MusaNet approach and follow –up in West and Central Africa Emmanuel Fondi Diversity Scientist / E.C. Rep. West & Central Africa Network (Innovate Plantain) CARBAP Innovate Plantain Meeting Presentation Plan o The global strategy and MusaNet o Development and implementation of strategy in west and Central Africa o The way forward / MusaNet plans in the next couple years Innovate Plantain Meeting The Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Musa Genetic Resources Premise of Global Musa Strategy • The future of the world banana and plantain economy depends on the availability of a wide range of genetic diversity and the sustainable use to breed improved varieties. • Decreasing Musa genetic diversity is a serious problem and all its many causes need to be urgently addressed • The loss of diversity increases the vulnerability of Musa to sudden changes in climate and to new pests and diseases. • Most of the countries involved in Musa improvement and production are highly dependent on genes and varieties from other countries and regions. • The efforts necessary to manage Musa genetic resources effectively can therefore only be carried out through international collaboration. Innovate Plantain Meeting The Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Musa Genetic Resources What needs to change To increase the use of Musa genetic diversity: 1. Few breeding programmes and breeders. 2. Constraints in accessing to the range of diversity. o Not all useful diversity is in ex situ collections. o Not all diversity in ex situ collections is available internationally. 3. What is currently available has a narrow genetic base. 4. Quarantine facilities for the safe movement of germplasm need to be strengthened. 5. Legal and policy frameworks need to be clarified for many collections. 6. Lack of information, particularly evaluation, about the materials allowing its efficient selection. 7. Lack of or inadequate funding for: o The long-term management of collections o Research on diversity o Conservation and distribution o Evaluation and use in breeding Innovate Plantain Meeting The Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Musa Genetic Resources Strategy outputs 1. The Musa genetic diversity is assessed and comprehensively characterized, the taxonomy is harmonized and gaps in diversity are identified and filled in ex situ collections. 2. The entire Musa gene pool is conserved in perpetuity by a network of well- managed and rationalized collections and the global system for the safe exchange of germplasm is strengthened 3. The use of Musa genetic diversity is maximized through user-oriented germplasm evaluation 4. Information on all aspects of Musa germplasm is well documented and easily accessible to all users in user-friendly and efficient systems. Innovate Plantain Meeting The Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Musa Genetic Resources The Global Strategy o A strategic framework for the Musa community and stakeholders to mobilize resources towards addressing the most urgent and critical needs. o Elaborated through collaborative / participatory effort and based on the principle of subsidiarity o A road map that will continue to evolve and being updated as and when information becomes available. Innovate Plantain Meeting MusaNet is the Global Network for Musa Genetic Resources Goal: To build upon existing strengths in the global, regional and national collections by bringing people to optimize the effort to conserve, add value and promote the use and safe distribution of a wide range of Musa genetic diversity as the foundation for further breeding or direct use by farmers. Purpose: To provide a collaborative framework to support the implementation of the Global Strategy for the Conservation and Use of Musa Genetic Resources. www.musanet.org Innovate Plantain Meeting MusaNet Launch, March 2011 47 curators, pathologists, breeders, molecular biologists, taxonomists, policy makers from 15 countries covering the 5 continents, met in Montpellier to launch MusaNet. Innovate Plantain Meeting Innovate Plantain Meeting Development and implementation of strategy in west and Central Africa Regional strategy for plant genetic resources management in West and Central Africa o Elaborated in 2007 under the auspices of CORAF with support from the Crop Trust o Objective of strategy is to provide a framework for the effective and efficient ex situ conservation of the most important crop diversity collections in the West and Central African region and to promote the availability of these plant genetic resources for food and agriculture o The strategic approach is to develop Nodal centers of excellence (NCE) for the conservation of specific crops . The NCE is a regional mechanism that brings together NARS, CG centers and other partners to shear responsibilities in PGR conservation and enhancement Innovate Plantain Meeting Development and implementation of strategy in west and Central Africa Innovate Plantain Two approaches to conservation and enhancement of use of plantain / banana genetic resources o Ex situ conservation: In line with regional strategy; complete diversity in nodal center of excellence at CARBAP (Central Africa) but also in few institutional collections like University of Kisangani in the DRC. o On farm conservation – conservation by use to be documented and promoted Some regional activities coordinated by CARBAP o Regeneration of regional collection – Njombe o Diversity (especially plantain) collecting in the region o Introduction of new accessions in regional and ITC collection – filling gaps o Establishment of working collections in region o Elaboration of on-farm conservation strategies Innovate Plantain Meeting Development and implementation of strategy in west and Central Africa Regional collection - CARBAP Diversity o Close to 700 accessions conserved o An unique set of 150 plantains o Representative section of PNG diploids o Divers cooking bananas + all desert types o Representative set of East African highland types o Wild types o Improved diploids and other pre-breeding material o Collection of hybrids currently under promotion Current activities o Collection just recently regenerated o Collecting in region on-going o Introduction of East African diploids underway o Working to have a complete set of basic data on all accessions over two cycles Innovate Plantain Meeting Development and implementation of strategy in west and Central Africa Innovate Plantain Country Acronym Full_name Contact Benin INRAB/CRA-SB Institut National de Recherches Agricoles du Bénin Bernardin LOKOSSOU Cameroon CARBAP (NJOMBE) Centre africain de recherche sur bananes et plantains Emmanuel Fondi Congo CRAL Centre de Recherche Agronomique de Loudima Ferdinand MOUKETO Congo, DRC FSK Université de Kisangani, Faculté des Sciences de Kisangani Benoit DHED'A DJAILO Congo, DRC INERA-RDC Institut National pour l'Etude et la Recherche Agronomique - Mvuazi Congo, DRC INERA-RDC Institut National pour l'Etude et la Recherche Agronomique - Mulungu Benjamin DOWIYA NZAWELE Congo, DRC INERA-RDC Institut National pour l'Etude et la Recherche Agronomique - Yangambi Côte d'ivoire CNRA Centre National de Recherche Agronomique, Côte d'Ivoire SIMPLICE KOUASSI KOFFI Gabon IRAF Institut de Recherches Agronomiques et Forestières Clotilde NGNIGONE ELLA Ghana CSIR-PGRRI Council for Scientific & Industrial Research, Plant Genetic Resources L.M. ABOAGYE Centre Guinea IRAG Institut de Recherche Agronomique de Guinée - Sérédou Guilavogui ZEZE Guinea IRAG-FOULAYA Institut de recherche agricole de Guinée-Foulaya Nigeria NIHORT National Horticultural Research Institute Ola ADETULA Sierra leone MAFMR Ministry fo Agriculture, Forestry and Marine Resources Sylvester M. ROGERS Togo ITRA Institut Togolais de la Recherche Agronomique Selome Y. DOGBE Innovate Plantain Meeting The way forward / MusaNet plans in the next couple years Innovate Plantain Concerning the functioning of Innovate Plantain (the regional network) o Mobilising funds to ensure the effective functioning / animation of the secretariat and coordination of network o Promote the re-structuring and effective animation of national platforms Concerning ex-situ, on farm conservation and genetic resources enhancement o Re-enforce regional and ITC collection (collecting for gap filling) o Mobilization of funds for optimal maintenance and long term conservation of regional collection + plantain collection in RDC o Develop tools and promote the safe exchange of material amongst scientists as well as farmers o Connect curators / plantain diversity scientists in the region, organize trainings and capacity building o Collaborate to explore ethnobotanic knowledge and solve problem of synonymy and duplication in collections o Develop and promote complementary conservation strategies (on farm conservation) in the region o Contribute in the selection of elite material to promote the development of seed systems and ensure availability of planting material to farmers Innovate Plantain Meeting Thank you! Innovate Plantain Meeting .