Ex-ante nutrition security impacts of Research and Technology Options for Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

Abstract

In this report, GLDC technologies were assessed and ranked based on their potential impact on nutrition security. Key findings suggest that in west and central Africa, the technologies with the largest positive impacts on nutrition security are early-maturing varieties and hybrids with tolerance to drought for sorghum; genetically diverse dual-purpose hybrid parents/cultivars with high and stable yields and with disease resistance for pearl millet; early-maturing, drought-tolerant hybrids which can give stable yields under severe drought conditions for pearl millet; insect-resistant lines and integrated pest management including biological control for cowpea; and drought-tolerant varieties and integrated crop management for cowpea. In eastern and southern Africa, the most promising technologies are intercropping compatible-varieties and integrated crop management options for pigeon pea; early-maturing varieties and hybrids with tolerance to drought for sorghum; stem borer/midge-tolerant cultivars for sorghum; and Striga-resistant varieties and hybrids for sorghum; and medium- to late-maturing anthracnose-resistant cultivars for sorghum. In South Asia, the most promising technologies are varieties resistant to Fusarium wilt and root rots for chickpea; Botrytis gray mold-resistant varieties for chickpea; herbicide-tolerant varieties to control weeds for chickpea; drought-tolerant varieties for chickpea; and varieties resistant to Fusarium wilt and Cercospora leaf spot for pigeon pea.