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Funded by the Monsanto Fund and USAID, the Virus
Resistant Cassava for Africa (VIRCA) project is developing
virus resistant cassava varieties for delivery to smallholder
farmers in East Africa. Since its inception, the VIRCA project
has collaborated with the national agriculture research systems
in partner countries to develop solutions to the severe crop
losses caused by cassava mosaic disease (CMD). Due to its
increasing threat to cassava production, VIRCA has added
resistance to cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) as a second
required trait for VIRCA varieties. A secondary goal of VIRCA
is to expand capacity in biotechnology product development and
delivery within the partner institutions in East Africa.
VIRCA's first partnership in East Africa was established in 2003
with the Kenya Agricultural
Research Institute (KARI). In 2006 the National Crop
Resources Research Institute of the
National
Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) of Uganda became a
second collaborative partner. Scientists from both KARI and
NARO have received training at the Danforth Center in cassava
tissue culture and transformation, molecular virology techniques
and environmental biosafety. VIRCA funds have also been used to
develop sites for confined field trials (CFTs), biosafety level
II screenhouses and enhanced tissue culture facilities in both
countries.
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| Partners in East Africa |
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Kenya Agricultural Research
Institute (KARI)
National
Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) |
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For additional information, please contact:
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Dr. Mark Halsey
Director of Product Development, International Programs
mhalsey@danforthcenter.org
Phone: (314) 587-1247
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