Overview of USAID's MLN mitigation strategies.

1. Summary Report : USAID MLN
Diagnostics and Management Project
Francis Mwatuni/BM Prasanna
CIMMYT, Nairobi, Kenya
Presentation to the Annual Review and Planning meeting -
ICRAF Nairobi – Oct 18th -19th 2016

2. Maize an important food crop in the
Region
2
Consumption per capita is 98kg in
Kenya ( FAO, 2014)

3. Introduction
• The disease has affected many farmers in the east
African region since causing yield loses between 50% -
100%.
• Kenya and Uganda have both registered MLN as a threat
to food security in their country reports.

4. Introduction
• Between 2011 and 2014, MLN was reported by
most countries in east Africa, including Kenya,
Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, South Sudan and
unconfirmed reports in Burundi

5. Current MLN mitigation strategies
• Development and deployment of MLN
tolerant/resistant germplasm,
• Agronomic mitigation practices, crop rotations
(especially with legumes), vector control and
• Preventing further spread of MCMV from
endemic to non-endemic areas

6. Project Objectives
a) Prevent the spread of MLN, especially Maize
Chlorotic Mottle Virus (MCMV), from the MLN-
endemic countries in eastern Africa to non-endemic
countries in sub-Saharan Africa;
b) Support the commercial seed sector in the MLN-
endemic countries in producing MCMV-free
commercial seed and promote the use of clean hybrid
seed by the farmers; and
c) To establish and operate a MLN Phytosanitary
Community of Practice in Africa, for sharing of
learning, MLN diagnostic and surveillance protocols,
and best management practices for MLN control in
Africa.

7. 1
3
2
4
5
6
7
8
Target countries
1. Ethiopia
2. Uganda
3. Kenya
4. Rwanda
5. Tanzania
6. Malawi
7. Zambia
8. Zimbabwe
MLN-endemic countries
Non-endemic countries
Need to control the
spread and impact of
MLN in sub-Saharan
Africa
Project Implementation Areas

8. Achievements, lessons learnt and Challenges
• The Y1 achievements are outlined against the
planned activities as per the set objectives
• Lessons learnt as a project implementation team
• Challenges encountered in the Y1 implementation
period

9. Prevention of spread of MCMV through seed
from the endemic to non-endemic areas/countries
in SSA.
Develop, validate and deploy standardized MLN survey
and sampling protocols and digital surveillance tools in
the endemic countries
• MLN surveillance and sampling protocols were finalized
and adopted
• The protocols are also now available with the NPPOs in
the MLN-endemic countries in eastern Africa for use.
• Digital survey forms have been developed and already
used in southern Africa for MLN surveillance.

10. Enabling Tools & Technologies:
survey + sampling
Traditional New Options
• Smartphone / tablets (GPS, Camera, Electronic
Form, Barcode scanner)
•Automatic data transfer
Standardized geo-referenced field surveys across
countries
Field to database now possible in near real-time
• GPS + Paper forms
• Manual data entry

11. MLN Surveillance
• Components developed
– Standardized surveys / sampling +
diagnostics (already implemented
in Southern Africa)
– Data management system
– Web portal

12. Tablet Survey Examples
• Main ODK menu

13. MLN Diagnostics protocols
ELISA
Agristrips for MCMV

14. Conduct systematic and intensive MLN surveys and
sampling in five MLN-endemic annually for
understanding the scale and impact of MLN in these
countries (and link this data to MLN web portal)
• Existing survey initiatives in each country were
evaluated and gaps identified.
MLN Survey
Initiative
Period Donor(s) Survey
Protocols in
use
Lead Institution Collaborators Current status
KENYA
MLN
Surveillance
under KAPAP
March to May 2015 KAPAP project KAPAP
developed
checklist
KALRO / KEPHIS Icipe, County govts. MCMV and SCMV
were detected in
all the 9 counties.
SCMV was not very
prevalent like
MCMV
MLN
surveillance for
Coastal Kenya-
KEPHIS
Feb 2016 Government
Kephis
developed
checklist
KEPHIS County
governments of
TaitaTaveta,
Mombasa, Kilifi
and Tana River
MCMV and SCMV
detected in all the
counties surveyed
TANZANIA
MLN
Surveillance in
farmers’ fields -
Mikocheni
June 2015 – 2016 USAID through
iAGRI
Developed
by the MARI
Mikocheni
Agricultural
Research
Institute.
Iowa SU,
SUA,Sellian, Llonga
na WEMA
Fifteen districts in 5
zones; Northern,
Southern Highlands
Lake, Central, ,
Western and
Eastern.
MLN
surveillance in
farmers' fields-
IITA
May -June 2015 USAID through
iAGRI
IITA
developed
IITA CIMMYT Completed in 11
districts in (sub-
humid and semi
arid districts)

15. MLN surveillance in endemic countries
• Surveillance teams from the five target countries
were trained on modern tools for MLN
surveillance and diagnostics (June 29-30, 2016).

16. MLN surveillance in endemic countries
• Surveillance teams to collate and share the MLN
surveillance information for posting in the developed
MLN web portal.
• All the information will be accredited to the source

17. Conduct targeted MLN surveys to ascertain MCMV
status the commercial seed production and farmers’
Southern Africa
Training of the surveillance teams in the MLN non-
Endemic countries in southern Africa.
• Training Workshop on MLN Surveillance and
Sampling Protocols were conducted at CIMMYT-
Harare on 3rd and 4th March 2016
• MLN survey teams for each of the three countries
were constituted
• Sub grant Agreements (SGA) for the NPPOs of the
three countries signed by mid April 2016.
• MLN surveillance is complete in the three south
African countries for Y1.

18. Training on Surveillance and testing in Harare

19. MLN Surveillance and testing in Zambia

20. MLN Surveillance Reports from the project
target countries in southern Africa
Region of survey No. of
farmers’
fields
surveyed
No. of seed
production
fields
surveyed
No. of Agro
Seed Dealers
surveyed
Maize
Trial fields
surveyed
MLN status
(Agristrip test)
ZAMBIA
Southern Province 43 4 1 2 Negative
Central (East) and Luapula 39 1 3 3 Negative
Lusaka, Eastern 52 3 1 Negative
Central(west) and Copperbelt 29 1 1 3 Negative
Total 163 6 8 9 All Negative
ZIMBABWE
Mash central and part of west 68 Negative
Midlands, part of west and part of East 76 Negative
Mash East, Manicaland, Masvingo 77 Negative
Total 221 All Negative

21. MLN Surveillance maps –Zambia and Zimbabwe
Areas surveyed All -ve for MCMV

22. MLN Surveillance maps - Malawi
All areas surveyed posted --
-ve results for MCMV

23. Develop and disseminate a well-designed check-list
based on harmonized protocols/best management
practices for MLN pathogen-free seed production
• AATF and AGRA have so far jointly held three consultative
meetings, one each in Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia
Consultative meeting participants,
Arusha Tanzania June 23rd 2016

24. Harmonized Checklists
• Harmonized checklists for MLN-free commercial seed production have
been finalized for Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia
• Consultative meeting for Rwanda and Uganda scheduled for Nov 2016

25. Validate and facilitate access to accurate, rapid
and affordable MLN diagnostic kits and service
to the commercial seed sector
• Validation of the sensitivity, accuracy and robustness of
available MLN diagnostic options were done by
CIMMYT
• Seed companies urged to approach CIMMYT for linkage
to Immunostrips providers
• Kenya Seed Company has been linked to the
immunostrips for use in their internal surveillance
programs. Program ongoing
• Survey shows ELISA preferred for Seed testing in MLN
endemic countries
• Planned training for technicians from seed companies on
surveillance and testing using immunostrips (Y2)

26. Establish a pilot CoP in the MLN-endemic
countries
• The MLN Phytosanitary Community of Practice (CoP)
was established and the first face-to- face meeting was
held on 29th February 2016
CoP members -
1st meeting

27. Establish a pilot CoP in the MLN-endemic
countries
• The CoP membership is currently 35
• The first virtual meeting for the CoP was held on
3rd May 2016 and the second one will be held on
4th Aug 2016.
• A CoP communication platform has been
developed - Google groups (email based and
launched on 21st July 2016)

28. Design and implement M&E and
Communications plans, with specific indicators
• An M&E implementation plan for the project in
place and finalized after discussion with
relevant stakeholders.
• A communications plan has been designed and
is being implemented.

29. Project sub-grants, collation, synthesis and
submission of annual technical and financial
reports
• Sub-grant proposal and reporting templates were
customized for the project. Sub-grantees populated them
as per identified activities.
• The sub-grant proposals from the project partners were
rigorously evaluated, sub-grant amounts negotiated, and
awarded by the Project Leader.
• Technical reporting format was designed and sent to
partners
• Technical reports received from four partners

30. Development of a dedicated MLN web portal
and MLN information management system
• The development of a dedicated MLN web
portal and information management system is
been completed and ready for the launch.
• The Web portal will provide a one stop centre
for all MLN related information.
• Discussions are ongoing with collaborators to
provide their data on various topics for the MLN
web portal.

31. Training/capacity building of Phytosanitary and
Extension Agencies in the MLN-endemic
countries on MLN surveillance surveys,
sampling and data management.
• The NPPOs in the MLN-endemic countries (Ethiopia,
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda) have been
trained on MLN surveillance using modern tools
(including MLN diagnostics and modern surveillance
tools)
• Participants were trained on how to collect and collate
relevant information/data on MLN surveillance for
incorporation in the upcoming MLN web portal
• Practical sessions were organized for sampling and
testing for MLN-causing viruses at the MLN screening
facility in Naivasha.

32. Training on MLN Surveillance and testing
Sampling
demonstration -
ODK App
practical use -
Naivasha
Testing using
Immunostrips
MLN Symptom
Identification

33. Lessons learnt
• Need to facilitate the NPPOs in supplementing their
MLN surveillance budgets, especially for those NPPOs
with budget challenges. This will ensure quality MLN
data collection, analysis and upload on the MLN web
portal.
• Basic support (infrastructure and transport) are required
by some of the NPPOs for implementing proper
surveillance and diagnostics work.

34. Lessons learnt
• Few seed companies are taking up initiatives for
self-regulation for MLN-free seed production.
• Virtual meetings are not so ideal when it comes to
CoP communications.
• Need to explore new and cost-effective methods of
communications

35. Lessons learnt
• Need to facilitate the NPPOs in supplementing their
MLN surveillance budgets, especially for those NPPOs
with budget challenges. This will ensure quality MLN
data collection, analysis and upload on the MLN web
portal.
• Follow-up programs to be designed for proper
implementation of planned surveillance activities.
• Basic support (infrastructure and transport) are required
by some of the NPPOs for implementing proper
surveillance and diagnostics work.

36. Lessons learnt
• Time allocated was not adequate for the planned
activities, especially training and monitoring of
commercial seed producers
• Logistical challenges in targeting seed growers for
training. Seed companies contract both large- and
small-scale farmers for seed production.

37. Challenges
• Delays in MLN surveillance activities in southern
Africa due to closing of maize cropping.
• Poor response by partners/stakeholders in online
survey activities on important issues related to the
Project.
• Reluctance by some institutions to provide MLN
surveillance data to be incorporated in the designed
MLN web portal.

38. Challenges
• Poor continuity of MLN surveillance in some endemic
countries after initial training due to low level of buy-in
by NPPOs.
• Some NPPOs may need financial support to undertake
these activities on a regular basis.
• The CoP needs to have more number of active members
to generate discussion on various topical issues relevant
for the project activities
• Uncoordinated MLN-related activities in the region but
these are largely due to several initiatives from different
donors

39. Thank you
for your
interest!