OAF Town HallOne Acre FundManaging MLN at the Farm Level

May 13th, 2015 – Eric Solomonson, Agriculture Research Manager

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Today’s agenda

1. The One Acre Fund operating model

2. The One Acre Fund experience with MLN Management

Farmer perception and observations

Sale of Clean Seed

New Maize Varieties

Crop Diversification

Training and Communication

Crop Insurance

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The One Acre Fund Operating Model

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What we offer

…delivered to farmers doorsteps.

A complete service bundle…

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How we deliver

Our Distribution Network (Kenya)

806 input delivery points

All within walking distance

135,000 farmers

1,100 tons of seed

8,000 tons of fertilizer

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Where we work

Kenya

Rwanda

Burundi

Tanzania

Uganda

Malawi

Ethiopia

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The One Acre Fund Approach to MLN Management

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Farmer Perception and Observations

“So far this season has not been bad so farmers want to plant maize even though there is some MLN.”

“Last long rains the MLN was very severe, but it wasn’t bad in the short rains so now farmers want to plant maize.”

“Farmers were excited to plant sweet potato, but they still depend on maize.”

“In 2012 there was a lot of short season MLN so everyone was worried, but in 2013 there was less and in 2014 there was almost none so no one is concerned now.”

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Farmer Perception and Observations

District % Sites AffectedW

est

ern

Teso 0%

Webuye 2%

Butere 0%

Sirisia 10%

Chwele 2%

Busia 18%

Bungoma 0%

Kakamega (North) 25%

Gem 0%

Lugari 5%

Matete 2%

Kakamega (South) 0%

Nya

nza

Kisii 93%

Gucha 100%

Rachuonyo 55%

Homabay 31%

Migori 100%

Green Shamba 36%

Western 6%Nyanza 72%TOTAL 24%

• During the 2014 Kenya long rains, 24% of One Acre Fund operating sites (163 of 670) reported at least one case of MLN.

• 72% of operating sites in Nyanza reported at least one case of MLN.

• We have focused our MLN management efforts in Nyanza the past two seasons after a program-wide effort in 2013.

• Farmers continue to demand maize in spite of its susceptibility to MLN.

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Our Approach

1.Sale of Clean Seed2.New Maize Varieties3.Crop Diversification4.Training and Communication5.Crop Insurance

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Sale of Clean Seed

We work with the seed companies we purchase from, and with KEPHIS, to make sure that whatever we ultimately sell is certified and tested for MLN component viruses, minimizing the risk of seed-based transmission.

During the 2015 Kenya long rains we sold over 700 tons of certified maize seed.

During the upcoming 2016A season in Rwanda we will sell over 300 tons of certified maize seed.

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New Maize Varieties

• Research station trials• Located in Gucha under natural

MLN pressure.• Looking to confirm that new

varieties can grow well in fairly high-altitude conditions where we’ve seen the disease.

• Farmer trials• Limited scale distributions.• Looking to better understand on-

farm performance and general farmer preference.

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Crop Diversification

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Training and Communication

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Crop Insurance

Historical Yield MLN Yield

3 t/ha

1 t/ha

Insured

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Thank you