Plant Protection and Phytosanitation

Why does Rwanda need PhD in Plant Protection and Phytosantiation?

Food security is currently a major challenge not only to Rwanda but to all African governments. The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) outlines four thrusts for improving Africa’s agriculture, and two of them address improving agriculture research, increasing food supply and reducing hunger. Other areas that have been recognized that are critical for implementation of the program include academic and professional training in the field of agriculture. With increased regional and international trade and travel, the risk of new pest and disease introductions is enormous. Moreover, changes in the environment have led to surges of pests and diseases which previously remained at non-damaging levels.

In many developing countries 40-50% of crops are lost due to pests, diseases and inadequate storage. Addressing these losses, through improved quarantine, surveillance, identification, diagnosis and management of crop pests and diseases, is an important focus for immediate measures to address food security. Therefore, building capacity in these areas of pest management is of paramount importance. 

The Program goal

To enhance food security and income of farmers in Rwanda through building capacity of agricultural personnel to address the needs of farmers in the area of crop protection, pest management, and trade requirements.

Objectives

1. Conduct baseline studies to establish major and key pests for both production and trade;
2. Training a large number of individuals at Master's level as plant protection specialist;
3. Training field technicians and scientists in diagnosis of plant diseases, insects, and mites;
4. Setting up an entomology and pathology laboratory for pest identification for training, research and safe trade;
5. Setting up a reference insect, mites and diseases collection for use in training and research at all levels;
6. Developing an operational system for identification and diagnosis of plant pests and diseases.

Context:

The world economy is getting increasingly global. Rwanda is exploiting these opportunities through exports, particularly of horticultural crops. International trade calls for improved standards and vigilance to avoid export of quarantine pests and diseases. There is therefore a need to keep an up-to-date pest list. Correct identification of organisms is key in this endeavour. Capacity building in this area will facilitate safe trade by contributing to fulfilling the requirements of International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Expansion of the export market provides opportunities for increased farmer incomes. To address the above challenges, the NUR Faculty of Agriculture plans to run interventions for improved food security and income of farmers through improved pest management in the following areas:

-Training personnel at higher degree level in pest management (MSc and PhD.)

The plan is to launch a Masters' program in plant protection (entomology and pathology) alongside the PhD program. In this program training in the areas of specialization such systematics for particular pests where such training will need input by experts to be hired from Swedish (or other) partners in the cooperation as such expertise is lacking in Rwanda. Extra staff will be required to conduct this graduate training and supervise master’s research dissertations.  This masters program will make PhD program more effective as each PhD student will have two MSc students to work with him/her and at the same time it will be a mentoring process for focused and serious research.

-Training extension personnel in pest management research and methodology for participatory research and monitoring.

Currently there is no entomology laboratory in Rwanda. Basic equipment and materials for collection and preservation of insects, or for study, are not available. Moreover, there is need to establish a reference collection for purposes of research, training and outreach to farmers. There is need to set up a system for identification and diagnosis of plant pests and diseases.

The proposed project will enhance food security, safe trade and environmental protection through building capacity for agricultural workers to respond to farmers’ pest management problems. Producers, particularly of horticultural crops, tend to blanket-apply pesticides as a panacea for pest problems. Through training, extension agents will learn judicious use of pesticides to enhance environment protection. Capacity will be built through training at graduate level, training of extension agents, training farmers, and setting up an entomology laboratory and a reference insect and mite collection, as well as an operational system for pest and disease diagnosis. A deliberate effort will be made to train both men and women.

-Training farmers for participation in on-farm experiments

Training extension agents in pest management will enhance their capacity to respond to one of the challenges faced by farmers, namely pest management. This would enable collaboration with researchers in field activities and development of technology acceptable and affordable by majority of rural communities. Training farmers in integrated pest management is a sustainable way to improve on-farm pest management research. Farmers traditionally use some form of integrated pest management, but in some cases, particularly horticultural crop production, pesticides are used improperly. Training will give them more comprehensive information on pest management, and will enable them to work with researchers to develop site specific technologies as solutions for local problems.