Legacy of USAID support to agricultural research in Zaire

investment in food crops research and outreach in that country, an effort that was to have culminated in the $45.9 million Applied Research and Outreach Project II (RAV II -- 660124), begun in 1991. The present report documents the accomplishments of RAV II and its predecessor projects in order to preserve a record of USAID"s agricultural assistance to Zaire and document lessons that would prove useful in case such assistance resumed in the future. Chapter 1 presents a brief overview of food crops research activities and institutions in Zaire over the past 16 years, focusing on programs and projects supported by the U.S. government and placing them in historical perspective. Chapter 2 discusses the economics of food crops research and outreach development programs in Zaire. Germplasm development and conservation for the major crops -- cassava, maize, and the grain legumes (beans, peanuts, cowpeas, and soybeans) -- are covered in Chapter 3. The chapter treats the germplasm development research planning processes, including selection of breeding objectives, breeding and selection methods and the germplasm materials used, and variety multiplication methods and cooperators in variety diffusion. It includes a presentation of results, descriptions of varieties released and other important germplasm, an assessment of the methods used, and the outlook for further progress. Chapter 4 reviews plant protection program strategies and research in Zaire, including crop-specific research, cropping systems, and integrated pest management research. The chapter discusses the relationship of plant protection research and plant breeding programs, and documents the development and release of pest-resistant and pest-tolerant plant materials. Research in soil, agroforestry, and alley cropping is described in Chapter 5. Research objectives and the criteria used for selecting appropriate tree species and cropping systems for each agro-ecological zone are detailed. The participation of SENARAV, the Zairian counterpart agency, in international agroforestry and alley-cropping networks is also reviewed. A summary of suggested priorities for any future U.S. involvement in agricultural programs in Zaire is contained in Chapter 6. Included in this final chapter are lessons learned, programs and activities showing the most promise for future impact, and recommendations for retention or modification of particular activities. (Author abstract, modified)