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»Funding dates
Phase I: 3/1/1995-6/30/2001
Phase
II: 7/1/2001-6/30/2006
Phase III: 7/1/2006-6/30/2010
»The problem
Tef (Eragostis tef) and finger millet (Eleusine
coracana) are both cereal crops that originated in East
Africa. They belong to the Chloridoid sub-family of the grass
family (Gramineae), and are hardy, resilient crops that exhibit
good tolerance to abiotic stress, and produce small-sized
grain with superior nutritional and storage characteristics.
Both crops are of strategic importance to the food security
of millions of African smallholder farmers; tef is the major
staple food in Ethiopia while finger millet is an important
traditional food crop in several Eastern, Central, and South
African countries. These two crops, however, are among the
least studied of the cereals in terms of crop improvement.
»The approach
The CCRP has previously funded crop improvement projects on
both tef and finger millet. Since the two crops share many
similarities, the CCRP recently held a workshop that brought the tef and finger millet project researchers
together for the first time. This meeting led to the formation
of a new research alliance; East African researchers decided
to bring the two crops together under one research project
in hopes of taking advantage of the potential for transferring
knowledge and experiences from one crop to another.
The new project, "Genetic improvement, technology dissemination
and seed system development in African chloridoid cereals,"
has identified four main areas for research and development,
namely:
- Development and promotion of improved varieties and
agronomic practices. The tef group is targeting a number of
traits, including early maturity, reduced lodging, and improved
grain yield and quality. The finger millet group will initially
focus on resistance to head blast (caused by the fungus, Pyricularia
grisea) and to the root parasite, Striga hermonthica. Improved
agronomic practices to be promoted for finger millet include
row planting, fertilization, and reducing plant populations.
- Molecular genetics. This will be aimed at developing
a set of breeder-friendly PCR-based markers for lodging and
other important traits in tef, as well as for tracking the
adoption and dissemination of the tef varieties developed.
- Tef and finger millet seed systems. The objective
of this component is to develop sustainable, community-based
seed production and supply schemes for both crops.
- Value-added products and farmer empowerment schemes. The group intends to evaluate the income generating potential
of ready to use flours (both tef and finger millet) and schemes
that can help farmers succeed at commercializing finger millet
production (i.e. revolving loans for fertilizer inputs).
»The goal
To increase tef and finger millet productivity and income
generating possibilities.
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