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Insect Resistant Maize
for Africa Phase II (IRMA II) Project
Stephen Mugo, CIMMYT;
email:
s.mugo@cgiar.org
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Project
Description
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A stem borer
larvae, the most damaging stage of stem borer pests
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Bt maize
growing in a confined field trial (CFT) in an open quarantine field
site at KARI Kiboko, Kenya |
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The researcher Stephen Mugo conducts tour
for the President of Kenya (second from left) during his visit
to the biosafety greenhouse complex at
KARI-NARL. |
The Insect Resistant
Maize for Africa (IRMA II) Project phase II, “Delivering products to
Farmers” is the second phase of IRMA Project. IRMA Project was launched as
a collaborative effort between CIMMYT and Kenya Agricultural Research
Institute (KARI). The IRMA project is aimed at producing stem borer
resistant, locally adapted maize varieties for various Kenyan
agro-ecological zones using conventional and biotechnology-mediated
approaches, particularly Bt technology. Transgenic maize containing
Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) genes is a focal point of the project.
Public involvement and awareness, through events such as the annual
stakeholder meetings, are emphasized in the project’s activities.
Objectives
To develop and deploy
Bt maize that that is resistant to stem borers
using conventional breeding and transgenic technology. Transgenic
technology is a highly debated and regulated area of science which
required consideration of important technical, regulatory, proprietary,
and stewardship issues by the project.
Main
activities and
themes
IRMA activities are
carried out by interdisciplinary teams of scientists and include: product
development, product deployment, impact assessment, communication and
promotion, and capacity building through personnel training and
establishment of biosafety facilities. These activities are implemented by
interdisciplinary teams involving entomologists, biotechnologists,
breeders, economists, communications experts, IP counsel, extension
officers, policy makers, regulatory officials and farmers.
Ten project themes
derived from the main activities include:
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Development of Bt
maize event, Bt source line, and human health safety assessments,
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Development of
conventional insect resistant and insect resistant Bt maize varieties,
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Environmental impact
assessment, particularly studies on the potential effects of Bt delta-endotoxins
on non-target organisms in the maize growing system,
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Insect resistance
management for extending the efficacy of Bt technology in maize in
Kenya,
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Development of and
conformation to national biosafety and regulatory framework during
development and deployment of Bt technology for stem borer control.
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Observation of
intellectual property rights (IPR) and licensing in the development,
transfer, and use of proprietary technologies,
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The production and
use of quality seeds of improved insect resistant maize varieties,
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Market assessment and
analysis to find the fit of insect resistant maize varieties in Kenya.
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Economic impact
assessment to assess the niche for novel insect resistant maize
varieties in Kenya.
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Communication to
raise awareness on the technology, promotion to raise awareness on the
insect resistant maize varieties, and capacity building through training
of personnel in biotechnology and the establishment of biosafety
facilities and other infrastructure necessary for development and use of
insect resistance maize varieties..
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