29 September 2023
A training on seed production techniques, management of diseases, pests, and weeds of cassava, corn, and soybean was held from 5 to 10 June in Nkayi. Initiated by IITA–CGIAR through its Agenda for the Transformation of Agriculture in Congo (ATAC), the training brought together thirty participants from the Ministries responsible for Agriculture and Scientific Research. This training was conducted by a team of African experts led by ATAC Coordinator Pheneas Ntawuruhunga.
A view of one of the indoor training sessions with Professor Elekeleme.
Participants attended modules presented by several African experts from Cameroon, DRC, Nigeria, etc., to enrich their knowledge in an expanding agricultural sector. The training included field visits to the sites of the National Institute of Scientific Research (IRA) and N-SAT in the Loudima district in the department of Bouenza.
The team included Professor Friday Ekeleme and Drs Jean Pierre Kabongo, Samuel Nanga Nanga, Sikirou Mouritala, Abebe Tesfaye, Emmanuel Nsanga, and Léon Nabahungu.
Following the recent signing of an agreement with the Integrated Development Project for Agricultural Value Chains in Congo (PRODIVAC), PRODIVAC Communication and Knowledge Sharing Expert Hugues Koudimbila also attended the meetings.
Demonstration on the use of a sprayer by Dr Nanga at IRA station.
Responses tailored to participants’ concerns
One of the sources of concern in agriculture is the emergence of certain diseases and the solutions to be found to eradicate them. Most sub-Saharan countries experience similar situations as demonstrated during the presentations and discussions.
Beyond the issue relating to seed diseases, pests are also another widespread phenomenon. The fall armyworm (FAW) is the most widespread corn pest in Congo. For the control of the fall armyworm, we use integrated control through the use of good agricultural practices (for small producers); the right seed, respecting the sowing date, good fertilization, crop rotation; the use of organic pesticides (chili pepper, tobacco, ash, sand, detergent, etc.); the application of chemicals to large areas; the use of biofertilizers (Titonia, poultry droppings and others); biological control against the presence of natural enemies; the insect that parasitizes the eggs and larvae, the insect that kills the eggs, the insect that eats the larvae, etc.); physical struggle (ploughing).
Participants appreciating the performance of the soybean variety in one of the fields at the N-SAT site.
Concerning soya, the known pests are aphids, mites, leaf beetles, bugs, pod bugs, which are very destructive. The method of control is integrated insect management.
Apart from these diseases which affect the life of these agro-food value chains, the training also focused on other modules such as soil degradation, integrated management of soil fertility, the importance of soil analysis and fertilizer formulation, selection of new preferred varieties, etc.
However, it is hoped that integrated pest management should lead to responsible use of chemicals in order to protect the environment and human health.
Unfortunately, this question on the environmental and social safeguards to be implemented during the use of chemical products (fertilizers, pesticides and others) was not sufficiently explored during the training. So much so that PRODIVAC has made it a major concern.
All the presentations that were made during this training were mentioned in a duly established program, on which the IITA experts relied to organize their presentations around the following themes: “Weed management in seed production cassava, corn and soybeans”; “Establishment of a corn production farm”; “Establishment of a cassava production farm”; “Establishment of a soybean production farm”; “Soil fertility management and fertilizer use in corn, cassava and soybean”; “Integrated disease and pest management in cassava production systems”.
Field test of the lessons received
After the classroom training, participants went to two IITA seed sites in the surroundings of the Loudima district, namely: the IRA site which includes the corn field and that of N-SAT, home to two soybean fields. On site, they were able to experience the lessons received by expressing some curiosities to the experts in order to obtain clarifications relating to them. The latter, to be more explicit, proceeded with physical and material demonstrations, to make themselves better understood. This is the case of Dr Jean Pierre Kabongo who spoke about the growing difficulties of soya on the N-SAT site.
Similar to the demonstration on the IRA website by Professor Ekeleme on the use of the knapsack sprayer, often used to spread certain products such as pesticides. This material caught the attention of the participants who asked questions on wearing the appropriate gear, the correct dosage of the product to be sprayed, as well as certain adjustments to be made to the device. A simulation of spraying a (virtual) field was done for everyone.
In the IRA corn field, in Loudima, participants noticed growth problems with the stalks and that certain rows were missing corn stalks, not to mention the leaves attacked by pests.
On the N-SAT site, in the same locality, practical training took place around soya. On this occasion, two fields were visited by the participants, with particular characteristics for each. The first field, at the entrance to the site, is the best developed, with stems of an acceptable height, due to relatively abundant rainfall. The second field gave rise to two lessons: first at the entrance to the field, the stems show a real slow growth, then from the middle of the field to the wide, the stems are of average size. The technical workers met on site, and whose mission is to ensure the proper maintenance of these fields, emphasized that this field is in an area of low rainfall. Therefore, a lot of watering is required to allow this soybean to grow sufficiently.
An expert even said: the less rain there is, the greater the risk of having small pods, sometimes without contents.
Despite everything, when taking stock of this training, great satisfaction was expressed among all the participants. Some hoped that this type of training should be increased to enable the Congolese farmer to be able to practice healthy and largely productive agriculture.
The only false note noted by some participants was in the use of the English language, because the training which took place in this language was not well assimilated, despite the effort of translation. Just like for the experts who intervened by videoconference and who technically had enormous transmission problems.
At the end of the training, all thirty (30) participants received certificates of participation.
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