Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) Project: An overview

Developing countries, especially in Africa will continue to face the challenge of access to adequate food supply in the face of increased populations, reduced water, and arable land resources. Results of conventional breeding will not keep pace with the demand for food and the key to renewed growth in agriculture will be rapid technological change in food production. In recognition of the importance of maize in sub-Saharan Africa, the damage inflicted by stem borers, the difficulties in controlling these pests using traditional methods, and the availability of novel technology using the Bt endotoxins, three institutions came together to form the Insect Resistant Maize for Africa (IRMA) project. The IRMA project aims at increasing maize production and food security through the development and deployment of insect resistant maize to reduce losses due to stem borers. The objectives of the project are to: development of insect resistant maize varieties, establish procedures for deployment of the varieties to resource poor farmers, assess the impact of the varieties in the Kenyan agricultural systems, transfer technologies to participating countries through training and infrastructure development, document experiences and communicate on the technologies. Further successes are dependent on continued support by science, favorable policies, the involved institutions, and by other stakeholders. We are working to ensure that IRMA will serve the intended purpose, as a model of how major scientific and development projects will be carried out in future, through innovative partnerships and through institutional and disciplinary collaborations.