TABLE CONTENTS

Support for Nematology in Developing World Agriculture: How is the
Future Looking?
Coyne, D. (1), J. Nicol (2) & B. Sibanda (3)
(1) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Kampala, Uganda; (2) International Maize and Wheat
Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Ankara, Turkey; (3) Nematology Initiative in Eastern and Southern Africa
(NIESA), Harare, Zimbabwe
Globally, nematology tends to have a low profile with research organisations, universities and
consequently donors, but especially in developing countries and Africa in particular. Within
the consultive group for international agricultural research (CGIAR), designed to support and
promote developing country agricultural research, nematology expertise has declined with
nematologists a rarity in a system dedicated to supporting national programmes. This creates
difficulties for nematologists to attract research funding and support for training, often
through a limited critical mass and voice to champion the discipline. Fellowships, specifically
designed to cater for needs of developing world scientists provide opportunities, but without
the disciplinary advocates, nematology opportunities are often missed. Since the widely
acclaimed International Meloidodogyne Project (IMP) (1975–1983), funded by USAID,
which involved some 200 nematologists over 70 countries, there have been few substantial
nematology interventions. Some notable examples include the Postgraduate International
Nematology Course (PINC) (since 1992), now EUMAINE, funded by the Belgian
Government through the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) and The Nematology
Initiative in Eastern and Southern Africa (NIESA) (2005–2010), funded by the Gatsby
Charitable Trust, both designed to build capacity in plant nematology. However, the
weaknesses and needs of tropical and developing world nematology, such as basic knowledge
and a lack of awareness among key actors, remain prominent, while becoming increasingly
necessary to confront, as cropping intensification and cropping of more marginal lands
exaggerate nematode problems. In particular, there is need to follow on the success of the
IMP, especially in respect to meeting the challenge of the most important plant parasitic
nematode group, Meloidogyne spp. With a bleak future perspective, there is urgent need to
address nematology training and support to create greater disciplinary prominence and bring
it more into line within agricultural research agendas.
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