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Mlingano institute needs USD1.1m for research
2007-05-12 09:58:23
By George Sembony, PST, Tanga
Muheza based Mlingano Agricultural Research Institute (Mlingano ARI) needs at least USD1.1m to conduct research in seven key areas earmarked for sisal development pilot project under the institute’s five-year business plan.
The Coordinator of the national Sisal Research Department at the institute, Shaaban Hamis said here that there are seven priority areas identified in the plan formulated in 2003 expected to become effective between 2004 and 2008.
The areas include research in production of sisal seedlings through laboratory (Meristematic Tissue Culture-MTC) that would need USD202,230.
Currently, Meristematic Tissue Culture is undertaken at an MTC laboratory built through the `Product and Market Development of Sisal and Henequen Products project implemented through a USD5.3m support from the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) under the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
The research is designed to reduce the period of seedling production to nine months from between 10 and 12 months. The Mlingano MTC laboratory was opened in 2000 and it is expected to produce 600,000 seedlings per year upon completion as opposed to the annual demand by sisal farmers of 25 million seedlings.
Sisal research activities began at Amani, in the same district in 1930, but were transferred to Mlingano in 1934 where the weather was considered ideal.
The Mlingano ARI was established by the then Tanganyika Sisal Farmers Association (TSGA) to conduct research in sisal production.
Other priority areas identified in the plan include research on alternative uses of sisal to cost USD385,200 and research on Korogwe Leaf Spot disease to use USD85,050.
The Mlingano ARI plan has also earmarked to conduct research on improved agronomic practices at an estimated cost of USD103,160, demonstration plots (USD154,080), soil fertility diagnostic surveys and technical backstopping (USD215,500) and assessing the possibility of establishing sisal farming for smallholder farmers in the central, lake and western zones of the country.
Mlingano ARI was responsible for production of the hybrid seedling 11648 that enabled Tanzania to reach sisal fibre production of 230,000 tonnes per year in the late 1960s. The seedling was produced after 25 years of research efforts.
Other improved seeds produced by Mlingano ARI include the H. 1300 and Mlola 1, which are being used commercially in Kenya.
``About 100 other improved seedlings have been produced and stored in the institute’s gene bank because they did not satisfy the recommended standards though they are still important in research activities,” Hamis said.
Technologies that have been provided through research at Mlingano include use of CAN, MOP and TSP fertilizers, use of lime and sisal waste as fertilizers, control of sisal weevils, bole rote and reducing effects of Korogwe Leaf Spot in sisal leaves.
Commenting on the challenges facing the institute, the Director of the Institute, Dr Adolf Nyakyi called on the strengthening of the current financial facilitation procedures of the institute to sustain research activities and increase productivity.
The TSGA used to contribute towards research activities of the institute but the decline in sisal market in the 1970s had a negative impact on contributions of the sisal farmers through their association.
Sisal stakeholders recently resolved to request the government to return the control of the management of the institute to sisal farmers to enable it overseer the activities.
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