Kolokani Groundnut Innovation Platform Activities and Achievements Through TL III Project in Mali

Abstract

Groundnut productions have been declining in Mali in spite of several new improved varieties being released, the key problem being inadequacy of the seed supply system. To solve this problem, Kolokani MSP was established in 2012 and reorganized with support from TL III in 2015 to include more stakeholders in the groundnut value chain—farmers particularly women, farmer associations, cooperative societies, seed producers, agro-dealers, grain traders, processors, research and extension. Four new varieties Fleur11, ICGV 86124, ICGV 86015, and ICGV 86024 were supplied to the platform for FPVS and among them two, Fleur 11 and ICGV 86124 were preferred for their high yields and large grain size under farmer conditions. Through training of trainers, the different members of the platform reached 1246 farmers among them 928 women with improved groundnut seed production, aflatoxin management, seed business plans, and small-scale mechanization. A total 47 FPVS, 50 Demonstrations, and three multi-locational variety trials were conducted annually from 2016 to 2018. Kolokani platform have played an important role in groundnut value chain by producing and marketing 85 tons groundnut certified seed of these varieties annually for farmers. This is expected to stop the national productivity decline while improving platform members’ livelihoods and nutrition status.