The ACCI trains PhD plant breeders from African countries to develop improved crop varieties for food security in Africa. It has graduated 36 students so far with 7 more graduating soon. The program trains students in plant breeding, genetics, and related fields over 2 years of coursework followed by 3 years of research at African agricultural research stations. It focuses on improving 16 important African crops and is funded by organizations like Rockefeller Foundation and AGRA. The goal is to develop locally adapted, resistant varieties and have graduates continue this work in their home countries after graduation.

1. The ACCI
(the African Centre for Crop Improvement)
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN),
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
• THE GOAL in 2002
– Train 80 PhD plant breeders
– In Africa
– at NARS research stations
– On African food security crops

2. The ACCI
• Countries: 11 in East and Southern Africa
• WACCI, at Univ. Legon, Accra, Ghana –
established in 2007 to cover West Africa
• 16 crops
– maize, sorghum, finger millet, pearl millet,
rice, durum wheat, tef
– cassava, sweet potato, banana
– dry bean, cowpea, groundnuts, soya,
pigeonpea, faba bean
• Funders – Rockefeller, AGRA, GCP

3. ACCI training in Africa
Uganda
Ethiopia
Rwanda
Mali
Kenya
Tanzania
Burkina Faso
Zambia
Malawi
Namibia
Zimbabwe
South Africa
Mozambique
ACCI, UKZN

4. ACCI Student Output to Date
• 86 students registered in 10 years
• 36 graduated
• 7 to graduate in April 2012
• 38 in the system still
• Efficiency
• 84% graduated on time – 3 yrs research
• 10% - 1 year late
• 6% = 5 dropped out

5. 2008 Graduation

6. Plant Breeding Successes – a snapshot
• Dry beans - complete bruchid resistance, Malawi
• - bean fly resistance in Kenya
• Cassava - CMD and BSV resistance
- peak yield @ 7mo. x F.A.S. for taste
• Maize – resistance to GLS, PLS, downy mildew,
MSV, cob rots, drought, low fertility
• Sorghum – 1st hybrids, drought tolerance, Striga
control via herbicide or biocontrol + resistance
• Cowpea – drought, virus and Striga resistance
• Groundnut - Rosette disease + blight resistance

7. Study Program of ACCI
• 2 yr academic studies at UKZN
– Year 1: Conversion of non-Plant Breeders (80%)
• Plant Breeding, Genetics , Biometry & Experimental Design,
Plant Pathology, Scientific Communication, Throughput Skills
– Year 2: Advanced studies, Lit. Review , Project Proposal
• blocks of specialist subjects, ACCI and international lecturers
• 3 years x field research
– in home country, at home research station, in NARs
– Supervisors visit several times p.a.
– Quarterly reports - narrative and financial
• Write-up of thesis: full draft BEFORE final 3 month in Pmb
• Deadline to submit – December 1st
• Graduate: April of 6th year

8. Graduates – What Next ?
• Return home to research station – 100%
retention in Africa, most in NARs
• Submit proposal for an ongoing research
program to AGRA after PhD submission –
CRUCIAL that funding is provided
• Aim:- Release cultivars, hybrids, novel traits ,
etc., developed out of the PhD studies
• Publish : 75 published in ISI journals, 39 in
review, 69 in preparation – use a science editor
• Chapter 1 & 2 of thesis – Lit Review and PRA -
published in ACCI Yearbooks, 5 to date

9. A Model of ACCI PhD Graduates
• Confident Plant Breeders, secure in the speed and power of
classical plant breeding
• An excellent knowledge of the potential and limits of biotech
tools
• Objective self-confidence in their knowledge and skills
• A commitment to engaging with farmers: using PRA surveys,
Participatory Plant Breeding as a standard practice
• Excellent writing and presentation skills
• Thorough knowledge of key software – Work, Excel, Genstat,
SAS, SPSS, Agrobase, PowerPoint, literature databases
• Release of locally bred cultivars on a regular basis, valuing
farmer uptake as the TRUE measure of success
• NB in context of Delphi study by Repinski et al. 2011, in
• Crop Science 51: 2325-2336.

10. Some Keys to Success ?
1. Funders – partnership based on common vision
2. Academics – critical mass = 7 plant breeders
3. External lecturers – can fill some gaps
4. Coursework component – CRUCIAL
• Deficiencies in prior training
• Convert non-Plant Breeders (80%)
5. Throughput Skills: 33% of ACCI curriculum
devoted to writing, project management, etc.
6. Each student’s PhD: treated as a unique
project
7. Project timeline: established & fixed

11. Leaf blight Resistant
Resistant
Susceptible Resistant Line
Rosette
Disease