FarmFriday showcases this excellenet research work on “Participatory variety selection and characterization of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) elite accessions from Malawian gene pool using farmer and breeder knowledge”
Plant breeding and agricultural promotion programmes in Malawi continue to be patterned after those in western industrialised countries – heavily dependent on inputs. This strategy has not produced the desired results of sustainable and increased crop yields. It has also failed to make use of the significant agricultural biodiversity available in Malawi and its potential to address food security concerns and issues in the country.
This paper describes how plant breeders and farmers worked together to test a range of sorghum accessions in a participatory varietal selection (PVS) programme. The specific objective of the project was to select diverse and productive sorghum lines adapted to local conditions and accepted by farmers and consumers’ at large using farmers’ indigenous knowledge and breeders’ scientific approach.
continue reading about how to use participatory techniques in selecting appropriate crop breeds…
