Scaling quality cassava seed systems – Rwanda & Burundi

Duration: April 1, 2019 – March 31, 2022

Project information

Full title: Enabling agribusiness development for scaling quality cassava seed systems for control of major viral diseases in Rwanda and Burundi

Objective: This project aims to engage in testing, evaluating and upscaling end-user-preferred cassava varieties with strong resistance to Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) and Cassava Mosaic Diseases (CMD) through different types of cassava agribusiness seed systems (CASS) models in Rwanda and Burundi.

Abstract: IITA, SPARK, WUR and the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) of Rwanda and Burundi (RAB and ISABU) will test, evaluate and upscale end-user-preferred cassava varieties with strong resistance to Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD) and Cassava Mosaic Diseases (CMD) through different types of cassava agribusiness seed systems (CASS) models. During the NWO proposal elaboration workshop, stakeholders and value chain actors collectively decided that the project should achieve three interrelated objectives:

1. To diversify the availability of cassava varieties with strong resistance/tolerance to CBSD and CMD that meet farmer and commercial end-user preferences;
2. To develop, test and tailor different types of CASS models (i.e. (i) government-led, (ii) privatesector-led and (iii) cooperative-led) with and for different groups of farmers;
3. To understand and respond to constraints and opportunities at farmer and institutional levels for upscaling CASS models in collaboration with different cassava value chain actors.

In achieving these objectives, the project contributes to outcomes as expressed in the (i) NWO call’s aims, (ii) CGIAR Research Impact Pathway and its IDOs, and (iii) relevant Areas for Action and the Seed Systems Development Theory of Change. At the end of the project, five cassava clones resistant to CBSD and CMD will be available to farmers through validated, innovative, and financially sustainable CASS models. This will increase production and income gains for farmers, as well as the profitability of industrial processing.

The validated CASS models, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and strong institutional embedding will attract investment to upscale the CASS models and their outcomes beyond the initial scope of the project. The project is implemented by a strong consortium comprising of the leading (inter)national organizations in research and development. All organizations have proven capacity to deliver as well as ongoing programs in the target countries that leverage and co-fund the proposed project.

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This project received funds in the Call on “Seed Systems Development (SSD): Enabling and Scaling Genetic Improvement and Propagation Materials” which was released by NWO-WOTRO within the framework of the Netherlands-CGIAR research partnership. The nine awarded project consortia consist of Dutch research institutes, CGIAR Research Programs or platforms, and (Dutch or local) partners from the public and private sector.