South Africa
April 18, 2014
African farmers are the biggest beneficiaries following the University of Kwa Zulu Natal 2014 graduation ceremony.
10 out of the 51 doctoral graduates, which graduated, were African crop breeders trained at the African Centre for Crop Improvement (ACCI) situated at the School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences (SAEES).
ACCI is one of the two institutions in Africa where the Alliance for a Green revolution in Africa (AGRA) initiated doctoral training programs for African crop breeders with the aim of strengthening Africa’s seed systems.
Coming at a time when African farmers are fighting challenges posed by the various unpredictable climatic conditions, these graduates will offer a very timely solution, as they will help develop crops that can thrive in the African climate.
Speaking during dinner to celebrate these successes, Dr. Rufaro M Madakadze, AGRA’s Program Officer Education and Training (PASS) challenged the graduates to go out there and put what they have learnt into practice. She said, “Go out there and have an impact; it is all it takes to be successful.”
Kenyan Ambassador to Angola and the High Commissioner in Namibia, Hon. Peter Gitau who attended the event congratulated the graduates and thanked AGRA for the good work it does in supporting African farmers.
“It is great to know that in Africa we are getting solutions; not brought from elsewhere, but have been well tested here and that’s why your journey begins now. Let us fight the greatest fight in Africa today that is food insecurity. I believe now with your coming on board, we should be able and are well equipped to fight food insecurity,” he said.
Hon. Gitau was full of praise and expressed great faith in the ability of Africans to be able to fight hunger through African solutions.
“With proper seeds for African farmers we should be able to overcome hunger; a hungry person is an angry person and we do not want angry people,” he said adding, “We are able to sustain this continent and do greater things. As an ambassador I want to continue advocating that now we have new seed varieties. I believe with organizations like AGRA existing on this continent, we are having real solutions to Africa’s food insecurity.”
ACCI’s Director, Prof. Mark Laing, challenged the graduates to go out there and release crop varieties and advocate for their uptake. To him, he said, a good scientist should able to come up with solutions that meets the real needs of what farmers want.
The 10 doctor of philosophy graduates sponsored by AGRA were drawn from various countries across Africa. They specialised on breeding African crops that are of great importance to the African people.
The new breeders are;
- Gichuru, Lilian Njeri (Maize Streak Virus Resistance);
- Kasozi, Lwanga Charles (Maize Weevil Resistance);
- Kivuva, Benjamin Musembi (Sweet Potato);
- Mengesha, Wende Abera (Maize for Grain yield);
- Murenga, Mwimali Geoffrey (Maize resistance to Two Stem Borers);
- Ng’ayu-Wanjau, Beatrice Njoki (Bean);
- Owere, Lawrence (Finger Millet);
- Sseruwu, Godfrey (Sweet Potato);
- Teshome, Rebeka Gebretsadik (Fusarium Oxysporum Against Striga Hermonthica) and
- Tumuhimbise, Robooni (Cassava).
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