Transferring research results and technologies to end-users in Kenya and Tanzania: A case study from the tissue culture banana project

 S. W. Wakhusama, M.G.Karembu, F.N. Nguthi, A.S. Mbwana, M. M. Njuguna, L.W. Njuguna & S.B. Patel

This project was conceived in response to the rapid decline in banana (Musa) production experienced in Kenya over the last two decades brought about by pests, diseases and environmental degradation. The situation threatened food security and income amongst small-scale farmers who make up nearly 80% of the 30 million Kenyans and contribute over 90% of food production. The application of tissue culture (TC) technology to address these constraints was found appropriate to ensure availability of clean planting material and help alleviate the increasing poverty and hunger. To facilitate effective transfer of the technology, ISAAA identified partners of comparative advantage to implement the project by systematically introducing the technology to farmers; establishing public/private sector links; executing technology diffusion studies and developing a sustainable production-distribution-utilisation system. Smallholder farmers in Kenya are now reaping benefits in terms of access to clean planting materials, increased productivity and skills acquisition for technology management. The project has also expanded and moved to Tanzania where 110 tc banana demonstration plots have been established through the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach. Despite the successes of the project in Kenya, some constraints to large-scale commercialisation of the technology emerged. These include lack of technology transfer packages and access to credit and marketing. It is now imperative that a sustainable system of horizontal technology transfer through involvement of a broad network of partners with comparative advantage to mobilise large-scale impact needs to be established in order for smallholder farmers in East Africa to fully benefit from TC banana technology.