1. INTRODUCTION

Potato and sweetpotato (SP) are important crops in East and Central Africa. Potato, an important food and cash crop in the highlands, is becoming an increasingly favoured food in urban areas due mainly to the growing number of fast food industries and hotels. Sweetpotato, a staple food in densely populated, intensively cultivated, mid-elevation and highland regions north and west of Lake Victoria, is now becoming an important cash earner for the poor. In response to the growing importance of these two crops in the region, more land is continuously being cropped to them. However, their yields per unit land area are low by any standards. The major contributing factors are poor varieties, diseases, insect pests, poor soils, and unfavourable weather conditions. The critical shortage of seed/planting material and inadequate extension services are also a major constraint to the expansion of the crops. There is need to address these problems effectively and efficiently at a regional level in a manner that avoids or minimizes duplication of efforts.

PRAPACE under the auspices of ASARECA supports National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) in the ten ASARECA member countries and strengthens links with partners to bring about impact in the region on potato and sweetpotato production. PRAPACE provided support to NARS in research, technology and information exchange, capacity building, and technical backstopping. Highlights of these activities are given below for the period October 1999 to November 2000.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded PRAPACE. The network linked to the International Potato Center, networks, programs and projects (NPPs), NGOs and other partners. CIP provided backstopping for the flow of improved germplasm, training, scientific information as well as other technical and administrative supports.

STAFF RECRUITED

2.1 A PROGRAM ASSISTANT RECRUITED

The Committee of Directors of ASARECA during its September1999 Annual Meeting granted permission to recruit a local program assistant. Fifteen Ugandan nationals applied for the position. Four were short-listed and, Mr. James Nsumba, agronomist, from the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) succeeded following interviews that took place on 23 March 2000. He started work on 3 May 2000.

2.2 A NEW ACCOUNTANT RECRUITED

Upon resignation of the former PRAPACE accountant for another job, the position was advertised early August. Out of forty-two applicants, six were short-listed and Ms. Christine Akullu was chosen after interviews held on August 18, 2000. She started work on September 1, 2000.

3. STEERING COMMITTEE (SC) MEETINGS

The PRAPACE Steering Committee met three times during the above-mentioned period. The first was held in Nairobi, Kenya, the second in Kampala and the third in Rubona, Rwanda. The SC meetings were attended by the PRAPACE SC members, researchers of the national programs, Community-based organizations, producers' associations, CIP, USAID/REDSO and representatives of NPPs.The meeting in Kenya focused on:

review and evaluation of progress on collaborative research and development activities with NARs

funding status of the then on-going sub-projects and phasing out of some to avail funds to new proposals from new member countries and those on market studies.

feedback from community-based organizations/producers associations on the usefulness and acceptability of the potato and sweetpotato technologies generated.

Representatives of CBOs and associations presented papers on their experiences and gave suggestions on improvements they thought would benefit the users most. They pointed out that the newly released varieties of both crops were high yielding with better disease resistance and there was no problem in adopting them, except for the shortage of seed/planting material that slowed down dissemination. The UNSPPA representative said that their members benefited much economically with average net returns to investment accounting to 87.8, 102,9 and 215% for the seasons 1997B, 1998A and 1998B, respectively. All representatives appreciated the informal and formal training given to them on production, storage, and product development. They, however, aired their concerns about availability of market for their produce and suggested that product development be strengthened to ensure market, particularly for sweetpotatoes.

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