Maize ranks as the third most important grain crop in India, where it is grown on 7.8 million ha. Over 50% of the annual production of 19 million t is used as feed, primarily for poultry. The Indian agricultural research system is increasingly focusing breeding efforts on quality protein maize (QPM). Despite these investments a systematic analysis of the potential role of QPM in maize-poultry value chains is still lacking, especially identification and assessment of (i) the actors involved (breeders, seed distributors, farmers/poultry producers, retailers and onsumers), (ii) the relationships among the actors, and (iii) the interventions needed to facilitate further growth of these value chains. To address these issues, the authors used a qualitative market-mapping approach involving stakeholder consultation in contrasting regions, backed up by a literature review. The constraints to uptake of QPM identified include: shortage of seed; lack of knowledge of QPM within the poultry industry; yields of QPM tending to be lower than that of normal maize hybrids; and methionine is often the limiting amino acid in maize-based poultry feed, thecontent of which is only slightly higher in QPM than in regular maize. Further research is needed to produce QPM varieties that outperform normal maize ones and to work more closely with the poultry industry so that QPM value chains become more demand- than supply-driven.

Genetic Resources Program|Socioeconomics Program

Text in English

INT2677|INT1617|INT2698