Short course on Participatory Crop Improvement for food security & climate resilience

Duration: 4 days (11-14 October, 2017)
Deadline for application: 4 October, 2017
Venue: Pokhara, Nepal
Course fee: USD 600 or NPR 60,000

Course Background

In the context of emerging climate change challenges, conventional plant breeding has limitations to support farmer’s food security and livelihoods. Participatory Crop Improvement (PCI) approaches integrate most of the major variables needed for producing crop varieties that are adapted to diverse, complex and risk-prone environments. Engaging farmers and other stakeholders both thoroughly and appropriately in the various stages of breeding process, variety selection and validation increases the probability of the acceptance of the new varieties thus produced. The PCI approaches build skills of farming communities, since, seeds can be produced and provisioned in the grassroots, it increases rate of uptake of adoption of new varieties and therefore contributes towards improving the overall efficiency of breeding programmes. It also enhances the confidence of the plant breeders since visibility of their impacts accruing from the new varieties is available faster than the conventional approaches. Within this context, the course intends to share the wealth of scientific knowledge and information, evidences and experiences of the PCI approach, developed over two decades through the sustained collaboration between LI-BIRD, Bangor University, Wales, UK and Bioversity International. This short training course will be focused on demonstrating how the PCI approaches allow breeders to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of modern plant breeding without much increasing the financial resources.

Course Objectives

This course aims to enhance the participants’ knowledge and skills to adapt and incorporate approaches of participatory crop improvement into conventional breeding to increase food security and climate resilience.

The specific objectives of this course are:

• Review and compare current conventional and PCI approaches and methods
• Build the skills and capacity of participants to design and apply PCI methods into their ongoing breeding research programmes
• Share practical lessons on the effectiveness of PCI through farmer engagement during field site visits

Course Relevance

PCI is a demand-driven approach to plant breeding, which promotes the participation of researchers, farmers and all other pertinent stakeholders in the breeding process. Within this approach, both the local agro-ecological environment, farmers’ local knowledge and practices, and the needs of the market and consumers are fully considered while designing a breeding programme. Using a participatory approach, realistic breeding goals are established and the most appropriate parents chosen for developing new varieties. Farmers are part of the breeding process by being directly involved in both the testing and the selection of the varieties on their farms, which leads to the empowerment of the farmers alongside the increased adoption of newer varieties.  Participatory methods can be used within conventional approaches and combined with modern molecular marker-assisted breeding.

Course Content

The course covers historical perspectives, concept, theory, and practices of the PCI approach. The course facilitates the participants to learn different typologies/methods of PCI and the participants can decide upon the best method for their situation based on the local context, availability of the resources and need of the clients. Key methods of PCI included in this course are Participatory Variety Selection (PVS), Grassroots Breeding (GB) and Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB). A variety of methods will be used including individual assignments, lectures, case studies, group discussions, teamwork, field work, and videos. The course will conclude with the development of action plans which will integrate all course topics that relate to the current participants’ working situations and their project activities. In addition, engagement with the alumni will be established through continued follow-up services and support for effective implementation of the action plans.

Target Participants & Eligibility

The four-day PCI training is intended for professionals from different national and international organizations including those working in National Research Programmes, CGIAR centres, Private Sector seed companies and Academia in relevant fields. Participants must be at least a graduate in agriculture. Advanced university degree in agronomy, plant breeding, and plant pathology are preferred. Fresh graduates are also highly encouraged to apply.

Practical Information

Duration: 4 days (11-14 October, 2017)
Deadline for application: 4 October, 2017
Venue: Pokhara, Nepal
Course fee: USD 600 or NPR 60,000 (10% discount if you register two or more participants from your team). The fee includes accommodation with full board and lodging, field excursion, administration, lecture materials, stationeries etc. The fee does not cover travel costs and incidental expenses. The participants will be granted a certificate of participation.

Online Application Form

Students/fresh graduates from Nepal willing to apply for fellowship should apply with one nomination and/or recommendation letter from their Institution.