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Plant breeding and variety development is at the heart of the program
strategy.
Breeding
new varieties for small-scale farmers in Africa recently achieved a
quantum leap in efficiency through the advent of farmer-participatory
approaches. Farmer
participation, combined with an advanced knowledge of key traits and
their genetics, has proven to be highly effective in developing adapted
varieties which meet farmer preferences.
In order to maximize adaptation and increase farmer adoption, the
program also attempts to focus increased attention toward breeding for
specific agro-ecologies encountered by groups of African farmers.
International and regional breeding centres receive support to
develop good source materials with combinations of needed traits.
National breeding institutes receive support for developing
finished varieties in close consultation with farmers. |
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