Top > Regional Affairs > Africa > TICAD > Illustrative List Of Ongoing and Pipeline Projects/Programs For African Development As a Reference Document for TICAD II > II. Economic Development : Promoting Private Sector(2.3 Agricultural Development) > Demonstration Project - Two alternatives to the use of methyl bromide in the production of tobacco drought-resistant seedlings: non-soil cultivation and low-dose chemicals

Two Alternatives to the Use of Methyl Bromide in the Production
of Tobacco Drought (UNIDO)
Project / Program Summary

I. Basic data

Sector: Fumigants
Title: Demonstration Project - Two alternatives to the use of methyl bromide in the production of tobacco drought-resistant seedlings: non-soil cultivation and low-dose chemicals
Donor country / organization: Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol
Other donors / organizations involved: UNIDO
Beneficiary countries / regions: Zimbabwe / Africa
Implementing agencies in beneficiary countries / regions: Tobacco Research Board, Harare
Duration: 24 months
Starting Date: November 1997
Project / Program budget: US$370,700
Finance / Type of cooperation: grant / technical cooperation

II. Project / program description

  1. Objectives
    The objective of the project is to demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of two modified alternative methods to the use of methyl bromide for the production of tobacco seedlings, i.e., non-soil cultivation techniques and application of various mixtures of other chemicals in low doses, all in combination with an integrated pest management system, and to disseminate the results among qualified specialists from tobacco producers in Article 5 countries.
  2. Activities / contents
    • Purchase of appropriate equipment
    • preparation of an economic analysis of the different soilless media and chemicals available in Zimbabwe
    • Application of soilless technologies using at least six different locally available media and three systems in large and small-scale farms
    • Application of low doses of a mixture of herbicides/fungicides and nematicides
    • Application of the Integrated Pest Management principles in each of the four demonstration cases and continuous monitoring of its implementation
    • Replication of 2 cases on a full-scale commercial basis
    • Preparation of a technical and economic analysis of the results, incl. a quality assessment of leaf produced and taking as reference the present system with methyl bromide
    • Three weeks study tour in Brazil, USA and The Netherlands
    • On-the-job training in soilless seedbeds
    • Editing and distribution of the report
    • Organization of a three-day workshop to present the results qualified specialists from top tobacco producers in Article 5 countries
  3. Expected outcomes / impacts
    Output 1:
    A practical technical and economic analysis of the utilization of two alternatives to methyl bromide, namely, non-soil cultivation and the use of various other chemicals in tobacco seedbeds in combination with an integrated pest management system in the field. The demonstration cases will be similar in size to those of the local average small-scale farmer and will be carried out under the same local conditions.
    Output 2:
    At least three local specialists fully aware of the soilless technologies and mixtures of chemicals being used in the most advanced countries in that field.
    Output 3:
    Dissemination of the results of the demonstration project among qualified specialists from top tobacco producers in Article 5 countries.
  4. Features in line with the Agenda for Action
    environment management (ozone layer protection), compliance with international conventions and global agreements and protocols

III. Contact point:

Mr. S.M. Si Ahmed
Acting Director
Montreal Protocol Branch
Sectoral Support and Environmental Sustainability Division
UNIDO
P.O. Box 400
A-1400 Vienna, Austria
Tel: 43-1-21131 3782
Fax: 43-1-21131 6804

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