Distribution of cavies in Africa

1. Harnessing husbandry of domestic cavy for alternative and rapid access to food and income in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo

2. Distribution of cavies in Africa > Income > Nutrition

3. Research objectives • Livelihood analysis and strategy development (Output 1) • Genetic diversity and animal improvement (Output 2) • Improved forages for higher productivity and soil fertility management (Output 3) • Capacity building and information gathering and dissemination (Output 4)

4. Output 1: Livelihood analysis and strategy development • Activity 1.1. Map, characterize and document production systems in rural and peri-urban environments and determine bottleneck factors for achieving higher productivity • Activity 1.2. Assess the socio-economic importance of cavies (wealth creation and food security) • Activity 1.3. Develop husbandry improvement strategies through a participatory process; design alternative systems scenarios by participatory modeling

5. Output 2: Genetic diversity and animal improvement • Activity 2.1. Map, characterize and understand genetic diversity among and within populations • Activity 2.2. Define a breeding population and facilitate use of existing regional or national networks to address inbreeding issues and other bottlenecks (establish breeding populations) • Activity 2.3. Pilot controlled introduction with selected farmers under strict monitoring (Elite population or improved South American?) • Activity 2.4. Integrate genetic diversity data with breeding and new husbandry practices to design a sustainable breeding program.

6. Output 3: Improved forages for higher productivity • Activity 3.1. Assess available forages, feed resources and typical feeding practices • Activity 3.2. Identify spatial/temporal niches for utilization of improved forages in production systems; assess farmer acceptability of forage production. • Activity 3.3. Produce forage seeds/propagation materials with farmers. • Activity 3.4. Determine cavy acceptability of new forages as well as production and reproduction under improved feeding practices.

7. Output 4: Capacity building and information dissemination • Activity 4.1. Review, compile and publish available knowledge on cavy culture from Africa • Activity 4.2. Access and transfer of available knowledge of practices and resources from South America to improve cavy culture in Africa • Activity 4.3. Develop linkages with government agencies, NGO, farmers’ groups for training of key stakeholders on improved methods of cavy culture (Cavy innovation platform) • Activity 4.4. Organize workshops: inception of the project among key partners; final to assess achievements and define future research and developments needs

12. 2011 Progress 1) Genetic diversity > Assemble reagents for genetic diversity study of cavies > Challenge fund to Kouakou Parfait (Cote d’Ivoire) > 140 cavies sampled from 7 regions of Cote d’Ivoire > 16 SSRs (Kanitz et al. 2006) used for diversity study > To date 14 SSRs are working, and genotyping is ongoing

13. 2011 - Progress (cont’d) 2) Inception workshop (Cameroon Nov 1 – 4, 2011) > Update on ongoing activities at partners institutions (BecA Hub, CIAT, UEA/DRC, HPI, Min of Livestock-CMR, HPI-CMR, farmers’ voice-CMR) > Review of cavies project outputs (suggestions made to be used for the refinement of the project implementation plan)

14. 2012 - Progress • Preparation and finalization of all projects contracts and payments of first installments • Preparation of the questionnaire for data collection • Preparation and submission of documents for the ethical clearance by CSIRO

15. 2012 – ProgressCameroon • Recent trip to Cameroon (April 11 – 18, 2012) • Review and activities and schedule their implementation • Alignment of students’ (06 students) project with general projects activities • Innovation Platform engagement meeting • Review of financial management

16. Purpose of this trip (DRC) • Review and activities and schedule their implementation • Alignment of students’ project with general projects activities • Review the recent test of questionnaire • Plan for data collection • Engagement meeting for the innovation platform • Review of financial management

17. The team 1) BecA – ILRI Hub, Nairobi, Kenya Appolinaire Djikeng, Project Leader Okeyo Mwai, Geneticist and animal breeder Francis Wamonje, Genomics and Genetics lab technician 2) University of Dschang, Cameroon Felix Meutchieye, Lecturer, breeding and production systems Aziwo Tatanja Niba, Senior Lecturer, Nutrition and production systems Dorothy Engwali Fon, Senior Lecturer, agri issues and farm businesses Manjeli Yacouba, Dean, Professor of Animal Science 3) CIAT Wanjiku Chiuri, Socioeconomist, Rwanda/DRC Brigitte Maass, Forage Agronomist, Kenya/DRC 4) Universite Evangelique en Afrique, DRC Pascal Ishumbisho, Dean, Biologist, Limnology, Fisheries and Aquaculture Rodrigue Ayagirwe, Junior Lecturer, Improvement of cavies

18. MerciThank you

19. Cavy Innovation Platform

20. Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) Innovation Platforms are the platforms for delivering Integrated Agricultural Research for Development (IAR4D) strategy that has proved to be useful in creating wealth and livelihoods through organized and improved market access and improved natural resources management.

21. An Innovation Platform

22. IP membership Who participates in the IP • Farmers are the key in an IP-the goal is to address their concerns, challenges, needs, problems and opportunity surrounding a commodity-Cavies in this case; • Traders who participate in linking farmers to the markets; • Processors-these would include hotel and restaurants proprietors who use Cavis for meat; • Government dept of Agriculture/livestock; Gender and youth; min of health and others depending on their interests; • Credit Institutions that can led money to any of the chain actors including farmers • Research institutions and NGOs that can support the value chain. NB: The IP meeting is for all the above in one sitting where issues raised by the farmers are addressed. At the end of the day, this is a win-win strategy. Strategies are addressed and interventions are given in time.

23. Cavy Innovation Platform Producers: Women Researchers and Research institutions Extension Agencies/NGOs Facilitator communication Private Sector Farmers groups Government POLICY-makers Traders/Transporters/ Processors Slide prepared by Wanjiku