July 7, 2017
Participants from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Burkina Faso at the workshop. Photo: D Roma, ICRISAT
As part of ICRISAT’s initiative to modernize databases, introduce digital data collection tools and barcoding techniques, a data management workshop was conducted in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) in Kenya for the HOPE II project.
The workshop was specially designed for the project’s research technicians of the national breeding programs. Participants were trained in the use of Breeding Management System (BMS) including creation of lists of germplasm, new trials (both single and multi-locational), and uploading data on existing trials. New breeding locations were added to the existing database. Participants were also trained to use handheld devices for data collection.
“Data migration is absolutely necessary. As an international research organization, we need to move germplasm, data and tools around corporately to accelerate genetic gains. Donors expect this of us and we should expect it of ourselves and colleagues,” said an email from Dr David Bergvinson, Director General, ICRISAT, addressing the workshop participants.
Dr Moses Siambi, Research Program Director – Eastern & Southern Africa and Country Representative, Kenya and Dr Hamado Taposoba, HOPE II Project Coordinator, West and Central Africa Program, emphasized the need for modern data management tools to improve breeding program efficiencies in the project and the spillover effect it would have in modernizing other breeding program activities of the participating institutions.
The workshop involving Breeding Management System (BMS) of Integrated Breeding Platform (IBP) and Kansas State University (KSU) Fieldbook was organized by the Statistics, Bioinformatics and Data Management (SBDM) Unit, ICRISAT, from 26-30 June in Nairobi, Kenya. The sessions were led by Dr Abhishek Rathore, Theme Leader, SBDM. The workshop was attended by 15 technicians (2 women and 13 men) representing Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Burkina Faso.
Project: Harnessing Opportunities for Productivity Enhancement (HOPE) of Sorghum and Millets in sub-Saharan Africa - Phase 2
Funder: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Attendee institutes: Institut de l’Environnement et de Recherches Agricoles (INERA), Burkina Faso; Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), Ethiopia; Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), Nigeria; Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Nigeria; Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), Nigeria; Agricultural Research Institute - Uyole (ARI-Uyole), Tanzania; Agricultural Research Institute – Ilonga (ARI-Ilonga), Tanzania; National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI), Uganda
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