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Sifelani Tsiko
Agric, Environment & Innovations Editor
Dr Joseph Mushonga, (79), a veteran plant breeder has been honoured by the Zimbabwe Plant Breeders Association (ZPBA) for his outstanding work in the development and release of improved small grain crop varieties in the country.
He was presented with a ZPBA Honorary Life Award at an annual symposium for plant breeders on Wednesday by Dr Dumisani Kutywayo, director, Crops Research Division at Department of Research and Specialist Services.
This award was in recognition of his research work on the breeding of small grains spanning more than four decades.
Dr Mushonga played an instrumental role in the development and release of two white sorghum varieties SV1 and SV2 in 1987, pearl millet variety PMV1 in 1989, PMV2 in 1991 and the first sorghum hybrid variety ZWSH-1 in 1992.
He also developed the first two finger millet varieties FMV 1 and FMV 2 in 1993 under the national breeding programme at the Crop breeding Institute.
Dr Mushonga got wide acclaim for sorghum and millet germplasm collection missions in Zimbabwe and for grain quality development of these crop varieties for food as well as for the processing of beer.
“Dr Joseph Nyika Mushonga’s contribution to the plant breeding sector over decades has not gone unnoticed. Of particular interest to this event is his great input in the formative years of ZPBA and his outstanding breeding work in the traditional grains (sorghums and millets) sector coupled with significant successes in participatory breeding approaches in the country and beyond our borders,” said Dr John Basera, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement.
“In short, we could safely conclude that if we were to have one word to describe Dr Mushonga’s efforts it would undoubtedly be -resilience – be it the contributing to the resilience of the association or the crop varieties of the traditional grains he released contributing to a more resilient crop production system and the participatory breeding approaches he championed.”
Fondly referred to as “Doc” by his peers, Dr Mushonga has managed and coordinated interdisciplinary research on sorghum and millet improvement in Zimbabwe and southern Africa.
He served as a board member of ICRISAT, represented Zimbabwe on the SPRGC and ICRAF steering committees.
The veteran plant breeder is recognized for producing over 35 publications covering sorghum and millets.
He received the Seed Co-op prize in 1992 from the Zimbabwe Cereal Industry and assisted in the formation of the Zimbabwe Plant Breeders Association.
“Dr Mushonga is an icon in the plant breeding field and I’m pleased that he has been recognised for the sterling work he has done for the country and the region as a whole,” said ZPBA out-going president Dr Cosmos Magorokosho.
Upon receiving the award, Dr Mushonga said: “I’m truly humbled to receive the award. Having walked this journey in the field of plant breeding for over 43 years, it is indeed a great honour.
“I’m indebted to several colleagues and friends – among them Jacob Tichagwa, a plant breeder, Andrew Mushita – an agronomist and director of Community Technology Development Organisation (CTDO) and many others.”
He expressed gratitude to the ministry of agriculture which nurtured his talents.
Dr Mushonga was born in 1943 in Marondera district and attended Waddilove Agricultural Training Institute from 1961 to 1964. He graduated with a national certificate in agriculture and later proceeded to complete his ‘O’ level studies in Tanzania in 1967.
The veteran plant breeder attended the California State Polytechnic University in the US where he graduated with a BSc in Soil Science in 1972 and a BSc in crop science and agronomy in 1973.
He earned a MSc degree in plant breeding at the same institute and obtained a PhD degree in plant Breeding from the University of Zimbabwe in collaboration with Purdue University Indiana, US.
Dr Mushonga served in various capacities within the ministry of agriculture – heading the Crop Breeding Institute in 1989 including serving in regional and international boards and committees.
He retired from government in 1998 and joined the CTDO – a Harare based NGO, where he serves as deputy director and agronomist.
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