Management of Fall Armyworm (FAW) in Maize for Smallholder Farmers in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Quarterly Report: April 1, 2020 - June 30, 2020

The project is implemented by Land O'Lakes Venture37, with a cooperative agreement number of 72066019LA00002, and is scheduled to run from October 18, 2019, to October 17, 2024. The project's geographic coverage includes the former provincial areas in DO2 (Corridor 1: southern Katanga and Corridor 2: Kasai Occidental and Kasai Oriental/Lomami) and the majority of TO3 (South Kivu and Tanganyika, formerly northern Katanga). The project aims to improve the management of FAW in maize for smallholder farmers, with a focus on sustainable and cost-effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies. During the third quarter of 2020, the project team continued to progress despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The team completed 83 remote Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) for the maize value chain analysis, which involved interviewing actors and representatives of support organizations in various provinces of the DRC. The team also presented preliminary findings on remote data collection for the maize value chain analysis. The project's implementation is divided into three components: Component 1 focuses on identifying and validating sustainable and cost-effective IPM technologies for the local context; Component 2 aims to increase the adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) IPM; and Component 3 seeks to improve policies and systems for GAP IPM deployment. The project team has made significant progress in these components, including the finalization and validation of IITA/INERA's research protocol, the establishment of two Coordinated Activity Areas (CAAs), and the identification of 23 technologies for tests and validation trials. The project team has also pursued collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders, reviewed IPM guides, and designed a project communication plan. In addition, the team has made progress in facilitating system adoption, facilitating an enabling environment, and conducting monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning activities. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project team has demonstrated its ability to adapt and continue making progress. The project's focus on sustainable and cost-effective IPM technologies, GAP IPM, and policy improvements is expected to have a positive impact on smallholder farmers in the DRC. The project's next steps include priority technical activities, research activities, administrative, legal, and financial activities, facilitation of system adoption, facilitation of an enabling environment, and monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning activities. The project team will continue to work towards achieving its objectives and making a positive impact on smallholder farmers in the DRC. The project's challenges and constraints include the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions, and limited resources. However, the project team has demonstrated its ability to adapt and overcome these challenges. The project's lessons learned include the importance of flexibility, collaboration, and communication in the face of adversity. The project's annexes include additional information on the project's implementation, including project documents, meeting minutes, and technical reports.