WorldVeg working to increase onion and tomato yields in Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon

WorldVeg scientists provide important technical support to the ‘Enhancement of tomato and onion production in Africa for maximum sustainable yield’ project, funded by the Korean government through the Korea-Africa Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI). This five-year initiative, ending in December 2024, works with partners in 15 African countries, with WorldVeg supporting Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Morocco and Zimbabwe on onion; and Comoros, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Tunisia and Zambia on tomato.

Here, we read about two recent monitoring visits to two of these countries, by WorldVeg vegetable breeder and seed systems specialist Mathieu Ayenan, based at the WorldVeg West and Central Africa regional center in Cotonou, Benin.

In May 2024, four smallholder farmer cooperatives were visited in Ouangolo, Korhogo province, Côte d’Ivoire. Discussions turned around their current onion production practices, constraints, interventions of the KAFACI onion project in their communities, and the resulting benefits. The major onion production constraints included access to quality seeds of onion varieties adapted to rainy season production (June to November), and high-post harvest loss. The project introduced and evaluated 15 onion varieties and identified two varieties (ARES and Prema) as adapted to the rainy season and with good storability, and their improved performance was demonstrated. Training sessions were also provided on good agronomic practices (muching, optimal planting spacing, soil fertility management), and the project was able to see benefits in the optimization of production practices (from nursery to postharvest). The project team will share the findings of the top performing varieties with agrodealers, and connect them with farmer cooperatives to improve seed supply.

In addition, a seminar was given to 50 MSc and PhD students and lecturers from the Université Pelefero Gon Coulibaly on experimental design and analysis of variety evaluation trials. Such capacity strengthening is an essential component of such projects, and that allows young national professionals to develop the needed skills for taking forward such research into the future. Interest was also expressed by the university in starting a vegetable research program, and that WorldVeg will assist in designing, and will share okra and onion germplasm for adaptation trials.

In July 2024, a visit was made to Gabon. A multistakeholder workshop attended by 15 participants, that presented and evaluated progress made. This included representation from the Institut des Recherches Agronomiques et Forestières (IRAF, the KAFACI host institution in Gabon), Agence de Développement Agricole du Gabon, WAVE Gabon, IITA, extension agents from the Institut Gabonais de Développement Agricole, ADAG, and farmers. Vegetable production challenges and opportunities in the country were discussed and achievements presented.

Five tomato varieties were selected for evaluation (RomaVF, Petomech, Bento 02, Sobolo, and Ouaga). Problems with wilting meant that seed could not be multiplied for subsequent trials, but fertilizer combinations were identified for improving tomato performance and fruit quality. To overcome the problem of soil borne wilting disease, caused by the Ralstonia solanacearum, a trial was undertaken with grafting onto three rootstocks, a local tomato variety known for its resistance, a local African eggplant variety, and an accession of Solanum torvum collected in Gabon. Padma 108 F1 and Mongal F1 were used as scions, but regardless of the scion, better plant growth and yield were recorded when S. torvum and eggplant were used as rootstocks.

A researcher from IRAF shared that a diversity of pests all seriously affect vegetable production, such as jassids in okra, tuta absoluta in tomato and fruit borers, as well as diseases (bacterial wilt, fusarium wilt, viruses), but that there are currently limited resources for developing technologies and innovations to tackle those constraints. Discussions revolved around how to improve technology transfer to farmers, e.g. for pest and disease management to reduce the indiscriminate use of pesticides. Also needed is to increase access to improved high-quality seeds, and to develop seedling production as a business for youth.

WorldVeg scientist Mathieu Ayenan discussing pest and disease infestations on okra and tomato

Visits were then made to a range of stakeholders, including Horta-Gabon, a vegetable production company producing a diversity of vegetables from its 30 hectares for hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and directly to consumers, a local NGO the Institut de Développement et de Recherche Communautaire that offers training in agriculture from its youth learning center, and the Institut Gabonais pour le Développement Agricole, a vocational training center under the Ministry of Agriculture that provides courses across the country, that also allocates land to graduates so they can start their own production.

In summary, stakeholders in both Côte d’Ivoire and Gabon showed clear demand for the technologies being promoted, and that could be scaled. The benefits of what was being developed, piloted and transferred to farmers were evident to all, and plans are being made in both countries regarding how to best increase adoption in future activities, to further improve smallholder egetable production.

This reports work undertaken as part of the ‘Enhancement of tomato and onion production in Africa for maximum sustainable yield’ project, funded by the Korean government through the Korea-Africa Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI).