PICS Lessons Learned Workshop Charge to Participants

Objectives

• Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage (PICS) goals

• Update on PICS activities

• Charge to workshop participants

• Notes on workshop organization

PICS History• Hermetic grain storage is an ancient technique.

• The triple layer plastic bag grew out a collaboration between Purdue and IRAD in Maroua, Cameroon, starting in 1987.

• In the 1990s there were sporadic attempts by NGOs to extend the technology for farmers.

• Adoption studies in 2003 and 2004 showed:

– Farmers wanted to use hermetic techniques, but lacked the knowledge to do it correctly.

– Businesses in West & Central Africa were not aware of the potential demand for triple bags

PICS Vision Shared with BMGF

• Our vision is that within five years 50% of the cowpea stored at the farm-level in West and Central Africa will be appropriately stored with non-chemical, hermetic storage.

• The benefits from improved storage will promote cowpea trade in the region.

• Better storage and increased trade will increase the incomes of small-holder farmers in West and Central Africa and the food supply of consumers in the region.

PICS Specific Objectives

1) determine the best design for a one-piece commercially available triple-layer plastic cowpea storage bag;

2) disseminate information on non-chemical cowpea storage methods to extension services, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and farmers;

3) demonstrate the most effective cowpea storage methods in each village in the major cowpea production areas of West and Central Africa; and

4) develop and foster local businesses that provide one piece triple-layer plastic storage bags.

Cowpeas are one crop that

can be produced in harsh arid conditions

Cowpeas are an

important cash crop in West Africa

Extensive Cowpea Trade in West & Central AfricaIn 1990s over 300,000 Tons Traded Annually

Village Cowpea Storage Demonstrations Anticipated 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 Actual Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Totals Niger 5,209 100 5,630 5,730

Burkina Faso 2,724 100 2,761 454 3,315

Nigeria 10,000 103 11,131 400 11,634

Mali 2,000 2,111 0 2,111

Benin 943 469 495 964

Togo 1,000 906 85 991

Senegal 1,951 617 1,168 1,785

Ghana 2,000 2,000 2,000

Cameroon 1,451 1,465 1,465

Tchad 1,500 200 704 904

Totals 28,778 200 8,494 15,071 5,262 1,872 30,899

PICS activities had not begun

PICS village activities completed

Making the Technology AvailablePICS in over 30,000 Villages in 10 Countries

Approach to PICS Bag Supply Chain

Vendors

Semi-wholesalers

Manufacturers

Distributors/wholesalers

Retailers and roaming vendors

-Med

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ffor

ts w

ith

Rad

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nd

TV

- P

ICS

con

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ant

Work with local manufacturers and entrepreneurs

Over 1000 PICS vendors in West and Central Africa

FasoplastCOFISACEmbalMali

Polytank

Lela Agro

Current market for a manufacturerPotential future market

Past market

Six Local Factories Manufacturing PICS Bags in West and Central Africa

Kontiala

PICS Bag Supply Chain Developed from Project to Private Sector

July 2007- Jan 20121,820,000

PICS bags sold

Charge to PICSLL Participants:

1) Outline lessons learned from each of the ten countries where PICS was implemented.

2) Identify the potential for using hermetic technology for storage of crops beyond cowpea which should incorporate the entomological, mycological and socio-economic issues.

3) Make recommendations regarding the future of PICS technology.

Keep PICSLL On Time!

Other than a few overview presentations, most talks are:

•Limited to 12 minutes

•3 minutes for questions of clarification

•Total time is 15 minutes

Keep PICSLL On Time!

Techniques to keep us on time:

– Moderators will use flash time cards (i.e. 5 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute, time is up) to help speakers pace their presentations.

– At 11 minutes into the talk the Moderator will stand up.– At 12 minutes the Moderators will walk toward the podium and

stand next to the speaker.– At 15 minutes the Moderators will thank the speaker and

announce the following speaker.

Expected Workshop Outputs:

• Recommendations on:– Scalable extension methods for widespread

technology adoption,

– Ag input supply chain development approaches for Africa, and

– Use of hermetic technology for crops other than cowpea.

• A Journal of Stored Products Research (JSPR) special issue with Murdock, Baributsa and Lowenberg-DeBoer as guest editors

A Moment of Silence for:

• Moffi Ta’ama – played a key role in the invention of hermetic storage in triple layer bags.

• Aminu Malamfashi – Bayero University Kano lecturer who was instrumental in development of PICS in Nigeria

• Clément Faye – PICS coordinator for Senegal in 2010 and 2011

• Other PICS partners not mentioned here.