We are pleased to share the 2017 Annual Report from the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas, entitled ‘From science to scaling’. We invite you the explore the report as an interactive website where you can also download the PDF.
2017 was a notable year for our program. It marked the start-up of Phase II, where we significantly accelerated the scaling of the diverse set of innovations developed since the program’s inception in 2012. This is supported by our Flagship Project 5, which is facilitating the design and implementation of strategies for scaling innovations to achieve the greatest possible impact.
One of the mechanisms created for this is the RTB Scaling Fund, which in 2017 awarded its first grants to three teams of scientist working on bringing to scale: 1) an approach, known as single diseased-stem removal, for controlling the disease banana Xanthomonas wilt; 2) a method for conserving sweetpotato roots to produce planting material, known as Triple S; and 3) a technology for turning cassava peels into an ingredient of animal feed.
Likewise, we have seen the impact that the breeding of improved root, tuber and banana varieties – a core part of our program since its onset – has had through RTB-supported adoption studies. The report explores the adoption of improved potato and cassava varieties.
In 2017, we launched the CGIAR Gender and Breeding Initiative. The Initiative brought together plant and animal breeders and social scientists to develop a strategy for gender-responsive breeding with supporting methods, tools and practices. This includes a practical guide to help plant and animal breeding programs become more gender-responsive.
Learn more about our achievements and successes in 2017 in the report.