Supporting smallholders in improving wheat cultivation

Publication date: 13/01/2017
Extent: 24 pages

Contributions by: Tinashe Chiurugwi, Simon Kerr, Ian Midgley, and Lesley Boyd, National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), UK; Johnson Kamwaga, Food Crops Research Centre - Njoro, Kenya; Peter Njau, Highlands Agri-consult Services Ltd, Kenya; Terry Van Gevelt, University of Cambridge, UK; Claudia Canales and Max Marcheselli, The Malaysian Centre for Commonwealth Studies (MCSC) and the Cambridge Malaysian Education and Development Trust (CMEDT), UK

Chapter synopsis: We present an overview of how research and development (R&D) can support smallholder wheat farmers (i.e. wheat farmers with limited access to resources and services), reviewing published research and presenting a case study based on our ongoing wheat technology transfer project in Kenya. Global wheat consumption is increasing rapidly, and most developing countries rely on imports to fulfil national demands. This presents an opportunity for smallholder wheat producers, but a range of factors limit their productivity, generally affecting female farmers more than male farmers. Transfer of research results to smallholder farmers’ fields has had significant impact, although slow. The case study aims to gather information to support effective knowledge and technology transfer.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2016.0004.37