability to other regions / scenarios. It assesses the social aspects of seed potato exchange, the effectiveness of interventions by state actors and NGOs and will develop an informal certification scheme for Quality Declared Planting material. The three PhD students are Waga Dersseh, Yennenesh Gebresilase and Abdulwahab Abdurahman. Chencha district 11

13 Quality Approved Planting Material The benefits of quality seed directly result in a two to threefold increase in productivity. This is because existing seed used across East Africa typically has low vigour (having being repeatedly used over many rotations), can be infected or is a sub optimal variety. The challenge being addressed is how to develop a community based system that can produce quality approved seed. This is necessary as improved seed provided centrally only reaches a very small percentage of farmers (1% in Ethiopia and 5% in Kenya). This is a good example of how Development, Science and Business interact. Science defines the appropriate varieties, standards and labelling criteria, Development manages the social aspect of farmer engagement in producing and storing seed and Business works with cooperatives to create viable commercial practices. This work is at an early stage but has succeeded in establishing seed producing cooperatives, providing them with seed and with farm and communal seed storage. Initial work with quality seed labeling has been stalled due to an endemic wilt disease in the pilot area. Although this is a setback, our Research partners are now engaged in finding solutions and illustrates the value of the Collaborative Approach. 12

14 13ACTIONS Farm Management and Extension Access to knowledge is central in enabling farmers to manage their farms effectively. Knowledge can only be transferred through training which takes place through existing networks such as farmer groups, local government extension services and farmer cooperatives. Some quick wins have already been achieved: adoption of improved seed resulting in a three fold increase in productivity establishment of demonstration farms to highlight best practice increased storage of ware potatoes on the farm through simple stores which has resulted in reducing post harvest losses. A longer term aspect of farm management is crop rotation, given that potatoes cannot be grown repeatedly on the same piece of land to avoid soil infection. A new issue now being tackled is treatment of blight and what community systems are most suitable to control this. Farmers Cooperatives The objective of working with farmer cooperatives is to create commercially sustainable entities which can drive development in their communities Farmer cooperatives have two aspects to their work: Inward facing supporting their members with knowledge and training, access to capital, access to improved seed & fertiliser, access to group storage Outward facing sale of cooperative produce, market development To date, work by the Potato Centre of Excellence has been on supporting the inward facing role of cooperatives; Training of cooperative staff Providing capital for revolving credit Supporting access to improved seed

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16 BUILDING ON SUCCESS Irish Potato Coalition in East & Southern Africa Expanding the collaboration concept to access the benefits of mutli-country experiences has led to the setting up of the East African Potato Coalition. This initially consists of the Science Partners (CIP, Teagasc), Development Partners (Vita, Self Help Africa, Concern Universal, Gorta) and Business Partners (European). The Coalition will initially work across six countries, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi and Uganda and will be coordinated by Vita in Ethiopia. The Potato Coalition will provide a practical approach, defining the necessary steps to set up a collaborative framework, a common approach for baselines and impact indicators and best practice guidelines to create effective, sustainable and equitable value chains. Already within Ethiopia there are first steps in a collaborative approach with two NGOS (Vita and Concern Worldwide) in adopting this approach in Amhara region. Ethiopia Kenya Uganda Tanzania Malawi Mozambique 15

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18 BUILDING ON SUCCESS Partner Profiles The following organisations are engaged in the Collaborative Approach in the Potato Centre of Excellence and/or the Potato Coalition. SCIENCE International Potato Centre (CIP) The International Potato Center, known by its Spanish acronym CIP, was founded in 1971 as a root and tuber research-fordevelopment institution delivering sustainable solutions to the pressing world problems of hunger, poverty, and the degradation of natural resources. CIP is part of the CGIAR Consortium, a global partnership that unites organizations engaged in research for a food secure future. Teagasc Teagasc is the agriculture and food development authority in Ireland. It has recently established a Food Security Committee to develop, oversee and review its policy on international agricultural development. It is engaged with the Potato Centre of Excellence through its Walsh Fellowships Postgraduate Programme. Wageningen University Wageningen University specialises in Food and Food Production, Living Environment and Health & Livelihood. They have an extensive worldwide experience in potato research. It is part of a triple PhD potato research programme in Ethiopia. Arba Minch University, Ethiopia The University is based in south west Ethiopia and has 5 Colleges, one of them being Agriculture focusing on Rural Development, Agricultural Extension, Animal Science, Horticulture & Plant Science. Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research The Institute has national and regional centres, provides coordination of agricultural research countrywide and is responsible for advising Government on agricultural research policy formulation. DEVELOPMENT Vita Vita is an Irish based NGO fighting hunger and climate change in Africa. It works in Partnerships in Ethiopia and Eritrea to leverage added value and achieve more than working alone. It has been engaged in potato development for over 5 years and has initiated the Potato Centre of Excellence and the Potato Coalition. Self Help Africa Self Help Africa is an Irish based NGO that works with rural communities to help them improve their farms and livelihoods. Self Help Africa works with local staff and partners in eight countries, supporting communities to grow more food, sell their surpluses, diversify their farm production and develop new off-farm enterprises.. Concern Universal Concern Universal is a UK based, international development organisation tackling poverty from the grassroots. A key component of its work is food security and sustainable livelihoods through agricultural development, nurturing natural resources and access to microfinance and markets. It has wide experience of potato development in Malawi. 17

19 Gama Gofa Zonal Administration, Ethiopia The local government administration based in Arba Minch has taken a strong local ownership of potato development and has signed an MOU with Vita for the Potato Center and for a wider green zone initiative. The Administration provides agricultural extension officers for training and instruction on crop production, animal husbandry and farm management. Concern Worldwide Concern Worldwide is an Irish based international humanitarian organisation dedicated to tackling poverty and suffering in the world s poorest countries. Its Livelihoods Programme provides inputs, knowledge, and training to enable people to become more self-sufficient through more productive agriculture, vegetable gardens, and livestock rearing. Gorta Gorta works in five countries in sub- Saharan Africa, which include Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia. Within these countries our projects are concentrated in the five specific programmes areas of livelihoods, food security, water security, health and education. Farm Africa Farm Africa helps African farmers grow themselves out of poverty and end hunger forever. It helps rural families build a more prosperous life that allows them to take charge of their futures. Farm Africa operates across the east African countries of Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. BUSINESS Irish Potato Federation The IPF represents the main companies in the production, marketing and distribution of potatoes in Ireland and is part of Europatat, the European umbrella group for the potato trade recognised by the EU. Founded in 1973, it represents 12 wholesalers, importers and exporters of potatoes in Ireland. It has supported the work of the Potato Centre of Excellence through expert advice and by funding. Irish Potato Marketing IPM is an international leader in potato variety innovation and in the production, marketing and distribution of seed potatoes. It delivers the best varieties for all potato customers through the supply of high quality seed at the start of the production chain. It has supplied 8 varieties to Eritrea for research testing and engaged in the farm trials. Gamo Gofa Farmers Cooperative Union, Ethiopia The cooperative union is based in south west Ethiopia. Established in 2005 it aims to minimise and solve the critical challenges and bottle necks that have been encountered in development of new markets and in supporting farmers. 18

20 Vita acknowledges the support of Irish Aid and the European Union in enabling its work on the potato as a hunger busting crop.